Any Sparkies out there

[JD-120]

Hey guys,

just wondering if there is any sparkies in the Myswag forum that may be able to help me determine if a quote is legit or not.

I have recently just put a fly over roof on my house to cover a deck. The roof is a 50mm insulated tin roof. Conduit is already run between the roofing panels.

I want to put 4 x led down lights in the roof, with a 360 degree sensor attached. This all runs back the the front door to an existing 4 switch panel. Quote includes a new 4 switch contraption thingo.

quote was $1400 which surprised the sh!t out of me for 4 lights. Not sure what i was expecting, but it certainly wasnt that.

Is this in the ball park or is this guy just taking the p1ss?

Cheers

JD

[JD-120]

Heres the roof for a visual

[Bird]

when people dont want the work, they quote stupid... if you accept they win, if you dont accept - they win

What is the break down on the quote? if there isnt one, ask for one.
Get more quotes.

[JD-120]

yeah i have another quote happening next week, seemed excessive

no break-down, I asked for one, no response as of yet. Kind of not expecting him to reply. I googled a few lights that I thought suitable for the job, couldn't find anything over $30.

[markg66]

PM sent

[SEADOO]

Ate you able to do the bulk of the work yourself. It's not to hard to fit the lights, run the cabling, buy the switches and all the other stuff from Bunnings.

Then just ask a local Sparkie to sing by after work to wire them up for a quick cash job.

I always use the FB community pages and seek recommendations from other users. Most times I have found a local semi retirees tradie doing odd jobs.

[glenm64]

Not a sparkie, but done several big owner builder renos etc and for that money Id want crystal chandeliers.


Cheers Glen

[SEADOO]

Inside trade tip. My BIL is a Sparkei by trade and I've helped him out on some jobs doing some labouring for him in exchange for work to my place.

He will pay $25 for a wall switch, then invoice you $50....
He will pay $15 dollars a metre for cabling, then charge you 40 a metre.....
Throw in labour at $145 an hour......

See where m going 😉

You can save bulk coin if you purchase your own gear, won't be trade rates, but it would be cheaper than what a Sparkie will charge you.

[JD-120]

Inside trade tip. My BIL is a Sparkei by trade and I've helped him out on some jobs doing some labouring for him in exchange for work to my place.

He will pay $25 for a wall switch, then invoice you $50....
He will pay $15 dollars a metre for cabling, then charge you 40 a metre.....
Throw in labour at $145 an hour......

See where m going 😉

You can save bulk coin if you purchase your own gear, won't be trade rates, but it would be cheaper than what a Sparkie will charge you.

thanks SEADOO, some good advice there. I've got someone to call Monday from MarkG66 on Monday and will also see about getting some lights and switch;s myself.

[SEADOO]

No worries mate.

If you know exactly what you want, go and buy it all at Bunnings (that's where the Sparkie will buy it anyway if he doesn't have an account at the local wholesaler).

Good excuse to put a BBQ on and invite ya mates over to give you a hand, the all the Sparkie has to do is just wire it all up. I'd do the lights, run the cabling/conduit and get him to terminate each end.

[vern]

I would say 4 hrs tops to do the job.
$30 tops per down light with a quick connect plug base.
$120 tops for a GOOD sensor.
$40 ish for a switch.
$20 in cable tops.

That's about what i would quote it as
And I am a sparky

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[nab]

Without seeing the job, I reckon my price would be closer to Vern’s estimate than your original quote...

Personally I wouldn’t connect up some random person’s wiring.

[bruce93]

I agree that price is steep for what is required.

I dont agree with what Seadoo has said to do.

Being a sparkie is a licensed trade for a reason. When a sparkie completes his work he is saying he has done it to the standard and regulations that we have to follow. He will issue a certificate of electrical safety to say it is all safe.

I think you will find it hard to find a sparkie who is happy for you to do the work, then they come and wire it up and say its safe and issue a certificate.

I definitely wouldnt

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[Bird]

and for that money Id want crystal chandeliers.

[Paddler Ed]

Do you take your own steak to cook at the restaurant?

You can buy steak for $25ish/kg, so why pay $30 for the 400g one on the menu?

I'm sorry,  but if you're asking a trade to do the work, let them supply the stuff.

Having spoken to someone the other day about parts, he was saying that if he gets them and after fitting there's a problem with them (after being told they're the right ones) then he can get paid to remove and replace them with the correct ones by the supplier... not the customer.

[JD-120]

All good,.got the answer I need, thanks all!

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[tryagain]

Do you take your own steak to cook at the restaurant?

You can buy steak for $25ish/kg, so why pay $30 for the 400g one on the menu?

