I'm planning on purchasing a Tesla MS before the end of the year, so I'd like to get a general idea how much Home Charging Installation will cost me. My problem is that my garage is detached, and it is pretty far from my electric panel in my basement. However, my idea is that I can install the charger on the side of my house and run wires to my basement. It would definitely be less than 50 ft from the side of house to my panel. There's a supercharge about 10min away from my house, but I think it will become too troublesome if I need to go there every other day. I asked one of my co-worker's husband, and was told that it would be $1500-$2000. I thought it was way too high. Please let me know how much you have spent when you installed yours.
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How much does Home Charging installation cost?
- Thread starter enantiomers
- Start date
Ormond
Endless Peacock
I spent $350 for a NEMA 14-50 outlet, but my garage is attached. Hopefully someone in NJ can give you a better idea. I would call a couple electricians and get estimates.
$200-$7,000 are the ranges I've seen on TMC.
If you're running the wires inside the basement, 50 feet, to an outside outlet, and plan to charge outside (not in the garage), then $1,500-$2,000 is way too high. I had a similar run (about 50' of wire through my basement) for $400.
If that $1,500-$2,000 is for a 50' run inside your house, and then extending the wires (including digging a trench) to your detached garage, then it might be reasonable or even low.
If you're running the wires inside the basement, 50 feet, to an outside outlet, and plan to charge outside (not in the garage), then $1,500-$2,000 is way too high. I had a similar run (about 50' of wire through my basement) for $400.
If that $1,500-$2,000 is for a 50' run inside your house, and then extending the wires (including digging a trench) to your detached garage, then it might be reasonable or even low.
Thanks for your reply. I'm planning on charging outside since the charger should be waterproof. Does your cost include permits, supplies and all the labor? I guess I'll get different quotes and decide which one I should bet. One of the Tesla representative suggested one, but i'm just a little hesitant.
Parts are relatively cheap, I forgot, I did the math, but I think parts and permits would've cost me <$300 if I did it myself and got parts from Home Depot.
I got quotes ranging from $400 (the one I went with) to over $1k from the Tesla Recommended electricians.
Get many quotes, both form Tesla recommended electricians and from "regular" electricians.
Lots of people on these forums will tell you to NOT tell the electrician it's for a Tesla, and tell them it's for an arc welder or an RV. Electricians aren't stupid. I did the same thing, I asked for quotes over the phone for an RV outlet. When they show up (and my car is parked elsewhere), first question is "this for an electric vehicle? you park nose in or nose out?". Why did I waste my time parking elsewhere? lol
Thanks again for speedy reply. Haha, they are truly not stupid. Just trying to save some money
Redmiata98
Member
Your first determination needs to be how much power you are planning to be made available to your HPWC, the next is how much additional power can be drawn from your current electrical service connection and lastly if you need to do a service ipgrade or not.
Iamscoobydoo
Member
You should buy the charger off the internet or from Lowes. If installed outside have I it hard wired as a weatherproof enclosure for a large outlet is pricey. You save the cost of the outlet as well parts needed are basically the breaker and wire.
Chopr147
Active Member
This is an often asked question. Charge prices are all over the map but a simple say 10 foot or less line plus the outlet should not be more than $450. But now you have to add distance and how easy/hard that distance will be. Like another said if your digging a trench $1500 is not over-priced.
A SPC'er 10 minutes away will be a hassle at times. It is so EASY to charge over-night. And in 2-3 years that SPC'er may not always be available.
A SPC'er 10 minutes away will be a hassle at times. It is so EASY to charge over-night. And in 2-3 years that SPC'er may not always be available.
Since I have a detached garage I will give you mine as an example. I paid $2,500 to run wire from the opposite side of my house through the crawl space and then have trenching done to get it from the corner of the house to the garage. I also added a small panel in the garage. I receives quotes from $2,500 - $4,500. The electrician I went with would have reduced the cost to $1,900 had I been willing to do the trenching myself, but I am not really the ditch digging type.
