We have a small job to do at home – fit 4 recessed spots in the hallway ceiling. We’ve been quoted £170 (excl. the lights) which seems on the high side to me. So that’s cut 4 holes, pull the cables and fit the lights. Bit high or about the going rate?

If anyone’s in hd6 or close and fancy giving me a quote, drop me an email 🙂

I don’t think that’s bad. Could be a pain in the derriere.
Here’s hoping where you want the lights, isn’t on a joist….

Might be about right Jase. My parents have just paid £50 (which I thought was dirt cheap) to get the spots in their kitchen replaced so all the holes and wiring etc is already there.

Not sure who you had the quote from but we’ve often used Ady Electrical in Halifax… Think their quite big now but when he was a one-man band, Ady was always spot on. Need him to come and look at a few bits in the new place actually…

Think that seems pretty reasonable. Fitting spots to an existing ceiling without access from above is a royal PITA as the joists get in the way.

Horrible job, working from below – just get your eyes filled with shit especially if it’s an old lathe & plaster ceiling.

Depends on the company overheads but it seems a wee bit steep to me. Shouldn’t be more than half a days work plus cable cost and time to complete the paperwork.
I’ll do it for £100 if you pay the travel time from the Scottish Highlands 😉

so what do think would be a fair price?

Bruneep – I have no idea other than a vague feeling it seems a bit much, but having no real point of reference I thought I’d ask here. People seem to think it sounds ok which is what I was after, so thanks all

Seems reasonable That’s what I charge for basic electric prop making. He’s got tools and done a shed load training. Same as a gasman, washing machine repair etc. They charge £70ish just to turn up.

Don’t forget that 170 also includes the cost of tools, travel, insurances, quoting, billing and processing payment plus of course some profit.

Where are the cables being pulled from? Existing light fitting near by or somewhere more tricky.

tbh fitting new lights is one job I am happy to pay someone else to do.

170 pounds as a fixed price sounds good. As a couple of people have already written it could turn into a complete pain

sounds ball park.
what you need is a tame sparky. i would run the cables, cut the holes and get the man with the machine to inspect, terminate and test. I dont like paying someone qualified £50 an hour for design/planning/purchasing/donkey work

That’s a bit low tbh. I’d be going in at 250. It’s going to be a day’s work potentially, especially if it turns out to be the pita alluded to by others.
However, I am bloody good! (and modest…)

This will almost certainly require floorboards(+carpet etc) taking up above in order to drill joists and run the cables. Otherwise if it’s done from below he might have to stitch the ceiling which means cutting access holes at each joist between the lights. This would leave a ceiling with a fair bit of making good to do afterwards.
Either way, £170 sounds cheap though.