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?
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 ?
If it includes lighting, emergency lighting and a Fire Alarm with smoke detection etc, then it sounds about right.
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...
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.
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.
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
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!
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)
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.
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.
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.
comments like the above make me smile ...... how many lights and who is the manufacturer they have requested ?
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...)
The breakdown of costs says wiring/plastering = £1498, replacing lights etc = £1889. Switches = £92 and key switch = £83. Plus the extra £300.
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