$1,500-$2,000 seems reasonable to me, but that really depends on the distance and trenching needed.
$1,500-$2,000 seems reasonable to me, but that really depends on the distance and trenching needed.
Thanks for your reply. My plan is not to charge in the garage as it is too far and I'm not even going to park there. My garage is mostly used as a storage. My plan is to put the charge on the side of my house and run the wires to basement to my panel since the charge should be waterproof. Hopefully it'll work.
How do I determine how much power I need? I do have a solar panel from Solar City.
If you are lucky, you have room in your box for the new breaker, and a chase from the box to your garage (after all, it has power), you can pull the new wire through.
I would put the plug into the garage and not screw around with outside, given a reasonably priced choice.
If I needed to trench to get to the garage, I would do it myself, but I can really run a shovel. I'm bravely saying this assuming you only have to trench a few feet deep.
Lots of variables here to guess price.
Chopr147
Active Member
Mine was an easy install so it does not really pertain to yours. But I got 2 estimates. One was $250, the other was $450. I went with the $450 because he seemed more professional, and he was.
idealsol
Member
We have a MS on order. We had originally planned to use our 10-30 dryer connection, adapt that to 14-50, then run it out to garage with a hole in wall and extensiion cord, cost would have been under 150 we would have had a 30 amp charger
That changed when the wife correctly pointed out that our existing 10-30 was in an extremely tight spot, and we would not be able to connect an adapter and plug to it without moving the outlet
So I called our electrician and he is installing 14-50 outlet in the garage. Fortunately, the service panel is very close to where the oulet goes
It will cost 275
That changed when the wife correctly pointed out that our existing 10-30 was in an extremely tight spot, and we would not be able to connect an adapter and plug to it without moving the outlet
So I called our electrician and he is installing 14-50 outlet in the garage. Fortunately, the service panel is very close to where the oulet goes
It will cost 275
jeepn30
Member
My job came in at about 1600. I bought the HPWC, so I had 100amp service in conduit run from my box in the basement to the garage. Was between 70 and 80 feet that had to be run. Luckily I had space in my small box, so I didn't need to upgrade anything else. They did a professional job, and hopefully in a few years I will get another wall charger, so we can hopefully be all electric at our household.
I paid 1300 for install + the cost of the HPWC from Tesla. My install had to route from the basement so not necessarily an easy install and the electrician whom did it was Tesla certified and put a breaker right next to the wall charger which has already proved useful for quickly resetting the wall charger. When I first got it, I was so careful with plugging it in that I didn't insert with enough pressure and caused an error for the HPWC. He did great work and I can't complain since PA gives 2k back in rebates. AFAIK he was the only certified electrician by Tesla in Central Pennsylvania so PM me if you'd like his contact information.
Dstrohl
Member
As you can see, there are lots of variations here... so, lets break it down a bit:
(sorry about the long post, this is a compilation of things I've said, heard, and run into)
First off, read the FAQ: (FAQ: Home Tesla charging infrastructure Q&A)
Before starting, determine how much power you would be drawing, this number drives the size of the cable, breakers, and possibly main house supply.
The cost (if using an electrician) should be based on these factors and their hourly rate, so if you are getting a high cost, ask for the breakdown or sit down and discuss the quote with them and see if it makes sense. if the electrician is saying it will cost 2,000 to install a simple 14-50 outlet, that sounds high, but it might not be if it includes upgrading your panel to handle the 50A circuit, or running 50' of cable. also, in some places, electricians use a "book" price... i.e., something like $500 + $50/foot for a 14-50 outlet, no matter how easy (or hard) this is. if you get quoted a book price and it doesn't feel right (sometimes book prices can end up being WAY more than is needed), ask about getting a per hour quote, they might not do it, but it's worth asking.
