What you are actually paying for.
Nobody can quote a cabling job honestly over the phone, but you can know exactly what moves the number before anyone visits. These six factors are the price.
Drop count and density
The single biggest lever. Mobilization, closet work, and documentation spread across more drops, which is why the per-drop price falls as the count rises, and why adding drops during the initial pull is far cheaper than a return trip.
Run length and building size
Longer runs mean more cable and more labor, and runs approaching the 90 meter limit force design changes, an added IDF and fiber backbone, that step the budget rather than sliding it.
Ceiling and pathway type
Open ceiling with existing tray is the fast case. Hard-lid drywall, packed plenums, masonry walls, and anything requiring new conduit or core drilling move a drop from minutes to hours.
Cable grade
Cat6A costs more than Cat6 in material, but material is the smaller share of a drop. Labor dominates, which is why upgrading grade during an install is cheap and re-pulling later never is.
After-hours and occupied-space work
Night and weekend windows, containment in clinics, and working around operations all add coordination time. Ask whether scheduled after-hours work carries a premium; practices differ between contractors.
Testing, labeling, and documentation
The line items that separate real quotes from cheap ones. Testing and verification on every port, labeled panels, and photo documentation cost a little on day one and repay it at the first troubleshooting call or warranty claim.
How to Compare Two Quotes That Look Different
Put them side by side and compare five things: Is every port included, tested and verified? Are the panels and faceplates labeled according to a documented labeling scheme? Is after-hours work included or billed separately? What does the workmanship warranty actually cover and for how long? And is the contractor properly licensed, bonded, and insured for the work being performed? A lower total that leaves out those details isn't necessarily the same job at a lower price. It may be a different scope of work.
Then get a fixed written scope, not an hourly estimate. The planning checklist covers what to have ready so the scope comes back tight.
Want a real number for your building?
An on-site estimate turns these factors into a fixed written scope for your actual building.