Re: OT: Cat 5 Install Pricing

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:01:21 -0400, "Michael Kennedy"
<Mikek400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I just have to
pull the conduit and tack it up above the dropped ceiling and of course add
connectors to the ends.

Assumption, the mother of all screwups. I read the above to mean that
you have conduit, hopefully from a central location, where an ethernet
switch will be located, to the ceiling, but not into the walls. I
suspect the dentist is not interested in having ugly wires dangling
from the ceiling or snaking across the walls, He probably wants the
drop to be *INSIDE* the wall, with a flush mounted wall plate. That's
considerably more work than just dangling the wire from the ceiling.
How much depends on the wall construction, which is currently unknown.

You mention "of course add connectors to the ends". You can do that
in the wiring closet, where all the wire ends go to the ethernet
switch. I kinda like to use patch panels, but for such a small number
of connections, going direct to the switch will suffice. However, I
suggest you NOT run CAT5 directly to the various computers as it
really looks ugly. Also, solid copper wire CAT5 is rather stiff and
you probably want something more flexible going into the PC's. Use a
wall mount CAT5 jacks, or if you must run the wires across the face of
the wall, a surface mount muffin jack.

If you run CAT5 inside conduit, do the next guy a favor and leave a
pull line in the conduit.

My question is how much should I charge for pulling and installing cat 5
cable in this situation. I have been given all sorts of suggestions from
$20/ft to $75 per cable drop. $20 per foot seems outrageous to me, but
that's why I'm asking.

It can't be estimated that way. Since this is apparently not a
competitive bid and you don't have to pay union scale, methinks you
should simply estimate how long the job will take (and then double
it). Add in the cost of parts at full retail even though you bought
them on eBay. You may need to purchase some tools (flexible auger for
the wall) and the usual oversights (CAT5 jumpers between the PC's and
the wall jacks). You may also need a helper, walkie talkies, pull
line, tags or labels, etc. It all adds up.

You probably don't need a cable certifier for such a small job, but
you might find a CAT5 continuity tester handy. I'm really good at
getting the color codes mixed up and pairs interchanged. Also,
standardize on *EITHER* EIA 568A or 568B wiring. Don't mix. Also,
document what you do, label the wires separately from the jacks, and
leave a copy in the ceiling for the next cabling installer.

Incidentally, I did a job like this for a friend and attorney in what
was formerly a medical office. Every conduit was stuffed full of all
manner of strange wires. The conduit ended in the ceiling.
Fortunately, the walls were hollow (but stuffed with fiberglass
insulation). There were 12 wall jacks all going to a central wiring
closet. Wiring the first 10 took about 16 hours, most of which was
moving the janitorial supplies and bankers boxes out of the wiring
closet, and decoding the wiring maze left by the previous contractors.
Of course, very little was labeled and that which did have tags, was
wrong. In 2 days, we were almost done. However, the last 2 runs were
nightmares. I'm not very proud of the job I did, but after another 8
hours, they were working. Of course the attorney decided to re-align
his office to comply with Feng Shui or something. The ethernet wasn't
a problem, but I had to re-run a few phone lines to make it work. Add
another 4 hours. I didn't charge for the two hours it took to load
all the wiring junk I needed into my truck, and clean it up after the
job was done.

You really should ask this question in comp.dcom.cabling. However,
the'll probably tell you to hire a BICSI certified installer.


--
# Jeff Liebermann 150 Felker St #D Santa Cruz CA 95060
# 831-336-2558 jeffl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
# http://802.11junk.com jeffl@xxxxxxxxxx
# http://www.LearnByDestroying.com AE6KS
.

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