New workshop power installation quote

[Woodandstuff]

I have been given a quote for around 1000 pounds inc vat for the installation of power to my workshop, and wonder if this is reasonable. The work will be certified.




The work shop is Apox a 10 meter run from my consumer unit . And will be run above ground , attached to a wall .



As part of this installation they will install a four way consumer unit . 1.8 m non corrosive led light fitting, 5 double plugs and a 1.2 m tubular heater with thermostat and guard .

Is there any prep I can do to reduce the cost .

 

[Gordon Tarling]

Doesn't seem too bad to me, but it's always wise to get at least two quotes for any job.

 

[steve66]

I paid about £900 on having a chalet wired up, fully certified. So sounds reasonable to me as well

 

[Cabinetman]

Not too far off, electricians are in high demand at the mo, it cost me £600 for my 5 year installation check the last time, perhaps I should have trained as one!

 

[ChaiLatte]

As part of this installation they will install a four way consumer unit . 1.8 m non corrosive led light fitting, 5 double plugs

Sockets are probably more useful to you than plugs.

 

[Hsmith192]

I got three quotes and I’m in the south east. 2k, 1.6k and 1.3k.

I’m just a bit dumb struck with what electricians ask these days, how much do other people have to work to generate 2k in a weekend? Obvs there’s material costs but I was quoted for very little and no new armoured cable……

 

[MikeJhn]

Take into account overheads, PI insurance, work van insurance and cost, membership of a Electricians scheme (almost mandatory if you comply with part P) National Insurance, the list is quite extensive, bottom line £1000.00 is reasonable, ensure the consumer unit is installed with RCBO's or is at least protected by one on the power take off from your main CU.

 

[ChaiLatte]

Is there any prep. I can do to reduce the cost?

Think through what work is necessary and what proportion of it you are competent to do. Write that down, send it to the person submitting the quote and ask "if I do this, would you be prepared to reduce your quote and by how much?" The worst that will happen is they say no.

Screwing pattress boxes to a wall and running trunking between them does not require a qualification. You only need the special training if you want the trunking installed out of level or out of plumb.

 

[Fitzroy]

All you want is a quote with materials and expected hours and a per hour rate, + an overheads percentage. It would then be possible to understand the breakdown and decide if the hourly rate and number of hours is reasonable. Getting a quote like this is almost unheard of.

Recently I lucked out with a local guy who did exactly this. Shed electrics, 25m of 2.5mm armoured drilled and clipped to granite wall, 2xdouble sockets in shed, light switch, surface trunking and 3xled panels wired in. Job cost materials (£250) plus two x 8hrs days labour at £33/hr. Bloke turned up for the full 8 hrs and worked hard all day. He quoted a day and a half, but I could see it was taking longer so asked how much extra time to do a good job which was the extra half day. Completely happy to pay for the time needed.

Chap is obviously now on speed dial for anything electric.

 

[Spectric]

As part of this installation they will install a four way consumer unit .

Always install a consumer unit with spare capacity as the cost is negligable, especially if you do not fit the protective devices.

Again oversize the SWA cable to allow for future capacity, I would say 6mm is the smallest size to use as the difference in cost between 2.5 and 6 is only around £1 a metre so for your application an extra £12. I assume your house is supplied by a PME system so this is for two core cable prices.

You have not mentioned what machines you have and whilst having this work done I would insist on box trunking to allow for easy future additions and a circuit with 16 amp outlets because at some point you might get a planer / thicknesser or something that due to startup current will need that supply.

The all in price of £1000 seems in the right ball park but I would want at least two quotes just for comparison as things do vary by area. Labour at £33 is cheap, I would have expected higher in a city like Aberdeen but maybe it is only way down south the prices are sky high and Tabett sounds like Scotland so again get at least two quotes.

 

[Cabinetman]

After a fire next door to me and a LOT of water coming into my workshop make sure that all the wiring either has a U bend built in or enters and leaves the box from below. The water ran straight down the wires and trunking into the box, this added considerable cost and anguish to getting back up and running. A small detail that I hope you never test!
Ian

 

[trvlr]

Also… better to run everything in plastic/pvc conduit and use metalclad sockets and switches. And install more sockets than you think you may need at this time. Say every two to three feet, and at an obvious easily reached height for obvious reasons.

And if using conduit one can easily run separate cores; and I think 50 and 100metre drums of single core 2.5mm (stranded inners) will work out cheaper than using standard twin & earth.

Once the sockets, switches and conduit are all installed it’s a doddle to cable up with singles. Twin & earth is PIA in trunking in trunking, and even worse in conduit,