Ball park cost for breaker box replacement

Well, I wouldn't expect them to either. If you got that $2500 over
the phone, that's the electrician covering his ass for the "jackpot!"
he's half-expecting. They can't tell what needs to be done over
the phone, nor can we over the Internet. Eg: does the service
entrance have to be redone, how much does he have to do to provide
a code-approved mounting, etc.

Get them out to give you an estimate.

_If_ the existing installation is good enough that the job is
nothing more than a basic panel swap, $2500 (not including
panel/breakers) is _way_ too high.

But, if there's no ground, he's probably going to have to install
a proper grounding electrode system, redo the service entrance,
likely do some carpentry to make an acceptable mounting
arrangement, and do some timeconsuming and awkward things to
re-establish the circuits. $2500 may be reasonable for that.

My SIL's new (old ;-) house needed: the service entrance and
cable replaced, a disconnect and splitter box removed, main
shifted to what had been a subpanel, the panel moved a few
inches out from the wall, a length of conduit secured to the
wall properly, and a couple of outlets got their hot-neutral
reversed (they were wired backwards). Took two guys two days. I
believe it was around $2000 (the previous owner paid for it).

She had them back for another job (about a day and a half)
while we were visiting. These guys were good, no wasted time,
_excellent_ workmanship, and they didn't do things that didn't
need to be done.

I'm pretty good with electrical work. But, I'd hire these guys
in a flash.
--
Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est
It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Posted by Eigenvector on September 15, 2006, 10:13 pm

>> That's the problem, all I've been hearing all day is "Sorry we don't give

>> estimates over the phone. <click>" Hmm.

> Well, I wouldn't expect them to either. If you got that $2500 over

> the phone, that's the electrician covering his ass for the "jackpot!"

> he's half-expecting. They can't tell what needs to be done over

> the phone, nor can we over the Internet. Eg: does the service

> entrance have to be redone, how much does he have to do to provide

> a code-approved mounting, etc.

> Get them out to give you an estimate.

> _If_ the existing installation is good enough that the job is

> nothing more than a basic panel swap, $2500 (not including

> panel/breakers) is _way_ too high.

> But, if there's no ground, he's probably going to have to install

> a proper grounding electrode system, redo the service entrance,

> likely do some carpentry to make an acceptable mounting

> arrangement, and do some timeconsuming and awkward things to

> re-establish the circuits. $2500 may be reasonable for that.

> My SIL's new (old ;-) house needed: the service entrance and

> cable replaced, a disconnect and splitter box removed, main

> shifted to what had been a subpanel, the panel moved a few

> inches out from the wall, a length of conduit secured to the

> wall properly, and a couple of outlets got their hot-neutral

> reversed (they were wired backwards). Took two guys two days. I

> believe it was around $2000 (the previous owner paid for it).

> She had them back for another job (about a day and a half)

> while we were visiting. These guys were good, no wasted time,

> _excellent_ workmanship, and they didn't do things that didn't

> need to be done.

> I'm pretty good with electrical work. But, I'd hire these guys

> in a flash.

> --

> Chris Lewis, Una confibula non set est

> It's not just anyone who gets a Starship Cruiser class named after them.

Thank you that puts the costs into perspective and makes it seem more
reasonable.

I've seen the $2500 dollar guys work, at my office, their work is within
reason (I had to escort them in sensitive areas) and I know a few of them
that work for this outfit (although not well enough to hit up for side
work). I think I'll give them a call on Monday and set something up - the
independents who wouldn't even give me their hourly rates will just have to
miss out.

Posted by Tom Horne, Electrician on September 16, 2006, 3:55 pm

Eigenvector wrote:

>> I doubt very very much that job would take 27 hours of work. I am far

>> from an expert, but based on electrical work that I have had done, I would

>> think that "ballpark" time required would be 10 hours, or a bill of

>> $910

>> at the quoted rate. Even going to 15 hours would be only $1,365, but

>> that seems very high to me.

