Any electricians around? Does this quote sound excessive?

[Blennyfish]

So, having a new kitchen fitted.

Large kitchen, 3 existing double sockets are staying with the 3 face plates being replaced in brushed steel covers.

Wiring appears to have been replaced for another existing two double sockets and an extra double socket being fitted.

New single RCD being fitted next to the existing elec meter to cope with the demand of the hob with wiring run above the ceiling for this. Wiring for double oven taken from existing oven. Wiring for extraction is being fitted. New sockets in cabinets for dishwasher, fridge, freezer and washing machine.

8 spotlights being supplied and fitted, 2 under cabinet lights being supplied and fitted.

Written on the wall is the following which I think is the bits he’ll be supplying. He’s been here two days so far doing the ‘first fix’ electrics.

I’ve attached the pic and I’ll try and write it out as it’s not too clear.

His quote for the electrics for the whole job is £1200.

Is this excessive?

Sorry it’s 4 under cabinet lights.

Which part of the country are you in?

He's been there two days already and the price includes bits? No it doesn't seem excessive. But then I'm in the South West.

In South Wales. I expect he’ll be here another once or twice toward the end of the job to connect it all up - he will fit a new light fitting in the dining area too

Well I guess it's easy enough to look up the (approx.) prices for the bits. But if he's mostly done the work isn't it a bit late to get other quotes? Our double-glazing guy said he works mostly on building jobs and he charges £60/hr + VAT. I hope he's not charging me that when he does our windows!!! eek :D

I won’t be getting other quotes, he works with our kitchen fitter so it’s guaranteed work for him.
It just seemed a bit expensive to me.

Is he doing a good job? I hate paying too much but I prefer to not have the stress of shit workmanship, especially with electrics. Once (when very poor) got an electric shower fitted by a bloke who chopped a hole in the back of the case rather than put the wire through the hole with rubber grommet! FFS. Needless to say he was sacked...

Yes he appears to be doing a good job and the kitchen fitter is excellent. Like you I don’t want poor workmanship either. I’d love to know if the price I’ve been given is about right though. The kitchen fitter had originally quoted the electrics around £600 so now that the exact price has come in from the electrician at £1200 it was a bit of a shock.

Ask the kitchen fitter why his electrician has doubled the 'quote', that might sort things out - perhaps there's been extra work or more expensive kit?

I think the kitchen fitter estimated the electrics side of it based on what he thought needed doing. At that point the electrician hasn’t even been to the house. Kitchen fitter admits himself it’s expensive / he was way off with his quote.

I had my kitchen done recently, with similar work from the electrician (new spotlights, lots of new power sockets, RCD, etc), and I think it was a very similar quote, certainly over 1k.

Doesn't seem to excessive to me but the kitchen fitter should be asking the electrician about it if he thinks it's excessive!

Has the kitchen fitter actually brought someone along and had him start work and then said to you, "oof, that's expensive"?

Sounds about similar to what I paid in 2017 for similar amount of work

Its about what we would charge for a large kitchen, kitchen fitters are a pain in the arse and should stick to what they know.

Thanks so much. Yes the kitchen fitter gave me a quote for the whole job to include plastering and electrics. He has obviously estimated far less than the actual cost. It is annoying as it’s double what I thought I’d have to pay but it seems I have to suck it up.

It will be mainly the cost of labour, electricians charge around £200- £250 a day for domestic work ime.

Bit rude to say all kitchen fitters are a pain isn’t he arse

Did your kitchen fitter quote the price including electrics, or did they estimate the price?

If they quoted it as a complete job and you agreed that quote, surely how much they have to pay their electrician has nothing to do with you?

If it was estimated, then you really should have got a quote before work commenced.

It's not rude rebel its the truth if there is an issue on a kitchen job 9/10 its because the kitchen fitter has stuck his nose in and made comments he isn't qualified to make. Guessing pricing is just one of their favourite tricks.

It was an overall quote but the kitchen fitted obviously guessed at the electrics (I’m expecting him to have done this with the plasterer too).

I understand that things do change when difficulties are uncovered or slight changes to the plan come up but the doubling of the electrician did come as a bit of a shock. I was expecting the cost to vary by a couple of hundred quid either way but 600 more for the electrics did sting a bit.

I won’t cause a fuss though as he’s very accommodating with my little changes and the finished work is superb (we’ve just had two bathrooms done by him)

Its a mine field Blennyfish easy to bump the price up hundreds if something external to the kitchen has to be upgraded as a result. Its very awkward having to goto a customer after the fact and try to tell them they need the earthing and bonding upgraded, additional RCD protection or even a new consumer unit. We always go and give a quote to the customer ourselves to prevent that.

Good luck and dont forget the Electrician should be providing you with a full electrical installation certificate at the end of the job and notifying the new circuits to LABC for which you should receive a compliance certificate.

Its a good price for the work
I had electrical work done last year and paid far more!
Yes.. I was ripped off

Still rude.
I wouldn’t want to employ a trade who lumped all of another type of trade in such a negative light

We have trades of all sorts in the family including electricians. I’m sure there can be issues on site sometimes but saying it’s always down to the fitters is wrong

NB : totally understand if you’ve only dealt with cowboys before or the untrained staff often hired by big sheds to do basic kitchen fits

I work in construction and the fitters we’ve dealt with have often been the glue holding it all together. Must be lucky