charging for network setup

[nealric]

How much should I charge for network setup?

I was recently contacted by a family that is in the process of building a new home who want their house wired for ethernet. I am more than compitent to do the job, but I have never done any of this type of thing for pay. They want six rooms wired for 4 computers and a reciever, and also wireless capablity.

Right now my tentative bid is $750 with $300 parts (including router) and $450 labor.

Any IT pros out there?
I feel like the bid is probably low- but I really dont know for sure.

 

[AMD Phreak]

How many drops of cat cabling are you installing in each room? Are you going to go full structured media, which includes a min of one voice, one data and one coax, or simply just data?

Are you setting up each computer, or just plugging them in, or not doing anything at all?

Are you installing a wiring closet, or some central location where everything will terminate?

Hopefully this is a starting point. Helps us get some ideas

 

[nealric]

Its only going to be 1 drop of cat per room (not including the room with the routers and such)

Im not responsible for cable and phone connections.

Each computer will be setup on the lan.
There will be a cabnet for wiring and the router/switch.

 

[AMD Phreak]

Well lets figure each drop is $40 to run and terminate, that puts you at $240 for roughing in and termination.

That gives you $210 of remaining labor
lets say it takes you 1 hour to set the router up and ensure connectivity to all machines, and that you are billing 1hr @ $55. That gives you $155 of profit.

Forgot to ask, but I am assuming you are terminating each cable into a keystone, and on the other end a patch pannel, at least that would be the proper way.

One other question, although it is not asked in the threat about install questions: Why not run your own voice and catv lines to the network cabinet, to ensure that no matter which way they go, cable or dsl, they will have both types of media availible to them, and future expansion. This also can ensure that you are getting the best connection from the service providers demarc. Also aides in troubleshooting.

Just some thoughts

 

[nealric]

Im pretty sure they are going to stick with cable- they have been with it for a while and assume thats what they will use.

And yes, everything will be done the proper way 100% professional.

One thing I am trying to gauge is what this type of service would cost from an actual contractor (I need to undercut them- thats why I was hired). The only places I could get upfront prices were the likes of bestbuy, who wanted $200 to set up a wireless lan between two computers and $50 for each additional- bringing it to about my price for wired- which is of course, a far bigger job.

BTW, I am not the only one working this, a friend of mine, with far more experience with home wiring will be setting up the outlet boxes and such, I am mostly working the computer magic

 

[SavageBasher]

Borg all of thier computers. Have them all fold for team 32.

 

[AMD Phreak]

Right, from what i have read, drops usually run $50+ from datacom companies. I have a customer who runs a buisness of this type, that will be comeing into the shop tomorrow. I will ask him what he charges for residential.

 

[AMD Phreak]

Sorry I didnt get an answer from the guy, he was in a hurry to pick his truck up this afternoon. I would just call up a data company and ask what the average price is for a single run. Give them the details on your current plan, then, charge a bit less.