Is this cost reasonable?

[BuildingNovice]

I'll be grateful for some guidance on this.

I have specified 10 extra light fittings (ceiling spotlights) over and above original spec, and my builder wants to charge £50 for each light.

Is that reasonable in terms of the work required? The electrician will obviously be running a circuit cable anyway, so is the extra work mainly just fitting the actual spotlights?

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

are you sure its just 'fit extra lights'?

Do they need to be fire-rated?

Does the spark have to make other provisions to comply with various parts of the building regs?

How much does each fitting cost?

Would you be happy if he spent just a couple of minutes wanging them into your ceiling willy-nilly or would you prefer that he spent more of his time carefully measuring them to make sure they are neat and aligned?

Do you know where the joists are and would be happy to tell him, accepting liability if you screwed up, or do you expect the sparky to find the joists and take them into account in his measuring?

How much additional cable will the spark require?

How much power do the 9 extra lights consume?

How does the additional load affect the circuit it is connected to?

Who is going to spend their time to find out about the loading, you or the spark?

Does the spark require any further junction boxes due to your change in design?

How much are those JB's each?

Who is going to the shop to get them?

Have you made many changes throughout the course of these works?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is the ceiling up, or down.

Did the builder already put up and plaster the ceiling before you changed your mind? If so, he may be punishing you

 

[BuildingNovice]

Taylortwocities,

The ceiling is not yet up (just the rafters and roof tiles)

What would be a reasonable price do you think?

 

[Johnmelad502]

Is the ceiling up, or down.

Did the builder already put up and plaster the ceiling before you changed your mind? If so, he may be punishing you

Ceilings are always above your head (in the room you are standing in) so the ceiling must be up.

Only joking TTC

 

[1john]

fitting + lamp + cable + junction box + flex from JB to fitting +clips + labour 1st and 2nd fix = £50 per spot sounds fair to me.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Taylortwocities,

The ceiling is not yet up (just the rafters and roof tiles)

What would be a reasonable price do you think?

Are these main (GU10) lamps
or
12v (ELV) with a transformer per fitting? Those double the second fix time.

 

[BuildingNovice]

ijohn,

Thanks for your reponse.

Cost quoted is just for fitting and cables - we supply light fitting (ceiling spotlight)

 

[BuildingNovice]

Taylortwocities,

The will be ceiling spotlights with a GU10 lamp

I'll be grateful for some ball park for a reasonable 'labour' cost (including supplying cables)

 

[1john]

ijohn,

Thanks for your reponse.

Cost quoted is just for fitting and cables - we supply light fitting (ceiling spotlight)

See if he can supply the lights also, for the same price, if you dont ask you dont get.

You do realise that this is not the best type of lighting, yes they look nice but without using LED or CFL lamps they are expensive to run and more than likely the same job could be acheived by two pendants with 11W CFL lamps in them, just food for thaught.

 

[Taylortwocities]

For 10xGU10 downlights that you supply

Assuming the light feed is in place and no other work is required re the consumer unit.

Assuming the spark is already on site doing other work

I would estimate this maximum as one man day plus materials (eg cables, clips). ½day first fix ½ day making swiss cheese out of your nice new ceiling and connecting up.
So he's having a laugh at £500. I would say £250max.

What about the light switch? Who is supplying that?

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Hi Buildingnovice,

Have you had chance to consider any of the points i asked about?

Some of which may or may not be relevant, but overall may affect the price the builder has given you..

 

[BuildingNovice]

Mikhail,

Sorry, not sure why but I didn't see your first post. Here are the
answers:

>>are you sure its just 'fit extra lights'? <<

Yes

>>Do they need to be fire-rated? <<

No

>>Does the spark have to make other provisions to comply with various parts of the building regs? <<

No

>>How much does each fitting cost? <<

We are supplying the lamps

>>Would you be happy if he spent just a couple of minutes wanging them into your ceiling willy-nilly or would you prefer that he spent more of his time carefully measuring them to make sure they are neat and aligned? <<

Neat and aligned

>>Do you know where the joists are and would be happy to tell him, accepting liability if you screwed up, or do you expect the sparky to find the joists and take them into account in his measuring? <<

Ceiling not yet up, so first fix (which I assume means putting in wires in place) is easy

>>How much additional cable will the spark require? <<

It's a 5m x 3.5m room and pitched ceiling

>>How much power do the 9 extra lights consume? <<

They will be normal wattage (e.g. 60w) GU10s

>>How does the additional load affect the circuit it is connected to? <<

I assume the load is within the limits for a circuit

>>Who is going to spend their time to find out about the loading, you or the spark? <<

Spark, but not sure this would take him more than a few minutes thought

>>Does the spark require any further junction boxes due to your change in design? <<

As I understand it, the junction boxes (ceiling roses) are part of the light fitting we will supply


>>How much are those JB's each? <<

N/A as we will supply

>>Who is going to the shop to get them? <<

Us

>>Have you made many changes throughout the course of these works?<<

No

 

[BuildingNovice]

1John

We are supplying lamps as we want to get the right look.

We did look ino LED and CFL, but got the impression the LED light was too narrow a beam. CFL lamps seem too bulky looking.

 

[BuildingNovice]

Taylortwocities,

Thanks again for your response.

Your assumptions are correct. We are supplying light switches.

We have added lights to the original spec so obvioulsy expect to pay more.

I should have added in my OP that we are having 3 separate lighting circuits in kitchen (so we can switch on some lights, most lights or all lights), which was not in original spec. However, not sure how much more cost is involved?

Whichever way I look at this, £600 sounds far too much. £300 would sound fairer (can't imagine 10 lights and splitting circuits is more than a full day's job).