Total RIPOFF at $2,000 for ten feet, after you've dug the trench !!!
How do you know? He could be getting the deal of the year, he could be getting ripped off. No one can even begin to make the assessment without knowing all the facts.
Is he pulling a permit and how much are permit fees?
Permit fees vary widely. Some towns here would charge $50 for that permit. Others would charge $500 worth of permit and inspection fees.
What kind of inspections are required?
Most towns around here require the trench to be dug and the gas line installed with a pressure test attached. The pressure test has to sit for at least 24 hours. At that time the inspector will come meet the plumber (it has to be the plumber) to pass it.
How much work is it to cut into the existing gas header?
Sometimes this can be very easy and I can cut in a tee and valve in under an hour. Sometimes everything has to be reworked at it can be hours and hundreds of dollars in material.
Does the meter have to be upgraded to carry the additional load?
It's not an option. If your current meter will become to small to carry the load of every gas fixture attached to that meter running at the same time you will need to upgrade your meter to pass inspection. Now you run into additional work on the meter header and another trip out to meet someone from the gas company.
What is he doing at the garage?
I'm assuming permits are being pulled? The inspector is going to want to see the heater properly installed, connected and running before he signs off. Is he also bringing the gas line inside and connecting to or installing any heating equipment?
It's very easy to say $2000 for 10' is a rip off. It may well not be or maybe it is. Lets say worst case scenarion. He'd have to :
Day 1:
Come out and look at the job
Go to town hall to pull permits
Call the gas company for a meter upgrade
Day 2:
Go pick up material
Re-pipe the existing header for the new meter with the appropriate sized piping, supports and test *****. Temporarily re-install the old meter.
A little bit of digging because it never works out perfectly.
Run the line from the meter area (not tieing into the meter yet) to the garage and tie into the garage heater leaving a pressure test on the meter side.
Backfill most of the trench with tracer wire 2" on top of the pipe and buried gas line tape 12" above the pipe. One area, usually around the gas meter must remain open so the inspector can see the connections you used. Call for inspection.
Day 3:
Meet the inspector.
Tie the gas line into the header.
Complete back filling.
Day 4:
Meet the gas company for a meter upgrade.
Suddenly it's ten to twelve hours of his time over four days. Permit fees could be hundreds. Material could easily hit $400. Ever priced locking gas *****? Now that's here and that's worst case scenario. No one here knows your scenario. If he's not pulling permits and he's just tying into your header and bringing a gas line up outside the garage, he may well be ripping you off.
