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Code is requiring our 1970's house to have 110 volt (3-wire) smoke/carbon monoxide detectors due to some basement remodeling. For a 3,300 sq. ft. house, the quote was $2,900 for 10 detectors. This includes the materials and labor, and it seems a good part of this is due to the fact that the house is 3 levels and the detectors have to be on their own circuit. This seem reasonable? Thanks!
And here's why I answered that way. Don't take this the wrong way, I think every home should have "smoke detectors". And there are wireless smoke detectors (battery operated), and wireless "interconnected" smoke detectors. All of which could save you hundreds of dollars.
My "no" answer is actually a reflection of a governing body overstepping its authority. If the "scope of work" is the BASEMENT- then it should stay IN THE BASEMENT. And I'm sure there will be a few that will take issue with that- quoting this or that. But my issue is not with the code per se, just the intent/interpertation of the governing body (AHJ).
Code is requiring our 1970's house to have 110 volt (interconnected with 3-wire) detectors...
For a 3,300 sq. ft. house, the quote was $2,900 for 10 detectors.
This includes the materials and labor...
This seem reasonable?
Even allowing for some patching afterwards... It seems VERY high.
The several detectors (8 or 9 smokes and usually only one CO2) , the old work boxes needed
to mount them in and the bundle of 14/3 romex wire shouldn't add up to much more than $300.
OP, that estimate seems really high to me. I posted this back in April 2012:
Quote:
Originally Posted by karen_in_nh_2012
OK, I think I have decided on hard-wired smoke detectors for the house I'll be moving into. An electrician came by the house today and said I would likely need this:
- 5 units for the bedrooms
- 1 for upper hallway (u-shaped hallway surrounding bedrooms)
- 1-2 for downstairs (downstairs = living room, family room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, hall)
- 1 for basement
So that's 8-9 units to be installed. I absolutely understand that that's a lot of work. The electrician estimated 2 days (16 hours) to install. Does that sound reasonable? It seems OK to me (he said it could take less, but he will pencil me in for 2 days just in case). I really have no clue. Thanks in advance!
So my estimate was $800 for labor (16 hours x $50/hour -- of course, some electricians are more expensive than that). I can't remember what the detectors themselves were going to cost, although of course you can price them at HD or Lowe's or on amazon. The total cost was IIRC a little over $1,000. I can't imagine how your cost can be almost $3,000?!! Where are you located? I am in New England, where costs are typically high.
(And BTW, I decided to go with interconnected battery-powered units instead of the hard-wired ones. I had crappy experiences with the hard-wired ones -- e.g. TALKING alarms at 3 a.m. blasting through the house and scaring me half to death (just to tell me to check batteries).
And here's why I answered that way. Don't take this the wrong way, I think every home should have "smoke detectors". And there are wireless smoke detectors (battery operated), and wireless "interconnected" smoke detectors. All of which could save you hundreds of dollars.
My "no" answer is actually a reflection of a governing body overstepping its authority. If the "scope of work" is the BASEMENT- then it should stay IN THE BASEMENT. And I'm sure there will be a few that will take issue with that- quoting this or that. But my issue is not with the code per se, just the intent/interpertation of the governing body (AHJ).
I couldn't agree with this more. Right now, any time a permit is pulled for work in my area, the smoke detectors MUST be updated as part of the job. It is completely rediculous, IMO.
I have no problem having smoke detectors in my house, and having them interconnected (via wireless). It just annoys me that no matter what permit I want, I have to update the smoke detectors.
10 detectors? Wow!!! Are they requiring them in every bedroom kitchen, etc? I remember it being one per level. We had to add one when we added on a new bedroom/bath a few years ago but other than that there is one in the hallway outside the bedrooms and one at the foot of the basement steps.
I know new construction noiw requires sprinklers, can't wait for them to decide that existing houses have to upgrade to those
10 detectors? Wow!!! Are they requiring them in every bedroom kitchen, etc? I remember it being one per level. We had to add one when we added on a new bedroom/bath a few years ago but other than that there is one in the hallway outside the bedrooms and one at the foot of the basement steps.
I know new construction noiw requires sprinklers, can't wait for them to decide that existing houses have to upgrade to those
Yes, S/D are required in every bedroom now.
The sprinkler mandate, has for the most part been rejected by most AHJ's and Builder Assoc. because of the expense.
Code is requiring our 1970's house to have 110 volt (3-wire) smoke/carbon monoxide detectors due to some basement remodeling. For a 3,300 sq. ft. house, the quote was $2,900 for 10 detectors. This includes the materials and labor, and it seems a good part of this is due to the fact that the house is 3 levels and the detectors have to be on their own circuit. This seem reasonable? Thanks!
As an electrical contractor I can say this price doesn't sound out of line. But like most things I can't quote what I can't see. I will tell you if it's plaster an lath the price goes up too. Fishing walls on multiple floors can get real tricky with fire blocking inside the walls. Also a great electrician can fish circuits with minimal holes.
The dedicated circuit is the strange part. Smoke detectors draw not even half an amp of power each. Also I put smoke detectors on a lighting circuit so people don't turn the breaker off if they go off. If the smokes are on a dedicated circuit people will just turn the breaker off when the smokes go off and forget to turn it back on. If it's on a lighting circuit they won't turn it off or leave it off. The smokes have battery backups but still just very good practice to put the smoke detectors on a lighting circuit.
Last edited by eddie1278; 03-06-2014 at 04:36 PM..
OP, that estimate seems really high to me. I posted this back in April 2012:
So my estimate was $800 for labor (16 hours x $50/hour -- of course, some electricians are more expensive than that). I can't remember what the detectors themselves were going to cost, although of course you can price them at HD or Lowe's or on amazon. The total cost was IIRC a little over $1,000. I can't imagine how your cost can be almost $3,000?!! Where are you located? I am in New England, where costs are typically high.
(And BTW, I decided to go with interconnected battery-powered units instead of the hard-wired ones. I had crappy experiences with the hard-wired ones -- e.g. TALKING alarms at 3 a.m. blasting through the house and scaring me half to death (just to tell me to check batteries).
You are not going to hire an electrical contractor for $50 an hour. $50 an hour was 1980s prices. I'm an electrical contractor and my rate is $85 an hour for t&m work and I'm on the low side. Many contractors charge well over $100 an hour and as high as $175 an hour. Most of my work is flat rate like most electrical contractors. But sometimes when there is too many variables or hidden obstacles could come up I charge by the hour. Things like a whole house rewire I charge by the hour. This job the OP has with the smokes I would charge per hour.
You are not going to hire an electrical contractor for $50 an hour. $50 an hour was 1980s prices. I'm an electrical contractor and my rate is $85 an hour for t&m work and I'm on the low side. Many contractors charge well over $100 an hour and as high as $175 an hour. Most of my work is flat rate like most electrical contractors. But sometimes when there is too many variables or hidden obstacles could come up I charge by the hour. Things like a whole house rewire I charge by the hour. This job the OP has with the smokes I would charge per hour.
Um, that price was quoted in 2012 in New Hampshire. He is a independent contractor and that's what he charges for residential customers. He was licensed relatively recently, but had worked with the electrician I'd used for my 2009 kitchen remodel (who charged $55 an hour for residential work), and that electrician recommended him. Both charge I think $10 an hour more for commercial accounts.
Those are pretty typical charges in my area for sole proprietors. I haven't heard of ANYONE who charges $85 an hour for residential work in my area (haven't called everyone of course). And $175 an hour?! They would have no customers.
Sorry, but almost $3,000 for 10 smoke detectors is nuts.
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Where are you located? I am in New England, where costs are typically high.
