Fibre Laying Costs

[dcwhitworth]

I've just had a quote of £3250 from a local company for two days work to install a fibre cable with four pairs between two buildings through some existing (but challenging) ducting. This includes all installation, termination, containment, new patch panels and fly cables.

 

I've never directly commissioned a fibre installation before so I just wanted to know if anyone could tell me if this was a reasonable quote.

 

Thanks

[localzuk]

That seems rather expensive to be honest! I had a quote for 4x 4 pair OM3 links installing within a building, inc termination, containment, and patch panels last week which was around £2,700.

 

However, cost does really depend on the length and difficulty of installation. All ours are relatively easy runs - will go in suspended ceiling voids etc...

[synaesthesia]

Do you have any preferred sparkies or site staff that know the ducting/routes? If so, it would likely be far cheaper to purchase the cable yourself, get the aforementioned guys to run it for you (bearing in mind bend radius of fiber cables in case there's any sharp turns) and then just pay someone to terminate.

[robk]

Given you mention "between buildings" and "challenging" ducting I would expect the price to be higher than a within building install.

 

That said maybe get a second quote just to be sure, unless this is a company which you already have a very good working relationship with.

 

We had some interbuilding runs replaced, and they were of that order of magnitude. The cost did rise when we had to dig the drive up to find the damaged ducting though... Made for an interesting summer holiday.

[dcwhitworth]

That seems rather expensive to be honest! I had a quote for 4x 4 pair OM3 links installing within a building, inc termination, containment, and patch panels last week which was around £2,700.

 

However, cost does really depend on the length and difficulty of installation. All ours are relatively easy runs - will go in suspended ceiling voids etc...

 

To be honest that seems about right then. It's an external run and there are significant and non too easy runs from the end of the ducting to the comms cabinets.

[pete]

That seems about twice what I'd expect around here, but expand on "challenging" - has it collapsed or something?

[dcwhitworth]

Given you mention "between buildings" and "challenging" ducting I would expect the price to be higher than a within building install.

 

That said maybe get a second quote just to be sure, unless this is a company which you already have a very good working relationship with.

 

We had some interbuilding runs replaced, and they were of that order of magnitude. The cost did rise when we had to dig the drive up to find the damaged ducting though... Made for an interesting summer holiday.

 

The ducting is quote challenging (and of course undocumented) and it took them almost half a day to find a route. We have only just started using the company but so far I'm impressed with them, as long as it's not a complete rip off I'm reasonably happy. With something as important as an inter-building link I'd be happier putting the whole job in the hands of professionals.

[FragglePete]

I've just had some Fibre replaced after it was chewed through by rats. Using existing ducting between two buildings, replaced with 8-Core Armoured and with two guys doing the work it cost us £1300 + VAT. Company called ProTel, but they're based in Bristol so a bit far away from you I guess?

 

Pete

[mrbios]

Had some done in the summer. This is the pricing I had:

140m

OM3

8 core

£720

 

EDIT: That was through existing ducting. Replacing old OM1. Can't remember if the cost of some ST or LC panels were included in that. Think i reused most of my old panels and they just put new connectors/tails in them.

 

Also had one for 170m which was £865. So it does depend quite a bit on the distance you're running.

Edited January 11, 2017 by mrbios

[Meldrew]

Do you have any preferred sparkies or site staff that know the ducting/routes? If so, it would likely be far cheaper to purchase the cable yourself, get the aforementioned guys to run it for you (bearing in mind bend radius of fiber cables in case there's any sharp turns) and then just pay someone to terminate.

 

And you can buy pre-terminated fibre as long as your duct is big enough to fit the ends through. If you're worried about the challenging ducting, you could always buy a length of MDPE pipe (£70 ish for 100m) and try to get that through. Worst case you've some pipe kicking around you could resell or use elsewhere, best case, you've proved the ducting. Personally I'd have a go at this myself with some help from site management team and maybe the sparky.

 

Meldrew.

[ITGURU]

All of our indoor fibre runs 4 or 8 core are usually around the £800 mark , length doesn't seem to make much difference on price.

 

As for external runs, they are usually a little bit more as they are armoured. It usually down to the number of cores and termination type (splicing or cold cure) which determines the cost.

 

If external cost could also cover the need to catenary wire, cherry picker etc as part of the install.

 

We did one run ourselves with pre-terminated fibre , but had to drill 20-25mm holes to get the gland through then fill the holes after.

 

Always get 3 quotes and see how they compare.

[Boredguy]

we ran our own fibre over the summer. For 3 patch panels, 400m of 8 Core OM3, 400m of 4 Core OM3 (Armoured), Flyleads and termination from a local electical company it came to just under £1300.

 

We installed our own catenary wire and already had ducts in place (although I did add a few new holes through some internal walls as we ran through 3 buildings)