Cost to Install 60A Sub-panel in Garage?

[AdmiralYoda]

I know it largely depends on the area other factors but I'm trying to get an educated guess on the cost to install a 60A sub panel in a detached garage. I'm in central MA.

We had solar installed on the garage and while they had the trench dug I paid them a couple extra bucks to run an additional 1.5" PVC conduit for the purpose of installing a sub panel in the garage one day.

I would do this myself but in my town homeowners aren't allowed to touch electricity. I plan to pull a permit so I need to play be the rules.

Here are the details:

• Existing 200A panel in the basement. Plenty of available space.
• 40 feet from the 200A panel to the other side of the basement. No major obstacles. Conduit can run along basement ceiling.
• 25 feet of PVC in the trench including the vertical runs.
• A 3 foot vertical run from the end of the trench to the new 60A panel.
• Would like the electrician to install a 120V and 240V outlet at the 60A panel.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[skyactiv]

A lot of HVAC companies advertise doing electric, at least where I live, so I'd probably contact one of those since I'm guessing this is a slow time of year for them. A few good pics and measurements might go a long way if you can text someone.

 

[oldgrayman]

Why are you getting the permit ? If you're hiring someone that's their job . Did I misunderstand ?

 

[AdmiralYoda]

Why are you getting the permit ? If you're hiring someone that's their job . Did I misunderstand ?

I wasn't very clear. Because a permit will be pulled only the licensed electrician can do the work. They will pull the permit.

The point is...I'll be doing this by the book, even though I'm capable of doing it myself

 

[RhondaHonda]

$3,000 here.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

$3,000 here.

Wow that is way higher than I expected! If I went to the big box store I could get all the materials needed for about $500. I'd expect this would take a pro less than half a day to complete. To be honest I was expecting (hoping) for it to be closer to $1,500.

If the trench needed digging it would be another story but it is already dug and the conduit laid down and ready to go.

 

[atikovi]

Wow that is way higher than I expected! If I went to the big box store I could get all the materials needed for about $500. I'd expect this would take a pro less than half a day to complete. To be honest I was expecting (hoping) for it to be closer to $1,500.

4 hours @ $50/hour = $200 labor. Buy the materials and find an electrician that does work on the side on Facebook. Anyone with a B&M shop is going to mark up the parts and labor considerably.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Wow that is way higher than I expected! If I went to the big box store I could get all the materials needed for about $500. I'd expect this would take a pro less than half a day to complete. To be honest I was expecting (hoping) for it to be closer to $1,500.

If the trench needed digging it would be another story but it is already dug and the conduit laid down and ready to go.

Yeah I got 3 quotes and that was the average. No trench work but running a wire to a subpanel and then mounting the hardwire charger. Could’ve been the Tesla tax, the nice house tax or just the going rate.

Still just using the 240v outlet in my other garage and I’ll get around to the subpanel and other charger eventually.

 

[zzyzzx]

 

[JHZR2]

This would be beyond easy to do. The thieving electricians will give you a round number that is insane. Better ones will give a time and materials estimate, a per hour cost, and specificity about permits.

 

[14Accent]

Could you do SOME of the work yourself, then let the electrician finish it? As in: could you install the rest of the conduit and pull the wires, leaving final hook-up to the electrician who can then sign off on the work?

Just a thought.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Could you do SOME of the work yourself, then let the electrician finish it? As in: could you install the rest of the conduit and pull the wires, leaving final hook-up to the electrician who can then sign off on the work?

Just a thought.

That’s what I’ve considered myself. Mount the panel, run the conduit and pull the wire, have the electrician pull the permit and final hookup and maybe charge $500 or so (hopefully less).

The electrician that added my 240v outlet didn’t even turn the power off. I need to call him and see what he’d charge.

 

[14Accent]

That’s what I’ve considered myself. Mount the panel, run the conduit and pull the wire, have the electrician pull the permit and final hookup and maybe charge $500 or so (hopefully less).

The electrician that added my 240v outlet didn’t even turn the power off. I need to call him and see what he’d charge.

When I called an electrician out to my old place for a quote on installing a 240v socket in the garage (wires already run), he basically asked me if I knew what I was doing and told me to go to town. No permit necessary. I bought him lunch for his trouble.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

In Massachusetts you can't even change a light switch without a permit (not kidding). Licensed electricians are the only ones legally able to pull the permit and they are liable for any wrong doing. For that reason no electrician here will let you touch anything since their name is on it and if something is screwed up that got missed ...they get the trouble.

If you have a buddy that is an electrician that will let you do the work and double check it that is another story...but unfortunately I don't have any friends in that trade.

I know this is a simple job.

• Straight runs of conduit in the basement, maybe a couple slight offsets to dodge a beam.
• Pull about 75 feet of wire.
• Drive two ground rods
• Install and wire up the panel.

I'll be getting quotes soon. I'll post them here.

Massachusetts by-laws annoy the heck out of me. I am capable of doing this myself and would be more than willing to do it by the book and pull the permit. If it is inspected and passed....who cares who does it!

Their intent was to make sure all electrical work is done to code by electricians. What they ended up doing is having people do their own work without pulling permits and most people probably do it incorrectly. So now MA has a ton of electrical work that is done poorly that isn't inspected.

 

[dlundblad]

Who would know the job was done with no permit?

 

[14Accent]

Who would know the job was done with no permit?

If/when the OP decides to sell the house, it could come up during disclosure. If the work wasn't permitted, it could have to be redone before a sale could be completed.

 

[dlundblad]

If/when the OP decides to sell the house, it could come up during disclosure. If the work wasn't permitted, it could have to be redone before a sale could be completed.

This assumes he’s selling soon.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

This assumes he’s selling soon.

I wont be....but even if it is in 20 years it still applies. And with electrical you can't just say "It was like that when I bought the place". Haven't been able to do that in a long time. The manufacturing date is printed on the wire, and probably alot of all the other things as well.

Maybe I'll hunt around for used or old stock electrical wire!

 

[dlundblad]

I wont be....but even if it is in 20 years it still applies. And with electrical you can't just say "It was like that when I bought the place". Haven't been able to do that in a long time. The manufacturing date is printed on the wire, and probably alot of all the other things as well.

Maybe I'll hunt around for used or old stock electrical wire!

I’d just do it.

Make sure your wire is rated for 60amps. Do not install the green bonding screw in the new panel since it’ll be a sub panel. Isolate your neutrals and grounds. Ground rods need to be at least 6’ apart.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

Update.

This project went on the back burner for a bit. 1st quote just came in. $2,600.

The electrician insisted that I don't need a pair of grounding electrodes even though it is a detached building. I'm not an electrician but I thought you could only get away with that if it were a single circuit. Getting a couple more electricians coming in later this week for more estimates.