When a prime contractor subcontracts electrical work, how should the prime determine the price added for that electrical work?

When a prime contractor subcontracts electrical work, how should the prime determine the price added for that electrical work?

• A. The prime uses its own internal estimate
• B. The prime relies on the homeowner’s budget
• C. The prime gets a firm bid from the subcontractor
• D. The prime applies a fixed markup regardless of the subcontractor’s bid

Answer: (C)

Pricing the subcontracted electrical work should be based on a firm bid from the electrical subcontractor. This means the subcontractor provides a concrete price for the defined scope, and the prime adds its overhead and profit on top of that amount to determine the total charged to the client. Using a firm bid ties the price to actual costs and agreed-upon work, which promotes transparency and reduces disputes about scope or cost. Relying on an internal estimate can misprice the work if the estimate doesn’t match the actual bid, basing it on the homeowner’s budget isn’t a valid pricing method, and applying a fixed markup regardless of the subcontractor’s bid ignores the real variation in bids and scope.