Champagne taste beer budget Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 We currently have overhead wiring, 200 amp service, from a pole approx 100 yards away from the house, to a pole roughly 30 feet from the house, then underground from there to the house. The local electric company has run underground wire from pole 1, furthest from the house, to a new green box by the driveway, which will ultimatly connect to the wires on our current pole. (I hope you're still with me.) The first person we had out to bid estimated $2500 +/- to move the meters, which are currently on the pole closest to the house, then bury new cable 40 feet long, splice the exisiting wire to the new, and hook all up to the new green box. I don't know real prices, but if I were to rent a trencher at 300 a day, buy wire at $10 a foot, buy splices at $50 each times 6, I've got $1000. Is $1500 for labor high? He may be spot on, I was just surprised at his inital bid, hopefully someone can confirn or contradict his/my numbers. As always, thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klipschaholik Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 I would question your power company as to their responsibility to make the connection from the green box (probably a pad mount transformer) to your existing service meter. I am assuming that your account was currently active (you just didn't move in). If the service was active when they upgraded their system is should be their responsibilty to reconnect the power to your meter. In any case the electrician is not only trying to get your Khorns, he's also after your first born child Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 .... I am totally with you on the scope of the job ... 'round here, they don't allow splicing of Feeder's... which actually may be replaced as part of that job ... $1500 for Labor ....... well, it aint all labor.... call it $1500 for labor, overhead, ....and ..profit all comes down to ... who do you trust to do a good job there's alway's ton's of way's to do it cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 please justify your comment, KAH... what cable is he going to run ..?? URD ...??? Copper, in conduit ..?? Rigid, or PVC conduit ...?? is a 200amp weatherproof disconnect required ..?? has the actual "point of Service" changed per the Utility Co. defininition ..??? I.E. ... new grounding required ...?? Your comment is both uneducated, and very unfair to the tradesperson involved .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 Don't ya just love it when a perfectly good reply gets lost in cyberland? See my next post. [:@] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 The pole is old, the meters are new, the house is new with new underground from pole to house. Has old overhead from far away pole to pole in middle of driveway which has meters mounted and underground to house. Have new underground ran to green box which is 40(?) feet from pole with meters. Need to move meters, remove pole, splice onto existing wireing and hook up to new green box. Utility company has paid their share to get wiring to where it is, at new green box, but other end isn't hooked up yet. p.s. I've thought about taking a pic of that cable, must be 7/16" aluminum core with a bunch of 1/8 copper surrounding it, could make a kick butt speaker wire!! Or Not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Champaine, You sound like the guy that when you tell him his brake job will be $150 says "I can buy the pads at Auto Zone for $20. How much do you want to put them in?" Know what I mean?[] Get another estimate then choose the one with the best price or you trust most. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Before you judge the price he gave you go price 40 feet of 200 amp cable...after you pick yourself up off the floor...you will see why it is so hi.I help a guy put in new breaker boxes and meters and mastes to bring them up to code from 1950 era houses.The wire he has to buy is almost 3x what it was last year.In fact vandles are pulling ground rods up from sub stations and selling it...it wont be long before home owners will be missing ground rods to.If you can you should pound your ground rod in so its hard to get to its not hard to pull out if you can see it believe me we pull them out all the time.By the way that ground rod was 38 dollars the other day.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Champagne, it is a pain to do a new service drop the right way. Keep in mind the electrician has to pull a permit at City Hall, hit Home Depot for the supplies, get the ditch witch on site and back to the depot, and make sure the work passes code and is done safely. Oftentimes they will need a manlift or ladders to pull and reinstall. Keep in mind it is a system that can easily kill, as well. If the dude is billing at normal market rate, your area requires a licensed electrician, you need a followup code inspection, you can't do the work to standard yourself, and you want the work done safely and promptly, then yea, you will pay a lot. Figure amortizing this capital improvement over the course of the next twenty years you are in the house, and it becomes a lot less painful. Also calculate how much you would trust a person offering to do code work who only bills out at $9 an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 The price of construction has risen dramtically in the past few year. Our construction companies margins are "thinning" and we have some tough decisions to make for the future. In our company, I handle our hotel operations. I can say this, very few people are looking at new build hotels at this time due to construction costs running 25% + over several years ago. Means your rate chaged at the end of the day for a mid-market hotel may approach rates of exhisting upper service properties. I just got a bid to run a line for a hot tub on our back patio. 