£5500 for stairwell lighting..?

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by bluebird, Dec 9, 2013.

  1. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    We've had a quote from our freehold owners for £5500 for new lighting and wiring in the stairwell (it's a converted house with 4 flats, so 5 lights in stairwell). I think the quote is also supposed to cover a fire panel though this is not in the tender document. This seems quite a lot! Does this seem roughly the right ballpark, does anyone know?
     
  2. Sean_ork

    Sean_ork Screwfix Select

    you might get a few guesses here - no one knows how much time and materials will be required to do the job

    as there's a tender document I assume you've had a few responses, was £5500 the cheapest quote ?
     
  3. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    If it includes lighting, emergency lighting and a Fire Alarm with smoke detection etc, then it sounds about right.
     
  4. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    Yes, they suggested 2quotes and this one was cheaper. The quote (I've just double checked) is actually just for lighting and rewiring and includes "allow the sum of £300 to be used as directed by project manager." It doesn't include the fire panel etc...
     
  5. mr reflex

    mr reflex Member

    Fair enough if the fittings are made of gold..... seems very high.
    Ask for a breakdown of costs
     
  6. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    It does seem a bit high, doesn't it?! I will ask for more info. The tender document says rewiring common areas, wiring chased into plaster (unless it is masonry where trunking can be used) and microwave controlled LED flush fittings with integrated emergency lights. I'm not even sure we need emergency lights as we have a lot of borrowed light through the stairwell windows. I'm a bit unsure about it.
     
  7. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    You will need emergency lighting. Even though there's borrowed light, it could well be night time when the emergency lights need to operate. I'd reckon the quote seems a bit expensive, but that's without knowing how high the stairwells are. 5 lights and a few emergency lights shouldn't cost £5000, to install.
     
  8. Sean_ork

    Sean_ork Screwfix Select

    that's the normal method of telling you ''we've not really spent much time doing your quote so we've included a nominal sum just in case we've not included everything''

    what they won't put in writing is that it'll be down to you to pay for everything else they've not included for

    so, as mentioned above - ensure you have a full breakdown of what is included with each quote, and don't assume the cheapest is the best as it may well exclude some elements of the works

    are you qualified to question the content of the tender documentation ? - suggesting that borrowed light can be used as a means of emergency lighting suggests not
     
  9. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    No - I'm basing my concerns on how difficult it has been to get transparency on what the tender documents said, and on what has been suggested by my local fire department (including about borrowed light from a streetlight outside the window) and a colleague who used to work in property. I'm just trying to find out as much as I can because it's a lot of money!
     
  10. Sean_ork

    Sean_ork Screwfix Select

    are you being asked by the freeholder to vet the tender submissions and select your preferred company to do the works ?

    do you have access to the contents of the tender document ?

    people who used to work in property, nor the local fire department (is this a property in the UK ?) aren't the best folks to be advising you - consider inviting someone from the building control department of your council round, they'll tell you what you should have installed, which might make your reading of the tender contents a bit more illuminating

    once you've figured out if all of the works are required, then perhaps look at the contents of the quotations, as you might being suckered into paying for works that the freeholder would like to have done, but you as the bill payers perhaps do not need (within the regulations)
     
    Last edited: Dec 9, 2013
  11. Bluebird, there's a fair chance the freeholder just doesn't care as it doesn't cost them. Worse, there's a chance they are in cahoots with a leccy/building company.

    I guess the only way you'll really know if it's reasonable is by calling in a sparky yourselves for a quote - even a ballpark.
     
  12. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Send me a tender I'll see what I can do. :)
     
  13. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    For a few lights and that sort of money, I would travel WAY out of my area, stay in a plush hotel, and still pull a profit!

    LED lights with microwave and em's are a little pricey, but not to the tune of £5k.
     
  14. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    Apart from health and safety/general clauses of the tender, they've asked for this:
    Rewire common area lighting to all floors.

    Install new 17th edition consumer unit compliant with current legislation. Ensure adequate capacity for future installation of fire panel.

    All wiring to be chased into plaster of walls. Where walls are masonry, white PVC mini trunking to be used.

    Replace existing lights with microwave controlled LED flush fittings with integrated emergency lights. Details of suppliers available on request. Ensure sufficient light output for this application. This is to include an external light outside the front door.

    Existing switches to be isolated.

    Supply and fit key switch at entrance lobby for emergency lights.

    Supply necessary certification for all works.

    Allow the sum of £300 to be used as directed by the project manager.
     
  15. Sean_ork

    Sean_ork Screwfix Select

    comments like the above make me smile ......

    how many lights and who is the manufacturer they have requested ?
     
  16. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    I don't know which manufacturer... There's a light by each flat and one by the front door, and one extra one for some reason, so just six. Oh, plus they're asking for an outside one (there is one there but it doesn't work. But it is under a streetlight, so, we've been fine...)
     
  17. bluebird

    bluebird New Member

    The breakdown of costs says wiring/plastering = £1498, replacing lights etc = £1889. Switches = £92 and key switch = £83. Plus the extra £300.
     
  18. Sean_ork

    Sean_ork Screwfix Select

    well, I suspect that if you request an additional number of quotations from others that you will eventually get one that meets with your approval, however don't be surprised if the median price is similar, or if the works carried out by the cheapest company aren't entirely satisfactory
     
  19. daver34

    daver34 Member

    Are there other costs, those figures dont add upto £5500.
     
  20. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Where abouts are you?
     

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