New Electric Service Cost

[tstaude]

The new barn is still in need of electrical service, I have a couple of options:

My BIL is an electrical contractor and he is estimating roughly $4500 in materials to get me 100 amp service pulled off the house I would have to do the trenching and drill a hole through my 24" foundation in the house.

I have the power company working on quoting this too, their electrical designer will be out the week of August 5th.
This is where it gets hairy, I have no clue what it's going to cost for this new service install, I am kind of at a stand still until I get their pricing. If it's remotely close to $5-6k it is a no brainer.
The Utility pole is practically in a perfect spot across the road, Estimated 120' from the location needed on the building.

Do you guys have any idea what something like this might cost?

my house has a transformer waaaaay far from the new shop and it would cross the septic lines, maybe it could work. My house service wire is buried, the neighbors shop has a separate service and it is above ground.

 

[chad215]

I just paid $5k for 2 poles/transformer/disconnect for 200 amp service. ~400' run through open pasture. I will still need to trench from the pole ~50' to my shop to the load center on my own.

 

[mcbane]

I recently paid $5k for "engineering" and connection of a replacement service by PG&E in CA. It was about 120 ft from the pole and they had a crew of 3 onsite for about 3 hours. They removed 4/0 aluminum conductors from the old conduit and pulled new 350mcm conductors through the new conduit that I had installed for them. In addition to the $5k I had to pay for a $1800 meter base and main breaker unit that met their specs and had to trench in my own 3" conduit.

While on site they added a secondary ground at the pole and replaced the spreader/support bar for the high voltage lines but those were just routine upgrades that had nothing to do with my service replacement, and I dont believe I was charged for that work. I also didn't need to pay for a new transformer (no idea what those cost) since the existing transformer that fed my old 100A service had sufficient capacity for the new 320A service.

 

[tstaude]

Thanks guys, hopefully this sticks around $5k, I guess I will know in a few weeks.

 

[u2slow]

I have a pole and transformer across the lane from my shop.... It was still cheaper to subfeed #2 alum cable 100' from the house. Had the shop juiced up before I even buried the cable!

 

[Innovate1]

What all does the BIL deal include? Just installing the wire to the shop and the subpanel or also branch circuits in the shop? Length of run? In conduit or direct bury? I did all the electrical work for the feed to my shop myself so I am out of touch with electrician rates but that seems like a lot considering you are doing the ditch and foundation drilling.

Why pay about $1000 more for another power company feed? You may have good reasons but there will be recurring minimum charges every month. I think most here would recommend going from the house unless you have a really good reason to do a separate service. What's the size of the house service?

As far as your original question the utility cost is going to vary quite a bit from place to place.

 

[BillK]

How far is the shop from the house ?

 

[tstaude]

Well I got the cost letter back today and it is at $4739.84. A little higher than I wanted but also about the same price as taking power off the house per my BIL's estimate.

 

[Innovate1]

What all does the BIL deal include? You say $4500 in materials but that seems like a lot for just materials even if the distance is long. Is it copper or aluminum wire? Does that include internal wiring to receptacles and lights? It just about has to for that price. And the utility price likely is just running power to your breaker panel with the breaker panel and all wiring beyond being your responsibility. I strongly suspect you are comparing totals for very different finished products. Lots of details I don't see anything about here...

How far from the house to the barn?

You mention the house transformer being far from the barn. Is the BIL suggesting running from the house transformer to the barn? Just running from the house to the barn as a sub panel would be how that's usually done.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

yeah lotta details missing here

 

[eegger]

I went with a dedicated meter and 200amp service. My electrical Co, charges a flat $7 ft and did the install. Cost was about $4500 and all I had to do was attach the meter and paid 500 for the electrical panel install and cert that I contracted out. I did supply all parts for that.

The run was around 450ft and they put another transformer box about 2/3rds the way to my garage.


You have to figure out how much power you will need, 200amp was probably overkill for my needs but I was thinking a 100amp isn't enough with an electric boiler and I didn't want another subpanel off the house. It just seemed easier.

 

[DC73]

Well I got the cost letter back today and it is at $4739.84. A little higher than I wanted but also about the same price as taking power off the house per my BIL's estimate.

Don't forget to consider the cost of metering if you are going to need a second meter for the barn with the PoCo option. If you have multiple meters, there is often a monthly base charge for each meter. You could eliminate multiple monthly base charges by having only one meter if that option is feasible for your situation. Also, there is the cost of installing a second meter base to be considered.

You might could talk the PoCo into adding consumption between all the meters on your property and billing as if there is only one meter but that's a long shot unless it's common practice in your area.

Good luck with your project.

DC

 

[tstaude]

So a few more details you guys are asking about:

BIL quote included:
copper wire which was ~2300 his cost (a little over 200' run)
all the needed conduit
breakers and 100 amp box
NO trenching quoted
NO core drillling quoted (23" thick farm house foundation)
NO permit cost
So probably closer to $5k for everything, maybe more plus my labor for trenching and pulling wire.

He's kinda captain overkill so maybe this is on the high side.


The PoCo quote
includes permit
trenching/ running underground
connecting at meter socket
NO meter socket
NO breaker box and breakers
Probably $5200 all in with breaker box and meter socket
I don't have to worry about drilling or trenching

Based on what I am putting together, I am seeing it as a wash with the benefit of me not having to trench or drill. Plus I get 200 amps, I think it's $30 a month for a base service charge.

 

[tstaude]

I went with a dedicated meter and 200amp service. My electrical Co, charges a flat $7 ft and did the install. Cost was about $4500 and all I had to do was attach the meter and paid 500 for the electrical panel install and cert that I contracted out. I did supply all parts for that.

The run was around 450ft and they put another transformer box about 2/3rds the way to my garage.


You have to figure out how much power you will need, 200amp was probably overkill for my needs but I was thinking a 100amp isn't enough with an electric boiler and I didn't want another subpanel off the house. It just seemed easier.

How long ago was this? Do you have WE Energies or a local provider?

I'm on the same boat for 100 vs 200 amp for the boiler.

 

[tstaude]

What all does the BIL deal include? You say $4500 in materials but that seems like a lot for just materials even if the distance is long. Is it copper or aluminum wire? Does that include internal wiring to receptacles and lights? It just about has to for that price. And the utility price likely is just running power to your breaker panel with the breaker panel and all wiring beyond being your responsibility. I strongly suspect you are comparing totals for very different finished products. Lots of details I don't see anything about here...

How far from the house to the barn?

You mention the house transformer being far from the barn. Is the BIL suggesting running from the house transformer to the barn? Just running from the house to the barn as a sub panel would be how that's usually done.

The run is about 200' from the house panel to barn sub panel, see details above for cost comparison.

The power company looked at using the existing transformer but that's like 250'+ and crosses the septic.

 

[eegger]

How long ago was this? Do you have WE Energies or a local provider?

I'm on the same boat for 100 vs 200 amp for the boiler.

It was just done, about 2 weeks ago it was completed, We have a local provider. 200 Amp is probably overkill, but who know what I want to do and hopefully it looks good to the next person.

My boiler will be a 10Kw, so 40amp max on a dual 50amp, 32,765 BTU


I did call in FEB/March and they the price was going up to $7, it was at like 3-4 : (