Electrician Costs

[Marksmu]

Im looking for some basic costs of an electrician....I am having a VERY hard time getting an electrician to come out and bid this little house of mine. Literally half of the companies I call that advertise residential refuse to even bid the job because they believe I am just trying to get their electrician to come out so I can try to get him to do it on his own time (they openly tell me that). The other 25% are not interested in doing it since Im not living in it right now (not sure why that matters), and the final 25% are just guessing outrageous amounts over the phone without looking at it, or want $200 to even bid it.

This house is 1250 sq ft and has been gutted down to the studs. Im just looking for someone to pull me some new wire and install new outlets. GFCI in the kitchen, bath, and outsides...and normal grounded outlets everywhere else.

Anyone have a rough idea of what that should cost? Im told it should be much cheaper since its easy to access everything..but Ive only gotten one bid and I was more than SHOCKED.

Also, any recommendations would be helpful

Im about at the point Im just going to do it all myself, and say to hell with the inspections and what not. Ive been trying to get bids for 3 weeks.

[AJXterra]

Try Jim at AC/DC electric. He did my house a year and a half ago and it wasn't down to the studs. You can also look into doing the work yourself and having an electrician pull the permit for you after they inspect it, if you know what you're doing that is. Good luck.

[musicman]

This house is 1250 sq ft and has been gutted down to the studs. Im just looking for someone to pull me some new wire and install new outlets. GFCI in the kitchen, bath, and outsides...and normal grounded outlets everywhere else.

Anyone have a rough idea of what that should cost? Im told it should be much cheaper since its easy to access everything..but Ive only gotten one bid and I was more than SHOCKED.

Also, any recommendations would be helpful

Im about at the point Im just going to do it all myself, and say to hell with the inspections and what not. Ive been trying to get bids for 3 weeks.

easily above 3000. probably considerably more now. wiring has almost quadrupled in price since 2002. If you have the knowledge i'd do it yourself. I hired an electrician to replace my service but i finished it out from there. WAY cheaper.

if you end up hiring an electrician, make sure and specify what you want where (switches (single/3way), plugs(regular/gfci), etc). don't leave it to the electrician to decide otherwise you'll regret it.

oh i forgot, when you're done, run a few wires from the box to the attic for future needs (or one you forgot).

[Marksmu]

After having another 3 companies decline to bid it today...thats 11 declines total, 2 bids over $6500, and 4 no-shows, and 1 who looked at the house but never bid it....Since I am an engineer, I do know what Im doing and so I say, to hell with electricians....I was just trying to do it up to code with permits and everything. But Im done. Its really rediculous. Electricity is not hard to work with, its not that dangerous, and these arrogant people think they are better than doctors or something. One even said over the phone we dont bid jobs, were $200/hr for 1 employee, and $350/hr for two.

Thats rediculous. Thats more than a doctor, thats as much as a GREAT lawyer, and 2-3x an engineers hourly rate, for what? An electrician, WOW, 2 whole years of working as an aprentice electrican makes you special or something?. Forget 4-10 years of school, be an electrician. The industry is rediculous.

To make things worse, I know a girl that works in our office call an electrician THIS WEEK because her AC was tripping her breaker....the guy came out, told her it was $200 to look for the problem, (not terrible for trouble shooting) and then charged her another $500 to fix it. When her husband called to find out what the problem was, they tell him it was a loose breaker that was making intermitent contact. NO PARTS......just a tightening up of a breaker and a single wire. $700 REDICULOUS.

Im more than a little bitter here.

Ive got names of area ELECTRICIANS to avoid though if anyone is interested.

easily above 3000. probably considerably more now. wiring has almost quadrupled in price since 2002. If you have the knowledge i'd do it yourself. I hired an electrician to replace my service but i finished it out from there. WAY cheaper.

if you end up hiring an electrician, make sure and specify what you want where (switches (single/3way), plugs(regular/gfci), etc). don't leave it to the electrician to decide otherwise you'll regret it.

oh i forgot, when you're done, run a few wires from the box to the attic for future needs (or one you forgot).

[musicman]

yeah and the avg joe is at their mercy. when i did mine in 2002 it cost me either 700 (or 900) i forget now, and 300 of it was to an electrician to replace my box outside. wire was $18 or so a roll and i needed 7 rolls. that also included all receptacles, plugs, etc. yeah it took me 2 months or so (cause my sheetrock/shiplap was still up) but it was well worth it.