buy things for a contractor to install?

do you bring your own eggs to the restaurant for your breakfast???

do you bring your own oil to get the oil changed in your vehicle??

do you bring your own beer to the bar????

do you bring your own candy to the movies... ohhh wait nevermind.

Probably best to let the contractor supply the circuit breaker box. Then the responsibility rests on him if something goes wrong. If you buy one he might say it is unsuitable and not want to do the job, or may refuse responsibility if it goes wrong.

As a contractor I would rather price and buy the parts I need rather than use customer parts.

The reasons are simple - I can buy in bulk and at trade price to get the best price. I do get 40% on that, but as I have done similar jobs before I may not charge for fixings and sundry parts like conduit that I may have left over from previous jobs.

Things like cable is easier to buy in full rolls - and that works out cheaper to the customer because it is cheaper to me......even though I may buy a full reel when only 5m is needed -so I carry that cost.

As I buy things in bulk it is easier for me to fit them because I am used to it. Certain brands I trust based on experience. Some are just more user friendly, and some are made differently - so suit some situations better than others. I also know how to specify items to suit the need - which comes with experience. You may think a certain cable is good for the rated appliance....but if it has to run around half your house it must be rated higher to allow for the length. There are also building codes that are constantly changing. Maybe you just bought a distribution box that will not meet code or do something which is not allowed.

Lots of reasons.

If a contractor is going to rip you off - they will, but good ones will end up saving you money by doing the job once - and right first time.

Bottom line, you'd pay the same price for a piece of crap that they would pay for a quality unit.

You can ask the contractor for an "itemized" quote so you know what to expect. But trust me, if it's the type of guy that is going to jack up the price, then he'll just jack up the labor instead. Plus the whole warranty thing others have talked about.

They make money buying parts at trade price and selling them to you at retail , often about 40% mark up. They will want to recoup some or all of this, so will probably charge you more for installation. Additionally, if something fails, they will not want to know, so effectively you will have no guarantees. hardly worth the hassle.

Odorous

Materials are generally passed through at cost. Sometimes they are able to purchase them cheaper than you as well. In the past, I've asked them to break out the cost of materials & labor so that I could see them and feel comfortable. Some struggle to do so. Some have no problem.

have the guy sign an agreement,,you will pay his ( store bought) price for

the hardware he installs,, you are paying already for his labor

paying more mark up is not ethical

a test of his honesty if he balks,back out thx for your time find someone else

Talk to the man first. He might have some suggestions about the particular size of breaker box you need and he might be perfectly fine with you purchasing it. It always pays to ask.

bargain for what you want ...