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November 8, 2007
60 to 100 amp upgrade
Hello, just got an estimate from an electrician for $6500 to upgrade a one family, 2 story mason house in Lefferts Garden to 100 amps. He'll need to dig up the sidewalk and that price doesn't include putting it back. Any thoughts on whether or not that's a good price? Thank you.
Comments
I'm not sure I understand the project, but I will tell you what we did. We had two separate federal pacific panels (less than 100amp) and we replaced them with a single 100amp GE panel. Total cost was $700. There was no external work done between our incoming line(s) and con ed's supply line. Just disconnecting the old panel and installing the new. I'm not sure it's the same as your project, but thought I would throw in my 2.
Posted by: cornetor at November 8, 2007 12:11 PM
Sounds expensive for a new 100A cable. You will probably require a new meter also. I would recommend you contact Con Ed to see what they say.
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 1:10 PM
To upgrade from a Federal Pacific 125 amp box to a GE 150 amp I paid $1000. When we went from 30 amp fuses to the 125 amp box years ago, it was Con Ed that drew the underground line into the house.
THE OLD FEDERAL PACIFIC BOXES ARE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS AND THEY LOST THE UL APPROVAL YEARS AGO.
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 1:30 PM
Why does your contractor need to dig up the sidewalk? Con Edison will run the new line directly to your house. Your electrician only needs to install new wiring from the Con Ed point of entry to the upgraded fuse box panel.
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 2:19 PM
Just speaking with Con Ed's Energy Servics Dept. -- they insist that a licensed electrician send in a work request to them. THey'll send out an inspector who will determine what needs to be done. They can't tell me anything else about who does what w/out an inspector coming out to the house. Seems odd that they can't look at their records to see what my house has now and what would be entailed in increasing the amperage.
Posted by: annavanlenten at November 8, 2007 2:46 PM
When you choose your electrician, please check his license with the
bureau of electrical control in your borough.
There are several hacks out there.
Insurance for electrical work is a whole other subject.
Make sure both are in good standing.
you need somebody that has both.
Posted by: Ysabelle at November 8, 2007 2:55 PM
I have a house that's over 100 years old and previously had a problem with water coming in thru the Con Ed feed, essentially a pipe that runs underground into which cables are fed (just like a conduit within the house). Why would the street need to be torn up?
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 4:08 PM
I had my house upgraded from 30 amps to 100 in 1974. That has been adequate, but, if someone is having a new electric service installed, is this still considered a good figure for a one family house?
Also, after reading the post about Federal Pacific boxes, I went downstairs to check the brand of mine. It's an Arrow Hart Murray; is that brand considered to be OK?
Posted by: Bob Marvin at November 8, 2007 4:27 PM
I'm agreeing with what Ysabelle said, but funny story...Of all the day laborers and craigslist guys I've hired, it was the licensed electrician I got from the county list that stole some power tools out of our basement. And we had to go over his work too! This wasn't in Brooklyn.
Posted by: rh at November 8, 2007 5:04 PM
I am buying a building in Greenpoint that needs to be upped from a 100 amp to a 200 amp in order to accommodate 3 units. Our building inspector told us it would cost us $1200 tops, to do that. That price seems really fishy.
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 5:24 PM
"this still considered a good figure for a one family house?"
Unless you're doing something oddball (eg, a large pottery kiln or a three-phase lathe) the only high energy usages in a residence are:
CAC: say 4t=4000w
Electric clothes dryer=4500w
Electric range=15000w
Everything else probably maxes about 6-8000w, so 100A (22000w) should be ample unless you have a range.
Posted by: cmu at November 8, 2007 5:32 PM
i don't understand posts like these.
isn't the only way to know if this is fair to GET MORE BIDS?
if someone here says it's reasonable, are you going to hire the first guy you see?
get 5 bids. get back to us.
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 5:34 PM
"Why does your contractor need to dig up the sidewalk? Con Edison will run the new line directly to your house. Your electrician only needs to install new wiring from the Con Ed point of entry to the upgraded fuse box panel."
