Cat5e, Cat6, Cat7 installation costs 6

[Dustinn3]

We are presently in the process of planing a complete tearout and remodel of our building. The architect wants to completely relocate our datacenter and phone system to another area of the building. During the process, we will have to completely rewire the building.

Currently the existing cabling consists of cat5 and 5e and 62.5 nm fibre. I would like to add and replace the current fibre with 50nm fibre for our data closets and building to building links. It's been about 8 years since our last fibre install, so I have no idea how much to even guess per drop, but they would all need 2 pair and would be under 300m. I can't find any average installation prices for fibre. Any idea what an average drop costs?

To the clients I would like to run Cat 6 or 7 but what is the price difference and is anyone even installing cat 7 yet? Our last cat 5e installation was at around $125 per drop, but I'd like to go ahead and put in cat 6 or better while we're at it. We have almost 600 phones and about 300 network devices in this building so it's a fairly large job, but it will be done in phases as well.

 

[Dexman]

I don't know if CAT 7 specs have been finalized.

Traditional thinking has it that, for voice, CAT 3 is more than adequate, while 5E or 6 will handle most data applications.

If it ain't broke, I haven't fixed it yet.

 

[hawks]

Is this a Plenum environment? The reason I ask is because if you had cat5e installed at $125 a few years back then that seems a little high if it was not Plenum. At least in my area.

 

[Dustinn3]

Yes, we are required to run all plenum. We typically run the same cable everywhere because offices move so often. That way we can repurpose them for the needs at the time. Plus I think we're going to go all voip anyways.

Thanks,

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

If VoIP, run 2 Cat6 to each location.As big as your job is, you'll probably get away with $150.00 a loc.

Adversity is Opportunity

 

[robertjo24]

We typically budget $150 per.

 

[hawks]

Is that 150 per drop or 150 per location with dual drops each location?

 

[buitenhek]

152' average cable length and using my install/terminate/test/doc parameters:
Voice only (300 locations) cost:$60/drop
Voice/Data (300 locations) cost:$110/drop
Fiber (5 runs, 900 feet each)cost:$500/drop

92K feet Voice (CAT6, $0.14/ft)
46K feet Data (CAT7, $0.20/ft)
5K feet dual fiber (MM, $0.35/ft)

600 voice jacks = $3.95/each, 3-900 voice blocks $200/each
300 data jacks = $5/each, 3-96 ($875/each w/jacks) & 1-12 ($121 w/jacks) panels
10 fiber jacks = $12/each, 6 port fiber panel ($100/each w/couplers)
900copper & 200 copper hangers = $2.10/each
200' innerduct = $.40/ft
605 faceplates = $1.89/each w/mudring
750 labor hours
Total Cost $75K, Total Sell $115K
profit ~$35+K GPM = 32%-33%
overall average faceplate cost $185/each
------------------------------------------
If using CAT5e voice & CAT6 Data
Cost: $73K, Total Sell $110K
profit same
overall average faceplate cost $180/each

Your pricing may vary: put a pucker factor on these numbers that suite your needs.


Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

 

[hawks]

buitenhek,
I have to ask are you using PVC or Plenum for your pricing? Because if it's Plenum let us know where we can get it at .14 a ft.
Thanks

 

[rustytelco]

I have used 200-300 per drop to cover wall jacks and jack panels. My experience has been all connections are termininated to a patch panel with all pairs punched down and the cabling is the same Cat 6. When you look at the cost the labor is the same but you can use the connections for any voice or data equipment.

 

[buitenhek]

Hawks,
I had nothing to do with rate negotiations. Corporate pricing is usually better than one location company. Get Anixter or Graybar involved upfront with your future vision & project plans and they, with enough lead time, may pull out some of the stops. They get tasked with material quantity forecasting.
Plenum pricing has been high for a long time, no doubt, that is why I listed quantity. Plug in your costs. Regardless, my intent was to highlight which products drive the "per faceplate" cost. Your physical (geographical) locations can also change those numbers considerably. In conclusion, there is a lot of "couth" that goes into 1 price, caveat emptor.

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

 

[Dustinn3]

Buitenhek,

Thanks for your detailed analysis. Our architect said it would cost less than $50k, I knew he was way off base. I think I'll budget about $125k to be safe.

 

[hawks]

buitenhek,
thanks for the breakdown, I just don't buy enough cable.

 

[oldtimerbob]

Cable prices have been rising so fast it is very hard to give exact cost using good quality cable ( not the offshore stuff).
Although cat3 is ok for voice,you will want to use all the same cable for both (for any VOIP usage down the road),so the Cat5E or Cat6 will have to do.
Cat 6 is about 1/3 rd more costly than a cat5E solution for everything needed but will insure you the headroom for future applications that the cat5E can not (although a 350 cat5E will test out for 1000 T)

On the fiber, you may only need 2 strands, but I would install a 4 or 6 strand fiber and leave what ever is not being used ready for future stuff also. The 50 micron is going to allow you 1 or 10 gig usage.

contact your local cabling contractors, get a job walk done and some bids in according to your site's specific needs and projections for the future.
$125 K will be very tight and comes out to $140.00 per,for a total of 900 cable runs.

By the way, how come you have 600 phones and only 300 computers?

Good luck,


Has been in the cabling business for about twenty years and is now the Sr PM for a cabling company located in the Los Angeles area.

http://www.globusinc.net

Also a General Class Amatuer Radio Operator.

 

[Dustinn3]

Oldtimerbob,

Thanks for your input. We are a hospital, so we have phones everywhere. Hallways, patient rooms, dicatation lines, and fax machines make up almost half of them.

 

[RJinGa]

Can anyone give me an idea of how much I should charge for just installing Cat V per drop? I will not be suppling any equipment. (cable, patch panels, etc)

Thanks

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

Labor only as a legal contractor would be around $65.00, I'm familiar with CA and AZ. Labor only as a qualified technician would be around $25.00. Labor only as an entry level technician would be around $15.00.

Adversity is Opportunity

 

[tnphoneman]

Since you are a hospital I would look at running a cat5 and a cat 3 to each patient room. Cat5 for future use, like monitoring equipment. Or maybe giving a pay per use internet access for the patients. This way they will not use wireless. I don't know anyone that can justify the cost of an IP phone for a patient room. Especially since they will walk and the phones just don't get moved around. Cat 3 for patient rooms only and cat 5 everywhere else. Just my 2 cents worth.

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[buitenhek]

Rjinga - so you will be terminating only the faceplate side and not the MDF side?

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
ProfitDeveloper.com

 

[RJinGa]

Thanks for your help Deweyhumbolt.
Buitenhek, yes I will be terminating on both ends, (MDF & Location)should that make it more of an increase in the pricing?