Electrician for Heavy up / garage [ Silver Spring, Maryland]

Chadddada · Sep 23, 2015

I have my builder for my pole barn lined up, I am doing the site leveling and I have my cement contractor lined up. Now I am trying to line up a good electrician in Silver Spring MD.

Work required:
-Change out my panel in the house (Heavy up).
-I will do the trench from the building to the new structure (it should be up end of Oct).
-I wouldn't mind doing rough wire out in the garage to save some $ and just have the electrician approve.

Ready to go now on the heavy up and will address the sub panel in about 1.5-2 months. Could be 2 separate jobs if that makes billing easier.

Let me know if you have used someone, if you are a certified electrician to pull permits in MD, etc... Let me know if you have any questions. ~Thanks!

Stuart in MN · Sep 23, 2015

I've never heard the term Heavy Up before, so I'll post this for the benefit of others:

Definition: Heavy Up is one of those peculiar, specialized terms in the world of home renovation and electrical systems. Essentially, it means to increase the amperage coming into your house, so that your electrical system can handle today's appliances, lights, computers, TV's, etc. A typical heavy-up is one in which an older house needs to be upgraded to 200 amp service, which is the standard now.

readhead · Sep 23, 2015

Thanks. I was scratching my head on that one. Thought it might be a local term.

Chadddada · Sep 23, 2015

Yeah I think the house got a new panel back in the 80s possibly and it may only be 100 amp. Need a new panel and the cable/wire between the box->meter->corner of the house where service comes in will all be swapped out. Meter gets pulled and pulled during this process. 1 really annoying this is that I don't have a main; If you want to kill power to the house you need to flip off every breaker currently.

readhead · Sep 23, 2015

New panel will have a main breaker. You may want to go 250 or 300 amps depending on the shop load requirements.

sberry · Sep 23, 2015

There is an electrical connection in the foundation process, do not skip it.

readhead · Sep 23, 2015

UFER ground. the electrician should be familiar. The siding should be bonded also. However it is not required everywhere.

Chadddada · Sep 23, 2015

readhead said:
UFER ground. the electrician should be familiar. The siding should be bonded also. However it is not required everywhere.

Good info, I hadn't seen that yet. I expect to do the pour before I do, or the electrical, touches the garage part. Guess I will make sure this gets done during the pour.

wyliesdiesels · Sep 23, 2015

UFER will only work if the slab is directly poured on dirt. If a liner is used then UFER is no go...

Chadddada · Sep 24, 2015

wyliesdiesels said:
UFER will only work if the slab is directly poured on dirt. If a liner is used then UFER is no go...

Ah. Yeah code required at least 4" of crushed stone for base. I will be doing rebar or wire mess + vapor barrier between stone and cement. In this case do you just drive some rebar and ground on that?

RM209 · Sep 24, 2015

readhead said:
Thanks. I was scratching my head on that one. Thought it might be a local term.

Yup, it's a term frequently used in the east coast, and for older homes getting significant electrical upgrades. I used to hear about it when homes built in the 40's with glass fuses in the panel box were being upgraded with central air conditioning and new, larger kitchens.

RM209

bloomingtonmike · Sep 24, 2015

You putting a disconnect on the house for the new shed?

Chadddada · Sep 24, 2015

I believe the feed will come off a double pull breaker on the house panel and go to a sub panel, with it's own main shutoff, in the garage.

nadogail · Sep 24, 2015

Ask your builder if he has an electrician he works with.

Start from there and ask other remodelers.

toplessHO · Sep 24, 2015

first time I heard "Heavy UP" and still cant figure out how it got there.
Thanks for the research Stu

75gmck25 · Sep 24, 2015

I am in Alexandria, VA (outside DC) and the term "heavy up" is commonly used. For residential neighborhoods it usually means an upgrade to 200 amp service.

I had my "heavy up" from 150 amp to 200 amp service done by a retired Virginia electrician who did occasional work on the side. He charged me $1850 and that included permit, the Square D 30/40 circuit 200 amp box, and all other supplies. The old and new boxes were both Square D, so he was able to reuse the breakers. He also contacted the utility company and had them switch the connection to the new meter base after he was done (utility company wire run to the house was overhead).

Bruce

BillK · Sep 24, 2015

Chad,
The guy next door to me in our building is an electrical contractor. I don't know how much residential he does but I will ask him if he is interested or has any recommendations. He does mostly commercial and government projects but you never know

If you want to call him yourself, ask for Dave and tell him I told you to call. If you would prefer I ask him just let me know. I see him every day so I don't mind.

http://www.reycoelectric.com/

BillK · Sep 25, 2015

Chad,
I talked to Dave at Reyco and he said he would certainly be interested. His guy in charge of residential work is Dave Weeks. 301-843-1848 [email protected]

Dave is a very honest type of guy and I am certain you would be pleased with their work.

Hope this helps,

yossarian19 · Sep 25, 2015

Where the heck do you have room for a barn in silver spring? I grew up in Bethesda, where the last barn was torn down in, probably, 1968

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

Chadddada · Sep 28, 2015

BillK said:
Chad,
I talked to Dave at Reyco and he said he would certainly be interested. His guy in charge of residential work is Dave Weeks. 301-843-1848 [email protected]

Dave is a very honest type of guy and I am certain you would be pleased with their work.

Hope this helps,

Cool, thanks! I will check in with him. I have talked to 3 contractors and I am still waiting on proposals from all of them.

Chadddada · Sep 28, 2015

yossarian19 said:
Where the heck do you have room for a barn in silver spring? I grew up in Bethesda, where the last barn was torn down in, probably, 1968

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

Eh it fits in pretty OK. 720SF will take up maybe 1/3 - 1/4 of my back yard. Since it's smaller than 1/2 my house foot print the county was OK with it.

Electrician for Heavy up / garage [ Silver Spring, Maryland]

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