Cost to expect?

[PAUL A DALEN]

One of my first workshop projects is to pay for electrical upgrades in the garage shop. Currently, I have 1 20-amp circuit. I have zero 220 machines, but that may change in the future.

1. What do I actually need, electrical-wise, in the shop? I'm thinking two more 110 circuits and 1 220, but that's just spitballing.

2. What will it cost to add these to new construction? There is space in the outdoor panel, and the indoor panel. Both are located on the other side of garage walls.

3. What does it cost to add a mini-split AC? I live in San Antonio, and it's warm here 6 months out of the year.

[Clark Hussey]

My garage shop is a little over 500 sq ft. I have 6 20 amp outlets all on the same circuit. One 15 amp circuit. And one 30 amp 220 circuit. I find this more than adequate as at most, I only run 2 machines at a time. One being my dust extractor. You don’t mention the size of your garage or what equipment you will be running. The mini-split will require its own circuit sized to the machine.

[Lee Schierer]

Have your electrician run a 40-50 amp sub-panel with 240 volt capability to your garage, then adding outlets in the future will be much easier and less costly.

[Jim Becker]

Paul, I recommend you have a sub-panel installed for your shop use. It makes it easy for you to adapt as things change over time and also gives you a complete disconnect for all the tools when and if you need it. I just installed one here in my "temporary shop" for exactly those reasons. It's a little more money than just adding circuits to an additional panel, but worth it, IMHO, especially if your main panel is elsewhere. You may need more than one 240v circuit, too, if your DC is 240v and you also have any 240v tools that will need to run at the same time. My cost for a 100 amp panel plus accoutrements and professional installation (next to the existing main panel, but surface mounted) was about $350 including permit fees, materials and labor. I provided all the materials other than the 2-2-2-4 feeder that the electrician provided. I also had existing breakers from my old shop to reuse. I added an additional 120v circuit plus three 240v circuits. (compressor dedicated, general 240v machines and CNC machine dedicated). The big dollar item right now is the wire, BTW.

Mini-splits will run you anywhere from about $1500 and up, depending on size, DIY like Mr Cool or professionally installed, etc. You'll need a 240v circuit for that, too. They are very efficient to run...I'm missing mine already in the temporary space and if it appears I'm going to have to use it beyond 6 mos or so, I'm going to buy one of the two I'll need for my planned shop building and install it in the gara...err...temporary shop. I can pump cool air from the house using a fan, but that's not going to work when I'm actually using machines due to noise.

[Bruce Page]

I have a similar setup as Clark’s with 6 120v quad boxes and 2 220v outlets running in to a 50-amp sub panel. Each line has its own breaker switch. I did all the work myself, other than running the 50-amp line to the sub panel.
I don’t remember the exact cost but it was manageable. YMMV

[PAUL A DALEN]

Excellent. I've budgeted $750 for the electrical and $2000 for the AC. I'll have to shop around for the AC, but I may have over-budgeted on the electrical. Thanks for the help.

[glenn bradley]

One of my first workshop projects is to pay for electrical upgrades in the garage shop. Currently, I have 1 20-amp circuit. I have zero 220 machines, but that may change in the future.

1. What do I actually need, electrical-wise, in the shop? I'm thinking two more 110 circuits and 1 220, but that's just spitballing.

2. What will it cost to add these to new construction? There is space in the outdoor panel, and the indoor panel. Both are located on the other side of garage walls.

3. What does it cost to add a mini-split AC? I live in San Antonio, and it's warm here 6 months out of the year.

Your answers will be as varied as our shops and what we do in them. For what you are talking about I would say your budget is generous. ;-)

1 - In my 600 sq ft shop I had 16 duplex 120v outlets on 10 circuits and 6 dedicated 240v outlets.
2 - I spent about $550 on parts in 2005.
3 - New shop build has two mini splits. 18k was about $1000 plus line sets and doo-dads BUT . . . COVID pricing now so ??? I used Pioneer units.

[james manutes]

I also installed a Pioneer Mini Split recently . $830 w/ 25 ft. line set -about $120 for custom stand with a roof to protect from rain . 12,000 btu unit - I didn't need to add any electrical , as it was in place . All in at $950 .