Ben Trager pre-start - conduit, down lights and fans

The Delailes · Oct 18, 2014 8:26 pm

Hi all,

Just had our pre-start and have this weekend to make up our minds on a few of the things we wanted priced up. I have been given an electrical costing sheet and just wanted to ask your opinions on the following:

Is $71 excessive for a conduit? 4 of our friends are building with reputable builders and it seems like no one is paying more then $35 and that includes a face plate!

Has anyone had their builder install a switching wire for them? (This was asked for by our electrician so they can easily install a ceiling fan after handover) they are checking again but it looks like this can not be done, so we have to install conduit so the electrician can do it himself...which takes us back to the cost of the conduit.

Also has anyone had light points replaced with a base plate to the inside of the ceiling ready for the install of down lights? Our pre-start lady had never heard of this being done...which is another thing our electrician recommended so we aren't trying to patch up holes in the roof. I was just wondering if you did this if your builder charged extra? My electrician seemed to think it would be less as it was less work but I'm waiting to hear back.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

archetto · Oct 18, 2014 9:42 pm

No idea on costs, we never questioned them as to me they seemed reasonable, maybe just get them to do the work under the slab only and get your elec. to do the rest after handover? But would love to see your plan as also building with BTH

oncewerefurriers · Oct 18, 2014 9:49 pm

Pretty sure our conduits (25mm) were not as much $71 each. Check that they aren't quoting for 40mm conduits, they're more expensive.

We had plug bases put in the ceilings for downlights after handover. The electrician can replace them for you. They weren't very expensive.

sparky_JsP · Oct 18, 2014 11:35 pm

Hi guys,
Just thought I would try and help as I'm a electrical contractor in Perth ....
Basic cost is
Chasing: $8 per conduit
20mm conduit roughly $7 per 4m length when you think about it you can get about 3 switch heights out of one conduit.
it takes hardly any more time/ Labour to put one in on rough in stage.

I think $71 per conduit is way over priced.

Yes they can put 413's (plug base) in roof space for future work by your own sparky. don't let them tell you can't.
The only advice I would give is on the ground floor ceiling get down lights installed as this is tricky later on to pin point a space for a down light as you have to be a minimum distance away from timbers for certain lights. Up stairs have them wire a 413 to the roof space for lights , 1 per room as your sparky can always add to it later.

Ground floor conduits are pretty useless unless you have access to them just to keep in mind. At rough in stage let ya sparky know when it's completed and he can always chuck a couple of more cables in, supervisor won't know, all they do is tick off on the plan if a switch is there or not they don't count wires.

The Delailes · Oct 19, 2014 12:12 pm

Thanks everyone, Sorry I forgot to mention we are only building a one off single storey. I will put my plans up later today. I was thinking maybe they would charge more for a conduit in a double storey??? I'm definitely going to query this cost...hopefully its different for a single storey!

The Delailes · Oct 20, 2014 11:43 am

No they have confirmed its a $70 fee, I have asked if I can get my own contractor in but it seems that will incur a $800 fee, which even thought we are putting in almost $1000 worth of conduit does not make it cost effective. I know you pay a premium to get the builders to do stuff but since I have confirmed 4 other high end builders are only charging between $30 & $35 per conduit I'm rather gobsmacked. Makes you want to questions some of the other charges as well!

archetto · Oct 20, 2014 12:14 pm

Just ask them to do the bare minimum if you're worried about being over charged and get them done after, that is what we have done, we've only upgraded items that are impossible to do after handover and will do the rest ourselves without the builder markup.