Electrician Quote - Fair?

rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 01:26
Last edited 30/10/2024 - 01:54

G'day everyone!

My elderly mother who lives on her own normally requests my advice on major purchases, financial, and anything complicated. But not this time, she gave this less effort and thought than her weekly food shopping. Now she asks me, a bit too late, if she made a mistake.

She wanted a new oven, replace extractor fan, replace old fluorescent ceiling light, replace two ceiling fans. The quote was a shocking $6k, this included a switchbox upgrade. I had warned her previously that next time electrical work was performed a new box maybe required and it would be expensive, I thought around $2k at the time. The house is a Brisbane brick home circa 1980 with the original box.

Unfortunately, she didn't get any other quotes, did no research, let them choose the oven and the fans, and paid $2000 deposit on the spot! They didn't even provide her with a quote sheet or any proof, I had to chase them and requested three times and only received two days before the job on Thursday!

See quote sheet

It looks like the oven and the fans retail for $500 and $170 are $200 + GST labour for each, which seems fair. The light and extractor fan seem fine. That leaves $4k for all the switchbox related work.

Please let me know what you think in the comments and the poll.

Poll Options

  • 3
    Cheap
  • 3
    Expensive
  • 7
    Fair
  • 41
    Outrageous Rip Off
Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • geekcohen on 30/10/2024 - 05:37
    +5

    $1,152 for Decommissioning the old switch board!? What the!!!!!

    • elgrande on 30/10/2024 - 05:39
      +8

      I think they were scrambling to come up with ideas on the quote to make up for their price gouging before the son showed up..

      • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:32

        Very possible.

    • CheapandUsed on 30/10/2024 - 08:21
      +1

      The decommissioning is already covered in 'Install switchboard enclosure'.
      The details say they will 'disconnect, remove and safely dispose of old equipment'.

      • geekcohen on 30/10/2024 - 09:43

        Exactly, $1,100 for disposal? Honestly.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:29

      That was a big red flag for me, it should already be covered in the installation charge, removal is stated in the line description. They may have mislabelled the charge because the description says "For locating and verifying a fault. No repair included." I don't know what fault they are referring to. I'll be asking for an explanation and likely have that removed from the job.

  • TEER3X on 30/10/2024 - 05:49

    Had switchboard upgrade quoted for under $1k in Melbourne last year, possibly other factors affect price, but I would think Brisbane would cost the same.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:58

      Doesn't switchboard upgrade include enclosure + RCBOs?

      They have broken it out as two separate charges:

      • Install Switchboard Enclosure $884.37 + GST
      • Install RCBO in Enclosure $1,213.13 + GST
  • lordezekiel on 30/10/2024 - 06:21
    +2

    What an outrageous price. This is exactly the sort of thing that rightfully gives tradies a bad name.

  • JIMB0 on 30/10/2024 - 07:11
    +1

    Should have DIY. No need to upgrade the switchboard then.

  • Ryanek on 30/10/2024 - 07:19
    +9

    Why blank out the name of the sparky? If they're willing to quote this, they should own it.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:48
      +2

      They have my Mum's $2k. Not going to trash them, yet.

  • brendanm on 30/10/2024 - 08:47
    +1

    Is this a "Jim's" or similar?

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 30/10/2024 - 10:42
      +2

      If I had to suspect, I would suspect it may start with an F, or M

      • theguyrules on 30/10/2024 - 14:20
        +1

        Doesn't look like a Fallons quote because the one I got a few years back had about 10 different "quotes" included on the one document, and was constantly trying to convince you to pay for some subscription thing to save a bit.

      • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 19:00

        Who's "M"? I'll put them on my blacklist.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:33

      No. Small Brisbane family company.

      • brendanm on 30/10/2024 - 19:30

        Sad. I thought only the big ones deliberately ripped off oldies.

  • EightImmortals on 30/10/2024 - 08:50

    $208 to replace a light bulb?

    • altomic on 30/10/2024 - 11:56
      +6

      "you're not just paying for the lightbulb change but the skill, the experience, the equipment, the travel time, etc" - every muppet who defends rip off tradies.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:41
      -1

      Bit more complicated than that. Replacing 40 year old fluorescent light with LED.

  • racer1234 on 30/10/2024 - 08:53
    +1

    RCBO's are less than $40 ea and they are charging over $200ea. Times 6.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:47

      ($200 is part + labour) x 6.

      • racer1234 on 31/10/2024 - 00:01

        10 minutes max per rcbo labour. So $160 x 6 = $960 / hour labour for install 6 rcbo's.

  • Lunarboogie on 30/10/2024 - 09:10
    +1

    ACA?

  • Wiadro on 30/10/2024 - 09:14

    Insane pricing

  • djsweet on 30/10/2024 - 09:15

    lol I would expect it to be some a-grade oven for that. Like a Miele or something at minimum.

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:44

      The oven + labour was $717 + GST, which is ok. The $4k of switchbox related work is what worries me.

  • stuffandthat on 30/10/2024 - 09:44
    +1

    I'd be cancelling them.

  • jellykingdom on 30/10/2024 - 09:46
    +1

    Switchboard work has been quoted to me at $650 last time, so i don't think another over >$1k is reasonable

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:59

      Doesn't switchboard upgrade include enclosure + RCBOs?

      They have broken it out as two separate charges:

      Install Switchboard Enclosure $884.37 + GST
      Install RCBO in Enclosure $1,213.13 + GST

  • jv on 30/10/2024 - 09:53
    -1

    Electrician Quote - Fair?

    This should help…

    • rokufan on 30/10/2024 - 18:45

      Helpful as always.

  • MeesusEff on 31/10/2024 - 16:42

    I would ask them to use the $2k deposit for the oven, fan and lighting work. Then go to someone else for the switchboard

  • TheBilly on 31/10/2024 - 21:29
    -1

    This is not the cheapest price but on the same token you are not being ripped off at all - it’s just a moderate market price for the work. You should not have accepted the quote and not paying would possibly leave you at tribunal. They are operating business not a charity. It is not their obligation to work for you, for the cost of labour only. They have every right to make as much profit as you are willing to accept. The same way you have every right to shop around the get the cheapest price. If you forgo your right, then it’s on you, not them.

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