OUCH!! Cost for electric

[Donnie Raines]

Set up that is.

Just moved into a new home(new, both to my family, and in age). I had 3 electricians come out for quotes on the installation of a series of 220 outlets and some more 110 outlets(by the way..I dont cliam to know the proper verbage here...so bear with me). All three quotes were near $4,000 bucks!! The issue, apparently, is that my breaker box is located in the basement...way on the other end of the house. Currently there is a single 110 outlet in the garage(by the way...my shop will be in the 24X24 garage). The cost was for new breakers and the running of the wires and outlets. Two suggested that I install a new box in the "shop", but the cost was still pushing 3,500 bucks!!

Now, I understand all the "facts" are not available to you....but does this sound out of line??...my pocket book sure syas it does...

[Jim Becker]

You really don't want to be making home-runs for your shop all the way back to the other end of the house; the long lines are not ideal and the material and labor costs are higher. A sub-panel in that space is the right way to go, IMHO. Consider doing the work yourself and hiring the electrician to do the final hookup to the main panel and checking your work. Do pay attention to permitting, however. In fact, I'm curious about how much of the quoted prices are relative to that?

BTW, my whole service upgrade not quite two years ago which entailed a new 400 amp service entrance, coring of 2' thick stone walls, new 200a main panel, new cuttoff panel for the shop, 100' trenching and conduit, new 200a panel in the shop and misc work was only $5000! And it was a three-day job.

[Todd Burch]

Several years ago, in my old 2-car garage/shop, I hired an expensive electrical company to come out and do several things:

1) Upgrade the service to my house from 100 amps to 200 amps.
2) Upgrade the service entrance from an under-eave angle-bracket to a proper code weatherhead (drill a hole through the roof., etc.)
3) Run a 80' of 2/0 flexible conduit diagonally across my house through the attic (longest route possible. Just the conduit was over $400)
4) Install a subpanel with 100 amp breaker in the garage. I ran all the circuits to machines.

Total cost was $1800. It took two guys one day from 9am to 6pm to complete the job.

I think where you are running into the cost could be in having them install the 220 outlets. Is your garage already sheetrocked? If so, that might be the majority of your cost. How long did they say it would take? If it's one day - those prices are out of line.

[Chris Padilla]

Wow! Now you know why I want to redo my own electrical in the shop! Actually, it is for cost but also, I will enjoy doing it. I HATE paying someone for something I would enjoy doing!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Donnie,
I'm with the others here. First, I'd want a separate panel in the shop. Second, the quotes sound out of line! I've purchased a 200 amp service panel )Square D QO), 50 feet of 2/0 copper wire, 25 feet of 1/0 copper, grounding rods, and appropriate grounding wire, weather head, conduit and all the necessary hardware to place the service into my new shop. I'm into to it for about $406. I have yet to buy the boxes, 10/2, 12/2 copper wire, outlets and breakers. I'll bet I don't exceed $1000 total for materials for the entire shop. Believe me when I say my shop will be "OVERWIRED and OUTLETED". It's a heckaofa lot easier to do it before the walls are finished or insulated!

[John Weber]

Ouch! I really enjoy doing electrical work myself. I've spent a fair bit (maybe $1500 in materials) to upgrade my shop wiring (100 amp sub panel, 80' run in conduit to detached shop, lots of wire boxes, and other stuff). I run 4 220 v circuits and 12 110 v circuits. Unless you just don't want to fool with it or don't feel comfortable, I would do it myself. You can always have it inspected, and the savings is well worth it, plus I think electrical work is rather enjoyable - at least it's not plumbing...

John

[Chris Padilla]

...at least it's not plumbing...

John

Gawd, I HATE plumbing...hate it, hate it, hate it!

[John Weber]

Chris,

You got that right brother! I don't mind running copper or hooking up a new sink, however most of my plumbing projects are on the other end - ugh! Electrical, however I almost always like doing. It's even a great project to do with your wife. Whenever I ask Kim to help pull a little wire, she asked for the yellow stuff. The joys of marriage.

See ya - John

[Sparky Paessler]

Set up that is.

Just moved into a new home(new, both to my family, and in age). I had 3 electricians come out for quotes on the installation of a series of 220 outlets and some more 110 outlets(by the way..I dont cliam to know the proper verbage here...so bear with me). All three quotes were near $4,000 bucks!! The issue, apparently, is that my breaker box is located in the basement...way on the other end of the house. Currently there is a single 110 outlet in the garage(by the way...my shop will be in the 24X24 garage). The cost was for new breakers and the running of the wires and outlets. Two suggested that I install a new box in the "shop", but the cost was still pushing 3,500 bucks!!

