why are these electrician quotes so far apart? Anything I should be wary of?

nLdn

Hi,

Had 3 electricians come round to quote for some electrics in my bedroom, gave them each the same brief, same agreement over whos to provide what etc (I'm sourcing the switch facias etc).

Quotes have come in so wide that I'm just not sure who to pick.Here's the options, all prices inc VAT where applicable.

Spark 1 - £500. local electrician based nearby. found him on trustmark website.Pleasant but didnt ask many questions at all or try to confirm much.

Spark 2 - circa £400. local electrician, asked a lot of details and spent a bit more time while visiting to ask about finer details, recommend sources for facias and suggest options. found him on trustmark website.

Spark 3 - circa £200. based outside of london, confirmed all details as I discussed my requirements with him. Doesnt have much availability for a few weeks. found him recommended by a friends builder.

I dont want to use the first guy but I dont understand why, of the other two, one is half the estimate of the other.

My experience from my working life tells me not to always chase the lowest bid on things but what should I be worried about with Spark 3? Are the others pumping the price up?

Any guidance or friendly advice welcome.

Thanks

Risteard

nLdn wrote: »

Are the others pumping the price up?

Without us knowing any details of the work whatsoever, would you not agree that it would be impossible for us to advise?

nLdn

Well I'm asking really if there are other common things that people with experience of booking tradesmen might know to ask or look out for when getting quotes. Given the info I've provided I would think that the exact detail of the required work irrelevant, I've essentially got 3 varying quotes for the same work which are to be done in the same way.

A friend suggested I ask is the cheapest person is qualified but I thought they'd have to be wouldn't they?

I thought the point of these forums is to seek support and advice from others experience. Nevermind. Thanks for your support.

Risteard

nLdn wrote: »

I thought the point of these forums is to seek support and advice from others experience.

Believe it or not no-one can help you if you don't provide any information...

somethingcorporate

Yes, without understanding what work is being done it's hard to tell if spark 3 is very cheap or spark 1 is very expensive so of course the scope of works is relevant.

Rather than getting all uppity about a very reasonable question how about you just let us know what is being done?

WYSPECIAL

Could be that two are charging it as a days work and the third already has a local job on and could pop round and do yours in a couple of hours.

Hard for anyone to say when they don't know what the quote is for!

nLdn

the work is the fitting of three double sockets with one each side of the bed and another in the corner where a socket currently exists. Off the bedside sockets there will also be a fused spur to have a wall light on each sie, each with its own switch. Also the replacement of the main switch with a dimmer.

Risteard

I think £200 is too cheap for that.

Doozergirl

Agree with Risteard.

I'm outside London and have electricians that cost more than that in labour for one day, let alone cover materials. The minimum charge is always going to be a day.

DavidF

Why so cheap -
1.Possibly not qualified
2. Possibly not registered with a scheme that enables the work to be registered with the local building control (Part P)....which is a legal requirement in England and Wales. It is the householders responsibility that any electrical work that falls under the scope of part p
3. Possibly the other two electricians would test the installation but the cheap guy doesn't....I do not refer to a test in the manner of switch it on and if it works yippee lol. Electricians should always test their work using calibrated test instruments and the customer should then be given a copy of those tests with the results.
Or finally number 4 - the guy is so cheap because he just loves to work all day no matter how much or little he earns.
to be perfectly honest I would probably have been somewhere between your 2 highest quotes.

nLdn

Thank you for the feedback everyone. I'll go back to the middle quote then.