Electrical upgrades to home. How much did it cost?

[keithz]

Hi all,

Just trying to determine how much the wiring upgrade costs for the average home owner. Please post if you can, the costs and details of the work done.

 

[RAM_Eh]

Why don't you ask what you need to upgrade? I am an electrician and can give you a ballpark to play in.

 

[wayner]

It also depends on what charger you are installing. If you want to use the maximum 80A/240V of a HPWC it will be more expensive than just putting in a 30A/240V plug, especially if you have a long run. Don't forget that the govt reimburses (or they did) up to $1000 - 50% to a max of $500 each for both of charger and labour. I don't know if that has been affected by the recent change in EV rebate policy.

 

[AB4EJ]

Hi all,

Just trying to determine how much the wiring upgrade costs for the average home owner. Please post if you can, the costs and details of the work done.

Depends so much on what is already there. If you have an electrical panel in garage with available capacity, the cost is very low - few hundred. The opposite extreme (which happened to me at 2 houses) was that a new circuit & panel running all the way to the main panel (with new conduit, boxes, etc) - and in the second case required an upgrade of the main panel from 200 A to 400 A - ran me $5000 (but to be fair, I also added a hot tub & wiring for that).

When all is done, I will post something about this with photos.

Or anything in between depending on how much work has to be done.

 

[BrokerDon]

$749 for Tesla HPWC installation

I paid $749 to have the Tesla approved electrician (McBride Electric) install our Tesla High Power Wall Charger ("HPWC") in our garage 2 feet from our 100A subpanel including:

• load calculation (important since all the spaces in our 100A subpanel and 200A main service panel were already completely taken up)
• wire from subpanel to Tesla HPWC to subpanel completely inside garage wall

Knowing what I know now I'm sure I could have gotten another non-Tesla recommended electrician to do this for less. However, I didn't want to have finger pointing between Tesla and electrician if the "used" HPWC that came with my "inventory" P85D had issues... Which it did (bad HPWC cable which overheated and Tesla Ranger replaced at no charge).

Our Tesla HPWC looks SO cool pulsing GREEN when it's charging... and allows our Dual Charger equipped P85D to charge faster (80A charge rate) than a NEMA 14-50 outlet would have provided (40A). The NEMA 14-50 outlet's 30 miles per hour charge rate = 8.5 hours to recharge a completely depleted 85KWh battery which has only happened once... and even 8.5 hours is PLENTY of time for an overnight charge at our utility's Super Off-Peak rate.

However knowing what I know now if my inventory Tesla hadn't come with a HPWC and Dual Chargers I'd just install a NEMA 14-50 outlet and save a LOT of money... and if I was ordering a Tesla I wouldn't order Dual Chargers either and save even more money.

 

[wayner]

I am glad I installed a HPWC due to the rapid charging and I put it in the middle of our two car garage in case there is a second Tesla in our future. And if you do have two Teslas then being able to charge in a short period of time will be even more valuable.

 

[nitrous]

I am glad I installed a HPWC due to the rapid charging and I put it in the middle of our two car garage in case there is a second Tesla in our future. And if you do have two Teslas then being able to charge in a short period of time will be even more valuable.

Well, I called a "tesla approved" electrician who quoted $1200 up for a simple install of the wall charger. This didn't include the cost of the charger. I asked the same electrician what a NEMA 5-50 welder outlet would cost and he answered everything but my question.

I decided to go with a local electrician. He came out, agreed that the existing 100amp panel was pretty much fully loaded and proposed a 200amp service upgrade with the new panel in the garage. Total cost, including a 40amp welder plug, a 20 amp 110v outlet and the Tesla Charger was $1700 including permits. This included an install that required the city inspector on site (since this was a service upgrade). He did it while I was out of town. He did a good job.

Take 30% off for the US to CAN dollar exchange.

Dont get get me wrong. I might have gone with the Tesla recommended guy, but honestly, if you can't answer a simple question, I don't want you installing my upgrade. The sense I got was "hey, you bought a Tesla - you're getting a rebate - don't complain".

So, in the end, our house is now 200amp (vs the previous 100amp service we had), the tesla charger, a welder outlet (that can double for anyone with an EV who needs charging) and a 20amp 110volt outlet.

Anyway, that was my experience.

Doug

- - - Updated - - -

I don't want to seem cynical, but I don't think "Tesla Charger Install" and a few hundred dollars are compatible concepts.
Regardless of the proximity of the panel etc, I think there is a Tesla premium applied.