If you plan on (or are even just considering) doing the work yourself, my recommendation is to still get a few quotes for it. if you find that everyone is recommending replacing the panel or upgrading the house's service. consider letting them do the work. If they come back and just quote running the wire and installing a plug or EVSE, you can more easily consider doing it yourself if you are comfortable enough with it.
I've heard it recommended that you don't tell installers you are installing an EVSE for quotes as they might jack up your price. Personally I don't agree with that, the load calculations for a dryer plug are different from those for an EVSE, which could lead to your having problems later, and in most cases I am sure they will figure it out when you are point to a spot in the garage that is no where near thir laundry <grin>. Not telling them you are getting a "Tesla" might make sense though. (note: I've never heard of this causing a problem, but misleading the professionals who are doing high power electrical work in your house is not the best plan.) If you think you are getting padded quotes, get more of them and/or check out the installers on something like Angie's List.
And finally, don't let anyone push you into doing the work yourself if you are not comfortable with it. Yes, in many cases it is VERY EASY to do this, but these voltage/amperage levels can easily kill you or burn down your house. Its not worth the risk if this isn't something in your comfort zone.
(sorry about the long post, this is a compilation of things I've said, heard, and run into)
First off, read the FAQ: (FAQ: Home Tesla charging infrastructure Q&A)
Before starting, determine how much power you would be drawing, this number drives the size of the cable, breakers, and possibly main house supply.
- If installing a NEMA 14-50 outlet, you will need a 50 Amp circuit,
- If installing the HPWC, You can choose how much power the HPWC will use after installation (from 12A [15A breaker) to 80A (100A breaker). Most want to install it at 80A, but if your car doesn't have dual chargers, you cant use that much anyway)
- Note: this can be useful in cases where you just cant get a 50A circuit in your hose for whatever reason, (your media room is just drawing too much power and the local electrical company wont run a larger service?), you can install the HPWC (and call it a LPWC), set it to whatever you can get, and use that...perhaps not the best charging, but safer than installing something too large for your service.
- if installing another outlet type or another type of EVSE (much less common) you would need the correct side for whatever you are installing (*check the docs)
- House main power supply (is there enough available amps to install the EVSE at the preferred setting without upgrading the service?). Hopefully this is yes, but it is something to check.. your electrician should be checking this when quoting.
- If not, you will have to increase the side of your service to the house, this can cost a significant amount of money.
- Unless you are COMPLETELY comfortable with working on home services, DO NOT attempt this yourself!
- Panel size / load: is there enough available amps on the panel to install the EVSE. (this is often the same as above, but some houses have multiple panels/sub panels, feeders, etc...).
- If you need a new service, you probably need a new panel as well, but you might need a new panel even if your service is large enough. for example, if you don't have enough free slots for breakers, or if your panel was undersized.
- These can easily cost a few thousand dollars, though there it totally depends on the size and complexity of the job.
- Breaker for the EVSE circuit:
- Assuming you have enough power, and your panel has space, you will need a dedicated breaker for this. the cost of the breaker itself can run from $20 to $200 depending on your panel and takes a couple of minutes to snap in. (for me, a 100A breaker is about $70 at Lowes.)
- Wire to the EVSE
- This is usually a larger part (often the largest largest part) of the install costs. this can be done in conduit, or installed behind a wall, or buried (in the case of it running across a yard), all depending on local codes, EVSE size, and your physical environment.
- Cable that will support 100A can run more than $5 / foot, with pretty high install charges (so, a 50' run could be > $250 just in electrical cable)
- Running in conduit, while adding to the cost of materials, can sometimes actually end up cheaper by reducing install time, but it has an industrial look that might not fit your environment (or it might be just what you are looking for)
- Even short runs will usually take an hour or so by the time everything is done... long runs can add days of work, especially if trenching and refilling is needed.
- If trenching, make sure to call the number for your area that will come out and tell you where underground utilities are... this is often free, and is ALWAYS better than hitting a gas line with your shovel.
