Need Advice on Bidding an Infrastructure Wiring Job

[Tony_Scarpelli]

In California every technician is supposed to have a state license as well. How many do you think do?

In California, you must be a STATE licensed contractor if the amount is greater than $500.00. C-7 is low voltage, C-10 is electrical which covers low voltage as well. Alarm is a separate classification.

If I hired you, and you are not a licensed contractor, I am under no legal obligation to pay you, and you have no legal ground to sue.

There is NO city or county license. You may or may not need to pull a construction permit, I've never had to.

I would specify that the electrician will install the boxes and mud rings, and pipe 3/4" conduit to "accessible ceiling space". This is normal for commercial construction.

 

[rsarceno]

In California, you must be a STATE licensed contractor if the amount is greater than $500.00.

There is NO city or county license. You may or may not need to pull a construction permit, I've never had to.

Besides State, some California City required a license. Elk Grove, CA does. In addition you also need B.E.A.R.

I'm currently working on a Secondary MPOE which failed the Fire Marshall inspection. The inspector told them that if the tenant will be doing the work (low voltage) and approved by the land lord, then they don't need to be license.

 

[Dragnix122507]

here's how we would quote it:

$180/run plus $50 for each additional cable (so if it's a two cable run, then it's $230).

so we'd be at about $6,000 for the wiring, and then another $350 for the rack and patch panel. Plus any needed building permits, and a $300 lift fee (30' ceilings).

so about $7000 to cover any incidentals. should be a 1 day install with 2 techs -- netting about $4,000 in profit. We would be using BerkTec cable, and all runs are tested, but no written certification provided -- all cabling has a 5year warranty (doesn't cover physical damage).

Thanks for the input - so I take it the $180 includes the cost of the cable?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

I suppose you never drive 3 or 5 miles an hour over the speed limit? Spit on the street? Roll slowly through a stop sign on a isolated country road? Let a piece of paper/trash leave your pickup bed or window while driving down the road? Or filed your taxes after April 15th? own a pet not registered with the city health? Late to pay sales tax? Kept your kids home from school one day when they were not sick? Left a pet in the car when they went in to Quick Trip for a soda? Got your car tags renewed a day or two after deadline?

I wouldn't compare it to going a couple of miles over the speed limit. You're talking a project valued 10 to 15 times the amount that requires a contractor to be licensed. That more like breaking the sound barrier on the freeway.

There are consequences to contracting without a license - http://www.cslb.ca.gov/Journeymen/JourneymenUnlicensedConsequences.asp

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I wouldn't compare it to going a couple of miles over the speed limit. You're talking a project valued 10 to 15 times the amount that requires a contractor to be licensed. That more like breaking the sound barrier on the freeway.

There are consequences to contracting without a license - http://www.cslb.ca.gov/Journeymen/JourneymenUnlicensedConsequences.asp

Contracting is the act of agreeing to contract out a job. Not what we are talking about at all.

Look for something working without a license if you are hell bent on continuing this ludicrous arguement

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Contracting is the act of agreeing to contract out a job. Not what we are talking about at all.

Look for something working without a license if you are hell bent on continuing this ludicrous arguement

In accord is an opinion of the California Attorney General, 57 Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. 421 (1974) which stated in part:

". . . . a contractor is any person, who undertakes to . . . . or submits a bid to, or does himself or by or through others, construct, alter, repair, add to, subtract from, improve, move, wreck or demolish any building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or other structure, project, development or improvement, or to do any part thereof. . . ." Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7026.

"Undertake" is defined as putting oneself under the obligation to perform, to guarantee or to accept as a charge.

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

Contracting is the act of agreeing to contract out a job. Not what we are talking about at all.

Look for something working without a license if you are hell bent on continuing this ludicrous arguement

Tony,

Your information has been passed on to the California Contractor License Board. Hopefully they will give you a call and explain the laws to you.

Do contracting work in California and you will get busted sooner or later.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Tony,

Your information has been passed on to the California Contractor License Board. Hopefully they will give you a call and explain the laws to you.

Do contracting work in California and you will get busted sooner or later.

Ha, ha, ha....do you think they are going to come get me? sheesh. ROGLMAO!

 

[frederick]

If it is a commericial building, Plenum, even if it is not required (my CYA). If it is a residential, check first. In AZ, we only have to run plenum in commercial buildings, and not residential. When it comes to my residential clients, I will let them know why I recommend plenum, but I also inform them that it is their call, and I will go either way. Get insurance/bond, license, the works. I had a client (residential) have me wire his house, what I didn't know when I showed up is that he just a room added on, and the inspector was coming over to give the final blessing. The inspector saw me working, doing what I do, and asked for my for stuff, I showed him, and he was pleased, and left it at that. If I didn't have my paperwork, I would have been in trouble. Now this is AZ, not CA, which is more strict. So get your paperwork.

As far as costs, case by case. I typically charge at cost for the box of Cat6, and make my money off labor. This helps keep costs down for them, and usually when I get cable running job. I had one customer need something like 2,850' of cable, so I charged him for the 3 boxes, and used the last 150' as extra just in case a run needed to be replaced.

 

[SprinterTech-WI]

Tony,

By your logic I should be fine installing illegal copies of windows and office, because "it won't hurt anyone"..... I really get tired of the constant advice to people to work outside of the laws.....

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Tony,

By your logic I should be fine installing illegal copies of windows and office, because "it won't hurt anyone"..... I really get tired of the constant advice to people to work outside of the laws.....

Lets not get carried away. I am not promoting that. That is a whole another matter and if you do that you run the risk of being put out of business permanently. Not to mention that is a felony. I have no problem if you do that but no one working under my name or company is going to do that.

Again you go from white to black. There are shades of Grey. But I don't fault you not seeing them. It takes time.

 

[frederick]

Your logic is flawed. Its ok to violate one law but not another. You risk putting your business in danger doing what you are doing.

 

[Magic Miguel]

Your logic is flawed. Its ok to violate one law but not another. You risk putting your business in danger doing what you are doing.

Playing devil's advocate, I'm guessing you don't speed, never littered, not worn your seat belt, etc. etc????

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Your logic is flawed. Its ok to violate one law but not another. You risk putting your business in danger doing what you are doing.

black/white thinking.

My residence and business are in Kansas which has no low voltage regulations unless for a security system. But when I go visit other states that could be another matter.

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

black/white thinking.

My residence and business are in Kansas which has no low voltage regulations unless for a security system. But when I go visit other states that could be another matter.

Very poor attempt at backpedaling your previous statements.

The requirement for a contractors license is printed in black and white here in California. There is no gray area.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Very poor attempt at backpedaling your previous statements.

The requirement for a contractors license is printed in black and white here in California. There is no gray area.

Patrick T. Caezza,

Have you been contacted by software alliance yet out there in Thousand Oaks?