Your experience may be Different, but that's my experience.

Doug

 

[mikec8]

When looking for quotes, one electrician said I needed to upgrade 100A -> 150A in order to install a NEMA 14-50 plug. From what I heard, the costs would of been between 8-10k just for hydro to do their work and then probably another few thousand for running a new wire from meter to panel, upgrade panel, install plug etc.. Luckily other electricians said I didn't need to upgrade and they were right, the work is all done now and ESA inspected on 100A.

 

[tsarlsy]

I paid $3,300 tax in for a 100A to 200A panel upgrade and HPWC install to the garage (about 15 ft from basement panel). This included everything like ESA etc. I'm in Richmond Hill.

 

[MikeMayhem]

The average cost is hard to say depending what you have to do. I ran a 6/3 AWG to a Nema 14-50 originally and then decided to get the HPWC. I have a 100 amp service now and am running the HPWC @ 40 amp continuous (50 AMP Breaker). I am in the middle of renovating my basement and will upgrade my panel and wire once the basement is complete.

At that point I will re-run 3 AWG to the HPWC on it's own 100 amp breaker. My garage is attached to the house so a little easier to do as there is no digging and or special wire.

So Get a couple quotes and go from there. I would recommend the HPWC if you have dual chargers. At times I need a quick boost before running out and the 40 amp charge doesn't always cut it.

I did all the work myself and had it inspected. FYI: 50 foot run of 6/3 awg was about $150 in copper alone. and a 50 amp breaker around $40 (Siemens Q250 was hard to find). I punched a whole into the garage from the basement and ran the rest in a PVC conduit along the wall in my garage (Was overkill) but safe. Took me 3 hours. average Electrician I am guessing $80 an hour. Some a little more and some a little less. If I remember, permit ran me $65 in Durham.

- - - Updated - - -

When looking for quotes, one electrician said I needed to upgrade 100A -> 150A in order to install a NEMA 14-50 plug. From what I heard, the costs would of been between 8-10k just for hydro to do their work and then probably another few thousand for running a new wire from meter to panel, upgrade panel, install plug etc.. Luckily other electricians said I didn't need to upgrade and they were right, the work is all done now and ESA inspected on 100A.

FYI: depending on what you have running in the house..... IE; stove, dryer, air con..... even if the 3 appliances are running at the same time you are only drawing 72 AMP at one time. I agree that an upgrade would be best but truth be told, you could run another 40 or 50 amp breaker and only use it, say, at night and make sure you're not running the oven at the same time. you would be fine, a 100 amp service can draw 100 amps. it's the next stage of breakers that requires a 20 % threshold for continuous draw.... 50 amp breaker = 40 amp continuous.

 

[BrokerDon]

main service panel upgrade considerations: solar-ready + more spaces + more circuits

Other suggestion for people considering main service panel upgrades. Pay a little more to get a main service panel that is solar ready. Our existing 200A 20 space 40 circuit main service panel was completely full, even with a 100A 12 space 24 circuit sub panel. We're adding a 6.89 KWh DC solar system and our upgrading our main service panel at the same time to this Square D Solar-Ready 30 space-42 circuit main service panel that features:

• Solar-ready – Suitable for use with Photovoltaic (PV) system applications as defined in NEC® Article 690.64
• PV system data monitoring – Provisions for current transformers (CT) on the line side of the service disconnect
• Line side solar tap – Accommodates field-installable lug kit ahead of the service disconnect to feed PV system without using a branch breaker space
• 225 A rated bus bars – Reduces need to de-rate the main breaker for back-fed PV systems

http://www2.schneider-electric.com/resources/sites/SCHNEIDER_ELECTRIC/content/live/FAQS/239000/FA239118/en_US/Homeline%20Solar-ready%20CSED%20Handout%5B1%5D.pdf

 

[Navsarin]

That's quite expensive. I'm paying approx $2000 for a full upgraded 200amp panel (100amp currently), plus a 70-80 foot metal conduit/power run to the garage to the HPWC Tesla unit located in between both sides in case of 2 Teslas eventually. This includes city shut down, all fees and re inspection for ESA approval. 2k seems like a decent amount given the panel upgrade is about $1300 anyway.