50 amp service, copper wire, etc, $1,000 for about a 50 foot run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 YOU GETS WHAT YOU PAYS FOR........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Piney Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I would question your power company as to their responsibility to make the connection from the green box (probably a pad mount transformer) to your existing service meter. I am assuming that your account was currently active (you just didn't move in). If the service was active when they upgraded their system is should be their responsibilty to reconnect the power to your meter. OB, I agree with this assessment. The question is where does your responsibility begin and the power company end. Sometimes that point can be negotiated. Maybe split the cost. Especially since it was not your decision to move it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 Thanks all for the replies. I agree you get what you pay for, and that I could certainly buy the materials cheaper than he will be selling them to me for. I just didn't know if such a project should cost $500, $1000 or $5000. We are getting a second bid from the electrician that originally wired the house when we built, he had thought he couldn't get to this project till next spring, but someone pulled a job from him that he thought would take a week or better so he has a little free time. I certainly don't begrudge anyone who wants to make a profit, but I also don't want to get completly hosed by my lack of knowledge. When we did our retaining wall this summer we also had some pavers installed for the top level and the landings along the stairs. The guy that did it charged us $1000 per pallet of pavers since they were a non standard style. Materials only, labor was additional. I found out later from a friend that has a connection with a landscaping wholesaler that the exact same brand and style pavers were sold for $110 a pallet. Double your cost, triple it even, but don't ask me to grab me ankles and smile. [:@] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Costs indeed have gone up for materials. Just a simple upgrade from 100 amps to 200 amps here will run you about $1500. By the time you pull the permits, get the power company out to drop the lines, get the inspection and have everything hooked back up, repair the house around the new meter (stucco), that is the price. Yes I did my own for about $250 in material and another $250 for a days lost wages as I had to stay home from work to do the job, then there was the permit for $75 (I think) and I already owned all the tools but they would need to be figgured in to the price if paying someone to do the job, not to mention the contractor license, contractor insurance, truck, truck insurance, fuel, shop rent, office expenses, insurance for the business, likely a secratary and a helpers wages, medical insurance for the business and the education of the electrican to do the job properly. I was not supprised at all with your first bid, it sounded reasonable to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Matthews Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Want to save some money? Turn the main off. Then, black to black, white to white and copper to copper. For 220 V, you will have a 4th wire, typically red. The red goes to the breaker, just the same as black. White and copper remain grounds. If you don't trust yourself to do it right or don't want to spend the time on it, keep in mind copper has nearly doubled in price over the last year. P.S. When you're done, turn the main back on with a long stick and your hands over your eyes! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 If I were adding a light/outlet/ceiling fan, I'd have no trouble doing it myself. This is all at the main breaker on the power pole, includes moving the two meters, splicing big ole 200 amp cables, all buried 2' underground and hooking up to the main feeder from the road. Not your typical homeowner/handyman job. At least not this handyman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I wouldn't do it for less. Don't try to do it yourself. Get multiple bids, and choose the "best". It sounds almost as if your current situation may have been temporary, for construction purposes. You'll have one meter when you're done, yes? Oh yeah, cheapest doesn't always mean "best". If you have multiple bids and want to understand the subtle differences, it can be fun to schedule a meeting with all of the potential contractors (at the same time) to let them each defend their position to you as well as the others. Put your agreement in writing. All of it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Another thing to consider is that different electricians have individual styles. If you can see previous intallations, and get a specific electrician whose level of craftsmanship you like, it may be more palatable to pay through the nose. We have a friend who loves to show everyone the interior of their new 200 amp service box. The electrician who ran their new service drop and installed the 200 amp box did a beautiful job with the wiring. All the wires had the same replicated angles, spacing, and were neatly dressed. It created an artistic impression, kinda like looking at a set of Mac MC30s vs. an Eico ST 70. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 We're hoping the original electrician that did the house can get out this week for a bid. Again, I don't mind paying a fair price for good work, but I didn't know what I was getting into and came here for good advice. I got good advice. Works for me. Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.