>> Now that I think of it, if they couldn't do the job in 10 hours or less, I

>> would question their experience.

>> Of course, you know the best course of action now is to quickly get

>> several

>> more estimates.

>> --James--

> That's the problem, all I've been hearing all day is "Sorry we don't give

> estimates over the phone. <click>" Hmm.

So I give you an estimate over the phone of fifty dollars to install
your replacement kitchen fixture. I arrive and you present me with a
ceiling fan that you expect to have installed for the aforementioned
fifty dollars. The existing, sixty year old, three and one half inch,
round, ear less, box offers no way to support a new lighting fixture,
let alone a ceiling fan but you expect me to replace the box with one
listed for fan support, do all my own cut patch and clean up, assemble
and install a ceiling fan, all for fifty dollars. If I gave telephone
estimates; which I do not; I would tell you that it is a time and
materials job not to exceed five hundred dollars excluding the cost of
any new wiring needed in your home. You would call me a name and hang up.

I recently gave a family an estimate of $2000 for a heavy up from 150 to
400 amperes specifically at the existing service location. I excluded
compliance with any unpublished portion of the utilities tariffs. The
power company would not supply service to the existing meter location
after the county electrical inspector had signed off on the completed
work. Would you expect me to extend the service entry conductors,
provide and install main lug kits and main breaker enclosures, and
provide temporary service disconnect for the existing supply without any
additional compensation? Just what are my kids supposed to eat that week?
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison

Posted by Mark Lloyd on September 16, 2006, 5:33 pm

On Sat, 16 Sep 2006 19:55:27 GMT, "Tom Horne, Electrician"

>Eigenvector wrote:

>>> I doubt very very much that job would take 27 hours of work. I am far

>>> from an expert, but based on electrical work that I have had done, I would

>>> think that "ballpark" time required would be 10 hours, or a bill of

>>> $910

>>> at the quoted rate. Even going to 15 hours would be only $1,365, but

>>> that seems very high to me.

>>>

>>> Now that I think of it, if they couldn't do the job in 10 hours or less, I

>>> would question their experience.

>>>

>>> Of course, you know the best course of action now is to quickly get

>>> several

>>> more estimates.

>>>

>>> --James--

>>>

>> That's the problem, all I've been hearing all day is "Sorry we don't give

>> estimates over the phone. <click>" Hmm.

>So I give you an estimate over the phone of fifty dollars to install

>your replacement kitchen fixture. I arrive and you present me with a

>ceiling fan that you expect to have installed for the aforementioned

>fifty dollars. The existing, sixty year old, three and one half inch,

>round, ear less, box offers no way to support a new lighting fixture,

>let alone a ceiling fan but you expect me to replace the box with one

>listed for fan support, do all my own cut patch and clean up, assemble

>and install a ceiling fan, all for fifty dollars. If I gave telephone

>estimates; which I do not; I would tell you that it is a time and

>materials job not to exceed five hundred dollars excluding the cost of

>any new wiring needed in your home. You would call me a name and hang up.

As a customer, I would consider it unreasonable to get a phone
estimate for one thing, then expect additional work for the same
amount.

I had a plumber out recently to fix a leak. He was already here when I
asked him to install an additional shutoff valve (not related to the
leak). I would expect to be charged extra for that.

>I recently gave a family an estimate of $2000 for a heavy up from 150 to

>400 amperes specifically at the existing service location. I excluded

>compliance with any unpublished portion of the utilities tariffs. The

>power company would not supply service to the existing meter location

>after the county electrical inspector had signed off on the completed

>work. Would you expect me to extend the service entry conductors,

>provide and install main lug kits and main breaker enclosures, and

>provide temporary service disconnect for the existing supply without any

>additional compensation? Just what are my kids supposed to eat that week?

--
100 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"How could you ask be to believe in God when there's
absolutely no evidence that I can see?" -- Jodie Foster

Page 2 of 10 < 1 2 3 > last >>

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