QUOTE=mikec8;1404072]When looking for quotes, one electrician said I needed to upgrade 100A -> 150A in order to install a NEMA 14-50 plug. From what I heard, the costs would of been between 8-10k just for hydro to do their work and then probably another few thousand for running a new wire from meter to panel, upgrade panel, install plug etc.. Luckily other electricians said I didn't need to upgrade and they were right, the work is all done now and ESA inspected on 100A.[/QUOTE]

 

[mikec8]

FYI: depending on what you have running in the house..... IE; stove, dryer, air con..... even if the 3 appliances are running at the same time you are only drawing 72 AMP at one time. I agree that an upgrade would be best but truth be told, you could run another 40 or 50 amp breaker and only use it, say, at night and make sure you're not running the oven at the same time. you would be fine, a 100 amp service can draw 100 amps. it's the next stage of breakers that requires a 20 % threshold for continuous draw.... 50 amp breaker = 40 amp continuous.

I agree, I figured it probably is best to manage what runs at the same time as my car will be charging overnight. The ESA inspector was saying if ever it becomes a problem there is something you can add to the circuit that will downgrade the amps based on usage of something else (not sure how exactly it works but good to know).

That's quite expensive. I'm paying approx $2000 for a full upgraded 200amp panel (100amp currently), plus a 70-80 foot metal conduit/power run to the garage to the HPWC Tesla unit located in between both sides in case of 2 Teslas eventually. This includes city shut down, all fees and re inspection for ESA approval. 2k seems like a decent amount given the panel upgrade is about $1300 anyway.

Interesting, no clue how Hydro One was coming to the numbers I was given, though, the electrician could have added some fluff to their price. He ended up giving a quote considering I convert my dryer to gas.

I ended up using another electrician which had no problem just adding a 50AMP breaker (I think the 32A continuous really helped to get this approved).

 

[RAM_Eh]

Love seeing the advice of non electricians....

To put it short every job and house is different. In Toronto 200A upgrades can run from $ 1500 to $ 3000. The cost of the HPWC varies greatly on the distance from you panel to the charger location. Rough rule of thumb is at 100A budget $ 20-30/ft with a minimum $400 if the charger is the only thing they are installing. Minimum permit cost in Ontario is $ 100 from the electrician (not cost but what is charged to the customer).

 

[MikeMayhem]

Love seeing the advice of non electricians....

To put it short every job and house is different. In Toronto 200A upgrades can run from $ 1500 to $ 3000. The cost of the HPWC varies greatly on the distance from you panel to the charger location. Rough rule of thumb is at 100A budget $ 20-30/ft with a minimum $400 if the charger is the only thing they are installing. Minimum permit cost in Ontario is $ 100 from the electrician (not cost but what is charged to the customer).

Actually, I was an electrician. Left the trade for a higher paying career. And if the consumer is comfortable doing the job and gets the permit, I say let them. It has to pass inspection afterwords anyway, and saving on paying an actual electrician. It's unfortunate but a lot of electricians out there are simply not very honest. Not all, but some.

 

[nitrous]

Did the 100amp -> 200amp upgrade involve completely replacing your existing panel?
in my case, I had a 200amp line into my meter but only 100amp into the house.
The electrician basically installed a 200amp panel ahead of my 100amp bloc in the basement.

I feel the $1700 was a good price.
Doug

 

[tsarlsy]

Did the 100amp -> 200amp upgrade involve completely replacing your existing panel?
in my case, I had a 200amp line into my meter but only 100amp into the house.
The electrician basically installed a 200amp panel ahead of my 100amp bloc in the basement.

I feel the $1700 was a good price.
Doug

I paid $1600 plus tax for this. Exactly the same scenario. The price included labour and materials.

 

[rapoport3a]

I don't remember what we paid to go from 100 amp to 200 amp service and install a long cable to the other side of the house for the HPWC, but Tesla's recommended installer quoted the lowest of five estimates, and of course he had done dozens of these installations.

 

[mrElbe]

I was extremely fortunate as I already had a 200A feed in the garage. This used to power a 25kw pool heater.

 

[dmd2005]

I paid $1600 for an electrician on Tesla's recommended list for HPWC plus install and when I put in an extra NEMA 14-50 outlet from a local electrician it was $240. I have a 200A panel in my garage and about a 2 foot run of cable for the HPWC and 4 feet for the NEMA 14-50 outlet. Definitely shop around and I should have called the local electrician to install the HPWC to save $300-400 on install.

The Camco 14-50 extension cords just about cost just as much as my install.