Figuring out what the electrical for your business premises renovation will cost can be a tricky business. It’s almost impossible for any commercial electrical contractor to provide an accurate estimate without having a significant amount of information to go on. There are fixed and variable costs involved, and different contractors will all calculate things a little differently.
A lot will hinge on the building in question too, and how extensive the electrical repairs and additions will be. Here are a few costs that you might want to consider factoring into your budget (and mentioning to contractors who provide pricing!)
1. The Extent of the Renovation
There are renovations, and then there are renovations! Are you doing a basic, superficial remodel of your business premises, or are you completely changing the purpose and use of certain spaces? If you need to make major changes like changing the phase of power in a part of your building, or adding a new area completely, that will have a big impact on costs.
2. The Existing Electrical
If your business premises is older, it may have electrical that is “grandfathered in.” That means that even though it’s not up to current codes and standards, it’s considered acceptable because its existing. If you make changes to the electrical system, that might change, and you might need to rewire your premises completely. This is why it’s so important to have a commercial electrical contractor inspect your premises before quoting on any changes or renovations. They may need to do a lot more than simply add to your system!
3. Working Conditions
The conditions under which the work on your existing business premises needs to take place can have an impact on the price that you pay for the electrical portion of your commercial renovations in South Florida. If your electrical contractor has to work nights or weekends, for instance, or if they will be working in confined spaces, that can increase the cost. This is another good reason to ensure that your contractor knows what the work will entail before they provide a quotation.
Planning and Requesting a Quotation
Even if you call a commercial electrical contractor to ask for a ball park figure for your business premises renovation, all they can give you without all of the facts is a rough estimate, that will very likely be vastly different to the final cost of your project. The more information you can provide about what you are doing, how it will be done, and what the electrical contractor will need to do for you, the more likely you are to get an accurate estimate of costs.
Spend some time planning and designing your new space. Get some preliminary plans drawn up for the design. Invite commercial electrical contractors to visit your premises to assess the extent and scope of work to be done. Get a few estimates of cost, and build in a health five to ten percent contingency.
Commercial renovations (or any renovations for that matter) are some of the trickiest types of construction to price accurately, because there are always unknown factors hidden in your walls. A little planning and forethought, and working with a good contractor, however, can help to develop a plan that fits your needs and your budget.
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