I'm sorry,  but if you're asking a trade to do the work, let them supply the stuff.

Having spoken to someone the other day about parts, he was saying that if he gets them and after fitting there's a problem with them (after being told they're the right ones) then he can get paid to remove and replace them with the correct ones by the supplier... not the customer.

No, but I will BYO to a BYO restraunt but neither is really analogous, I would always get a sparky to separate the materials and the labour in the quote, and then decide if I wanted to provide my own,  if he didn't want to do it that way then I am sure there would be others who would. I know someone who recently got a few quotes to do some electrical work all three said upfront that either they could provide or the owner could supply without even being asked. They did point to some good suppliers to go to as well.

The sparky's comment about warranty seems fair though and would likely legally be the case no matter who supplied the materials.

[corndog]

Get a quote and if you don't like it get a quote and if you don't like it get a quote and if you don't like it get a quote and if you don't like it get a quote. In the end you'll find one that you think is cheap so go for that.

[Troopy_03]

I just fitted 2 of these LED downlights to the underside of our Patio enclosure: https://www.bunnings.com.au/mercator-10w-warm-white-flex-led-adjustable-downlight_p4332101

The easily fit in the 50mm insulated roof panels, are dimmable, and throw out a heap of light. With two warm white, in a 6M X 4M area, at a height of 3M, I had to fit a dimmer, because they were too bright for comfortable lazy beer consumption.

Actually, because the LED lights run off 24V from the transformer, there's nothing to stop you fitting them yourself, and get the sparky to wire in the switch and dimmer (Be mindfull of leaving a space around them as per the diagram). I extended the wire between the transformer and the light (twin sheathed 4mm auto cable), so that the transformer sits in the roof space, so all the sparky had to do was wire straight up inside the wall, and into the roof space adjacent to the patio roof.

[SEADOO]

I agree that price is steep for what is required.

I dont agree with what Seadoo has said to do.

Being a sparkie is a licensed trade for a reason. When a sparkie completes his work he is saying he has done it to the standard and regulations that we have to follow. He will issue a certificate of electrical safety to say it is all safe.

I think you will find it hard to find a sparkie who is happy for you to do the work, then they come and wire it up and say its safe and issue a certificate.

I definitely wouldnt

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Need to get a good one to turn up first. Unfortunately, there is no money in domestic jobs.

My mate that I have helped out a few times, he will only do commercial or industrial jobs.

The $1400 quote, is ludicrous.

[briann532]

Mate, I'm a sparky in Sydney.

For $1200.00 I'd fly up there and do it for you!!!!

Seriously, what the heck?
We've all got to make money but wow. As a previous poster said, he doesn't want the job and if you give it to him he'll do it for the win.
Just try find an honest tradie and move on.

Cheers
Brian

[Bird]

bloke I work with has renno'ed a few houses nad runs all his own wiring and then finds a sparky to finish it off.. I dont see any issue with it personally.. the sparky is going to check it all out and test Shit. and ol' mate isnt going to do anything to risk burning down his house

[nab]

bloke I work with has renno'ed a few houses nad runs all his own wiring and then finds a sparky to finish it off.. I dont see any issue with it personally.. the sparky is going to check it all out and test Shit. and ol' mate isnt going to do anything to risk burning down his house

99.9% will be OK, but what is hidden behind a wall/underground/in concrete etc can not be checked. I have tested a house and no electrical issues found, went into the roofspace and found a live cable just left cut and un-terminated in the roof. Looks as if there was supposed to be a powerpoint there for an alarm or similar. No testing will have ever picked it up as unless it touches something it will not cause issues.

*** Can't confirm if it was DIY or a sparky that did it, judging by the other wiring and Bunnings DETA products I am leaning towards DIY...***

Doesn't really matter though, anyone competent can (and no doubt will continue to) wire a house, I just won't sign off on it haha!

[corndog]

bloke I work with has renno'ed a few houses nad runs all his own wiring and then finds a sparky to finish it off.. I dont see any issue with it personally.. the sparky is going to check it all out and test Shit. and ol' mate isnt going to do anything to risk burning down his house

The bloke you work with can be fined if he is found to be doing electrical work. Any sparky that signs off this type of work should have a good look at himself. Ol' mate is no longer a mate when his house burns down and he points the finger at the sparky who signed it off. 

[gronk]

The bloke you work with can be fined if he is found to be doing electrical work. Any sparky that signs off this type of work should have a good look at himself. Ol' mate is no longer a mate when his house burns down and he points the finger at the sparky who signed it off.

And that's why, as an electrical fitter ( not licensed ) I stopped doing love jobs years ago for "mates"..