As an example of small PFI works, the base costs of additional electrical sockets we reviewed were higher than benchmark prices

2.13  As many small works are common to all kinds of accommodation, irrespective of procurement method, it is possible to compare their cost under PFI with alternatives. We chose the case of electrical sockets (Figure 10 overleaf) as, though there will naturally be a range according to a number of different factors, the cost of installing these is readily available. Standard9 prices published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and SPON's estimating costs guide for electrical works range between £51 and £103, depending on the type and positioning of the socket, On this basis, the average base cost for the installation of electrical sockets under PFI contracts within our sample was around 54 per cent higher than the published comparator.10