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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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
“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.
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.
“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.