$13k for EV Charger @ Condo - Should I do it?

[SageBrush]

There is something very wrong in the universe when a copper wire, PVC pipe, and outlet cost 1/4 of a Model 3

 

[VT_EE]

Already made the deposit but if the place isn’t ready by June I can cancel and will opt for a townhouse a bit further away but at least I will have my own garage.



Parking structure.



The condo is 5ft away from the Tesla Factory. So I have a supercharger in walking distance but I would rather keep that open to people who are on road trips.



Seperate meter so I will be charged.

If it's a parking structure, I would just suck it up and pay the money. Who know what you would need to go through to get it done after the fact. I suspect that compared to the overall cost of the condo, $13k is insignificant.

 

[SDRick]

Sounds like there are better alternatives for you elsewhere. I would try to flip your contract now if there market is hot or ask to cancel with a full refund. I doubt they would fight you in this case, poor disclosure, bad press and all.

If you really love the place, bite the bullet unless you are willing to hassle with instillation risk after close of escrow.

On a side note, in hot markets, builder upgrades are crazy expensive relative to their actual cost. Those who can put up with the inconvenience, upgrade after COE saving money and future property taxes.

It should be obvious that the builders actual cost for the upgrades are irrelevant. Very similar to the $10,000 I gave to Tesla for the ludicrous upgrade. Cost Tesla maybe $50. Good for Tesla, good for Toll Bros. and I guess even good for me!

 

[mongo]

There is something very wrong in the universe when a copper wire, PVC pipe, and outlet cost 1/4 of a Model 3

Plus meter plus service panel plus utility feed plus rigid metal conduit plus permits plus site plan change plus inspection plus project management plus mark up(it's a parking structure vs an attached garage)

 

[T34ME]

There is something very wrong in the universe when a copper wire, PVC pipe, and outlet cost 1/4 of a Model 3

LABOR.......everyone wants to be able to afford that model 3!

 

[SageBrush]

LABOR.......everyone wants to be able to afford that model 3!

Haven't you heard ? Lots of robots lost their jobs in the Tesla factories to humans. I hear 'fluff-bot' spends his time at the beach these days.

 

[SageBrush]

plus permits plus site plan change plus inspection plus project management

Probably not in this case since CA law requires infrastructure in place but you do point out why progress is so slow: A large fraction of the populace is employed in fairly useless bureaucracy.

 

[SageBrush]

I would be inclined to take this up with Tesla. I bet they would be motivated to offer competing solutions for way less than that $13k to teach the Toll bros not to squat on EV rights.

 

[T34ME]

Probably not in this case since CA law requires infrastructure in place but you do point out why progress is so slow: A large fraction of the populace is employed in fairly useless bureaucracy.

Hmmmmm, I am involved in the industry but I don't know of what infrastructure you refer that is implied is unique to California. As far as bureaucracy is concerned, yes there is a lot of it employing a lot of people. But those employed bureaucrats fuel the robust economy in California (the 5th largest in the world) and provide income to me so that I can afford a Tesla and Solar City panels and $TSLA stock (and pay those high State taxes). I am grateful.

I would be inclined to take this up with Tesla. I bet they would be motivated to offer competing solutions for way less than that $13k to teach the Toll bros not to squat on EV rights.

Toll Brothers has no specific objections to EV rights other than increasing their bottom line to keep their stockholders happy. They squat on flooring installer, painting contractor, moulding installer, swimming pool contractors, etc. rights in an equal and non-discriminatory manner.

(disclaimer: I do not own Toll Brothers stock, I do not live in a Toll Brothers product, and I have not worked with Toll Brothers since 2006)

 

[Jackl1956]

I'm an old electrician. I'd shop around.

 

[TeeEmCee]

But those employed bureaucrats fuel the robust economy in California (the 5th largest in the world) ...

That would be a perpetual motion machine of the first order ...

 

[westernvine]

$13k feels like a deal... I've been trying for 4 years to get the right to have a pro run conduit through our building's garage like similar condos allow... and I'm on the condo board! I was successful in getting a shared community spot installed.

People are afraid of change, so the 'politics' of gaining approval is hard (Washington State does not have a right to charge law like Oregon or CA).

The cost of a load study, local Seattle cost of labor, making the City of Seattle happy, running 180' of 3/4" EMT conduit, wire gauge, plan review with the city, the need for a sub-panel and a step-down transformer, it's looking like $10,000 or more to do after the fact for just my spot. I am lucky enough to have parking spaces on the same level as our main electrical room, so no need for x-rays of concrete and core drilling between parking decks.

If we pool a few other interested owners, the price will come down a little, but it's also not possible to anticipate future demand, so we'll always have barely-enough capacity and will eventually have to do some very expensive things.

Multifamily charging is nearly impossible if not done at the start of a modern condo. So jealous of the $13k pre-sales pricing!

 

[westernvine]

Update from my January post: we finished our EV charging project for the condo. We approved and installed infrastructure for 8 Level 2 chargers. All 8 slots have sold to our owners. A ton of Teslas have been purchased and delivered.

My specific cost ended up being just over $8,000:

• $550 Wall Connector
• $3,630 electric permit, inspections, running conduit, wire, deduct/sub-meter, installing charger in my parking space in an underground post-tension concrete garage 180' feet away from the main electric room
• $2,000 condo panel/transformer/infrastructure (my share of the project for 8 people - new panel, 75KVA 480V step-down transformer, switchgear breakers, etc.)
• $2,000 electrician bonus (hard to get small projects done in Seattle in this construction environment/economy)

This was for a major retrofit project that took work. The next 8 people will need to do a similar amount of heavy lifting that may take a long time. $13k still feels pretty good to guarantee in a sale.

We also benefitted from a WA state sales tax exemption on the entire project, saving 11% off of all the parts and labor in the entire infrastructure project.

Hope to share the extended story in a blog post someday.

 

[SanDiegoM3]

The condo sounds like a huge financial mistake based on those markups and you’re paying a stock award premium to be next to Tesla.

Nevertheless, there’s only one thing you need to know and everything else in this thread is meaningless.

California Civil Code 4745.

By law, they cannot stop you from installing your own EV charger. Can they make a bunch of hoops, sure. But they can’t make it ridiculously expensive and they simply cannot stop you from contracting this out.

You’ll need a licensed contractor, architectural and electrical plans, a presentation for the condo board, and that’s it.

Let them try and stop you. If you could afford $13k for an EV charger take $10k of that to hire a lawyer, fight them in court, get your $10k back, and have your $1-3k charger.

 

[Octo]

I’m really surprised that of all places, in California, in Fremont, a “premium” builder feels it’s competitive to build brand new without EV charging ?!

Here in Dallas, (nicer) new apartment (rent) developments advertise that their parking structures have EV chargers.