Now, I understand all the "facts" are not available to you....but does this sound out of line??...my pocket book sure syas it does...

Donnie

Is your basement finished? If so they will have to fish a wire for each of the 220v outlets up thru the upstairs and into the attic and then over to the garage. I believe that code calls for each 220 to be on its own circuit. If you put a subpanel in the garage then you would only need to fish one larger wire (like a #6) down to the garage. (still a lot of work!). As far as prices those sound high to me but then I do all my own and don't know the going rate for here.

Sparky

[Rob Littleton]

Gawd, I HATE plumbing...hate it, hate it, hate it!

At least you can see that stuff..........

If it leaks, it gets wet and you fix it (normally)

If electric has a short, you find out with a splash or a bang.........

:-)

[Donnie Raines]

Thanks for the ideas thus far.

The garage is finished with drywall...unfinished basement below(partial) and and an unfinished attic above. I was told that the install could take most of the day and maybe into the following day of buisness(keep in mind I had 3 diffrent electricans provideing me numbers).

I hate electric! I go out of my way to avoid it...granted I have replaced the ocassional dimmer switch or plug...but thats it. I am not sure what "codes" or permits would be needed to do this work in my area(have not gotten that far yet). But, I must admit..I am thinking hard about selling my 220 machinery and just useing the simply 110 stuff. That(being another option) may be more cost effective for me.

[Jim Becker]

But, I must admit..I am thinking hard about selling my 220 machinery and just useing the simply 110 stuff. That(being another option) may be more cost effective for me.

The cost difference for 240v circuits versus 120v circuits is not all that much (and if anyone indicates differently, they are pulling your ying-yang...or their own ) and you'd be extremely limited in your choice of machinery, especially when it comes to horsepower and capacities. Pick up a copy of Black and Decker's Guide to Home Wiring. Putting in basic circuits is easy to do correctly. If you're not comfortable with doing the sub-panel yourself, contract that out and consider doing the rest yourself. Maybe you can find another woodworker in your area that will help you in exchange for a nice piece of figured wood from your stock? Maybe you can barter with an electrician that "moonlights" for a piece of furniture? There are a lot of ways to deal with this. If I lived in your area, I'd certainly be willing to help you through this...

[Mark Bachler]

I would also suggest doing it yourself & having an electrician do the final hook-up. I suggest using steel conduit on the outside of the wall covering for the wireways instead of running it through the studs. It's so much easier to change things around at a later date. With a 100 amp box in the shop, breakers, wire, conduit, lots of outlets, 220 drop cords, twist plugs, (9) 8' Flour. lights, & switches, I have around $1600 including the 50’ of 2” PVC & (3) 100amp wires from the service box to the 28 x 40 shop. Borrowed the neighbors backhoe for the trench & the maintenance man from work did the hook-up for a case of beer. I had all the conduit run & the wires pulled & the outlets installed when he got there.

[John Weber]

Donnie,

There is almost no real difference between 110 and 220. 110 has 1 hot leg, 1 neutral, and 1 ground, for 220 you just add a second hot leg and bingo - more or less. There is some other stuff to know: equipment ground, neutral buss, etc... The main advantage of 220 is it cuts a given amp draw in half thus allowing for smaller wire. A 3 hp motor might draw 30 amps with 110 volts, but that is cut to 15 amps for a 220 volt circuit. So smaller gauge wire and breakers can be used, thus saving money. There are also discussions about power, and motor life, but for a hobbyiest I don't think it really matters. In your case I think you "NEED" a sub panel in the shop. After that you can run wire and circuits however you like. Since you already have drywall up, you might want to use conduit. Easy to install and use, plus you can make changes as needed without fooling with the walls. Depending on your comfort level, you might hire part of it out, but with some good advise (ie, your local electrical supply house, and even on-line), you'll get a great job that you can do yourself and meets all you requipements.

As for a permit, it varies with your area, most are based on total cost of project.

John

[James Carmichael]

2 years ago (almost to the day) when I bought my current house, it was terribly under-valued due to having been decorated by a couple of nuts (the original owners) and handled by a lazy realtor, I had no idea I would get hooked on woodworking. Now could kiss them for having the garage wired for 220 and two 20-amp 110 circuits.

Then I think of the solid-green carpet and countertops, and I'm cured