Sq. Ft. price

[ceb]

I am wondering what materials are going for around the country. given this, a 3 bedroom,2 bath 2000 sq. ft. home,wired to min. code,no extras,with a heat pump what is your best estimate of cost per sq. ft JUST for materials,no labor,permits or any extras?

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Have yet to find anyone really wanting min.No ceilings fans or bedroom light fixtures,no closet lights,jelly jar lights for kitchen and dining room,1 afci for all 3 bedrooms,no dryer,no range,no water heater,no disposal or dish washer.Probably materials at about $800.

[ September 21, 2004, 09:53 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]

 

[gndrod]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Prices have increased considerably since I finished writing a wiring process book that included a complete takeoff for a 1400 sf house. The revised 2005 edition using listed SQ D service equipment, all rough-in, including recessed cans comes to a thousand bucks alone. Add in plug & plate with fixtures totals above $1900.00 USD. These prices are contractors end column rates at HOME DEPOT.

rbj, HOUSE WIRING & THE PROCESS

 

[gndrod]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

ps. A good 4 ton heat pump(1 ton/ 500sf)with 10 SEER (min code) will run about 3k added to above takeoff. (Size and price may vary in climate zone installed.)

 

[chrsb]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Just did a min per code 1800 for $4,500.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

are we keeping in mind just what minimum really is ? 100 amp service and nothing anything beyond code.This means light in bedroom is switched receptacle just under the switch.Many say minimum but seldom will stop at that

 

[kenro]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Talked to a GC this morning that pays $1.33/sq. ft. in Aiken,S.C.

 

[kenro]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

don't give the work away guys!!!

 

[gndrod]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

I would use a 200 amp service to cover the heat pump load and any staged heating elements. Better safe than sorry.....Cost isn't much diff from 100 amp.

 

[MONOLITH]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Originally posted by kenro:
Talked to a GC this morning that pays $1.33/sq. ft. in Aiken,S.C.

$1.33?

Someone straighten me out. I thought going rate for Sq. ft. wiring was between $2.25 and $3.00?

 

[studiac]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

$1.33, no kidding. How the heck you make any money that way? 1.33 x 1800 = $2394. CHRSB said he just did a 1800ft. for $4500 which is $2.50, which sounds alot better. Heck after materials and gas and inspection fees you would have to be around $1000 to $1200 just in materials and such. So you would wire a house for $1000. If so I need to find someone like you then I could just subcontract out and make a killing.

 

[goldstar]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

The only way I can see this pricing method working is if you hook up with a track builder and are wiring 20 or 30 of the same type house the same way. If you're wiring a custom home, there are too many variables and add-on's that will throw you way off.

I recently finished wiring an 8000 sq ft house up here in northern NJ. There were 130 hi-hat light fixtures, 3 air conditioning units (2-3-and 4 ton), an 8-zone boiler with 3 circulator motors, 3 sub-panels, 4 bathrooms, 2 laundry areas with electric dryers and a Jacuzzi. If I wired this house for $1.33 to $2.50/sq ft I'd be paying the builder for the privilege of wiring the house !!! The rough-in material was over $8000.00. The sad part of this is that the homeowner was not willing to pay the extra cost for a 300 amp service and only had a 200 amp service installed. I truly hope it doesn't burn up - but if it does - Oh Boy will I be making a few $$$ on this one !!!

 

[cs409]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

just for grins goldstar. what did the dwelling cal. figures show?

[ September 24, 2004, 07:44 AM: Message edited by: cs409 ]

 

[goldstar]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Long story short, standard residential calcs showed that there was 257 amps connected load. POCO said it was OK to install a 200 amp service. I installed 3" PVC (just in case) and POCO installed the feeders. Don't know what size they ran but I don't care. If and when it burns up - I'll be there.

 

[cs409]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

seems like an 8000 ft house or better yet..person paying for it, would not have a problem going to a larger service! best of luck.....

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

"I truly hope it doesn't burn up - but if it does - Oh Boy will I be making a few $$$ on this one !!! "
Am i missing something ? if this burns up because it was undersized or under warranty then this is on you and your license.Not sure where the poco stands on deciding the service size for a house.Down here that was decided by the engineer and electrician.I would not have risked undersize.What happens when they add a pool or something.30 years ago some homes only got 100 amp services,look at the problems they now have because of it.

 

[goldstar]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

Jim,

I made this known to both the owner (who happens to be the builder) and the AHJ and neither one took my advice. I'm on record (and on paper) as recommending a 300 amp service, so the onus isn't on me. In reality, it probably won't burn up but I over-sized the conduit anyway. The issue wasn't so much the additional cost for the 300 amp service, it was more about the size of the 300 amp meter pan in front of his house just outside the dining room window. Go figure !!! When people build houses this big they're more concerned with the appointments inside their house such as the fireplace, stone work, Corinthian columns, Jacuzzi tubs, etc. If a trunk slammer came in and told them they could wire the entire house with antenna cable they would probably pick him instead of me just so they could add a granite counter top in their kitchen !!!

POCO said it was OK because they figure only 60% of the connected load which would have brought it to 154 amps. They also mentioned something about the house being in a sub-division and that it was OK to provide only a 200 amp service. Don't know what that means - don't care. The only odd thing about this is that every other house on that street has either a 300 or 400 amp service. But, the job is in and done. The only real problem I had with this was the amount of breaker positions available in the main panel and thus my reason for adding a second sub-panel.

 

[sparkster]

Re: Sq. Ft. price

I' ve learned $ 5.00 IS BEAR BONES NO FRILLs just to code and fairly safe bid and up from there thats labor and materials minus the fixtures? Thats a foot.