More amps = thicker cable, which may or may not fit through the existing conduit from the street, which may or may not even be in good shape, etc.
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 5:57 PM
I'd get more bids, even if it is just to feel better about going with the original guy. As for your experience with Con Ed-- that is familiar to me. I have to upgrade a mix of 70s era wiring and some really old stuff to 220 in my brownstone, but I just wanted to start by reducing my two meter set-up to just one. I live in a legal one family and want to keep it that way, but there were illegal rentals by the old owner. Con Ed told me that I had to hire the electrician to do it, I have to pay for it, and then they come out to inspect when the job is done. Furthermore, all of the electricians who came over unanimously told me that Con Ed requires me to do some upgrades when I'm getting any work done-- like running a new line into the house. Not from the sidewalk, but I believe the edge or perimeter of my foundation.
I don't have the estimates in front of me right now, so bear with me, I may not know the correct terms. What I ended up getting is: a new main junction box in the cellar, a new line out to the perimeter of my building, a new copper grounding rod, and a new meter (from Con Ed)-- all upgraded to 220. All of this is running about $5k. This price sounded like a lot when I got the first estimate, but all of the bids pretty much came in around the same area.
I went eventually with A(nthony). Davino. They are slam in the middle of the job right now. So far, I'm happy, but if you want to hold on a week, I'll let you know how the final inspection goes. he's really busy too, but I think that's a good sign.
mike
Posted by: guest at November 8, 2007 6:53 PM
Thanks Mike, for that posting. I'd be very interested to hear how it goes and possibly to connect with A. Davino -- if it's $5K as you say, that's $1500 less, which on my budget is huge. I have a guy named Mike, recommended here on brownstoner, coming out tomorrow for a second assess. And, 5:57, yes, maybe it's down to physical space to upgrade.
Posted by: annavanlenten at November 8, 2007 7:29 PM
I had the same problem in my house and I called up Christopher John Electrical. I found that their price was reasonable and they also scheduled all my Con-Ed appointments. The technician explained everything into detail, I highly recommend them, they work that they did for me was awesome
Posted by: guest at November 9, 2007 4:36 PM
I checked the original estimates I received a few months back and can give you more detail: I initially solicited bids for an upgrade to 100 amps and all of the estimates came in around $2100-2200 for the following: a new 100 amp single phase meter; new 24 circuit, 100 amp main breaker panel; building ground rod and ground to water line; p/u existing wiring and combine in breaker panel; file necessary paperwork with Con Ed, and clean up leftover rubbish.
I later opted to upgrade to 200 amp instead, and that added another couple of grand. Bigger wires, I was told.
If memory serves, most of the electricians warned me that Con Ed might make me replace the outside line leading into the building, which did not in fact happen. I never received a written estimate, but I was always told to add another 1k to 2k if that turned out to be the case.
I'll drop a final note later after my inspection to let you know how that goes. Good luck.
mike z
Posted by: guest at November 12, 2007 8:18 AM
I just went back and reread your initial request for info and opinion. Is that an estimate to rewire a whole floor or living space? To be clear, the the job I'm having done is (at this juncture) just in the cellar-- main panel, new meter, ground, and an upgraded connection to the wiring coming in from the street.
I haven't received a formal estimate yet on rewiring the living space upstairs, but informally, the guy I'm using has said between $5000 and $8500 a floor to go to 200 amp. I assume the range depends on how elaborate I decide to go, and how much of a pain I decide to be about routing the new wiring (we have an understanding that I want as little damage to original plaster walls and ceilings as possible).
Sorry to go on and on, but I really think this is a good space for homeowners to share info and experiences with contractors or DIY and I want to be thorough.
mike z
Posted by: guest at November 12, 2007 8:28 AM
3 years ago in rockland county i had a 100 amp system up grades to 200 amps,cost 1,600 dollars this guy is ripping you off.
Posted by: guest at July 30, 2008 12:58 PM
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