- This may be another place you can save money, if your electrician is willing to work with you, (some are, some are not) you might be able to do the trenching, or the work of mounting the conduit and pulling the cable, and leave them with just coming in for 30 minutes and doing the connections and testing them.
- DONT try to save money by using a smaller size cable than what is needed, if anything if in doubt, go up a size. If you don't know the right size, check first (and don't ask the hardware store guy) the FAQ linked above has some wire sizes in it, but wire sizing (and type) is dependent on a number of factors including the length of the run, if it is being buried, or in conduit, etc... Again, if in doubt, get an electrician.
- EVSE mounting / physical installation
- for many installations, this is simply screwing a metal box to the wall, no biggie, but if your installation is outside, or if you have specific requirements such as a post or enclosure to mount the outlet / EVSE in/on, it can be much more complex.
- This is something you may be able to save some money on and do yourself, or get a handyman to do the work at $50/hour instead of $125/hour.
- Nearby Electrical Shutoff/Lockout
- If the EVSE circuit size is more than a certain point (60A I think?), Most electrical codes require a nearby box that allows cutting the power to the circuit and locking it so that anyone working on it does not get shocked. Some people feel this can be the circuit breaker, some disagree pointing out that most circuit breakers do not lock. If you are putting in a HPWC instead of a 14-50 outlet, this is something to keep in mind. These boxes can run from $100 to several hundred, and installing them could add a few hundred (or more) to the cost of the installation. (if you are not sure, check with your local electrical inspectors).
- EVSE electrical connection / outlet.
- Next, you have to actually connect the EVSE or outlet to that wire you ran. if installing a 14-50 outlet, this is fairly easy and should not add significant time. if installing the HPWC, (especially if the electrician is not familiar with it) it could add an hour for the electrician to work through the docs and settings and put it together. (hopefully not, but don't be surprised if so).
- Local Permits
- Depending on your area, you might have to get a permit. Some people recommend skipping this step as it is often a pain in the rear (and sometimes you fail the inspection and have to fix something), I recommend that you DO get a permit and inspection just to make sure (there are also significant liability, insurance, and resale issues if you don't, see the FAQ again). This is not a simply an outlet that you are installing, it is easily enough power to burn down the house (and worse, your car) if done wrong! If using an electrician, they should take care of this, but if they don't mention it, ask. often the cost of permit(s) are not included in the initial quote and you may have to pay them separably. if the electrician says they don't need a permit, check the internet for your local government to see if it isn't needed, and if it IS needed, and the electrician is NOT getting it, get another electrician!
- Around here, permits cost about $90, but that differs dramatically in different areas, and some electricians will charge for the time to get the permit and be there for the inspector, so know those costs as well (the are sometimes not included in the quotes either).
The cost (if using an electrician) should be based on these factors and their hourly rate, so if you are getting a high cost, ask for the breakdown or sit down and discuss the quote with them and see if it makes sense. if the electrician is saying it will cost 2,000 to install a simple 14-50 outlet, that sounds high, but it might not be if it includes upgrading your panel to handle the 50A circuit, or running 50' of cable. also, in some places, electricians use a "book" price... i.e., something like $500 + $50/foot for a 14-50 outlet, no matter how easy (or hard) this is. if you get quoted a book price and it doesn't feel right (sometimes book prices can end up being WAY more than is needed), ask about getting a per hour quote, they might not do it, but it's worth asking.
If you plan on (or are even just considering) doing the work yourself, my recommendation is to still get a few quotes for it. if you find that everyone is recommending replacing the panel or upgrading the house's service. consider letting them do the work. If they come back and just quote running the wire and installing a plug or EVSE, you can more easily consider doing it yourself if you are comfortable enough with it.
I've heard it recommended that you don't tell installers you are installing an EVSE for quotes as they might jack up your price. Personally I don't agree with that, the load calculations for a dryer plug are different from those for an EVSE, which could lead to your having problems later, and in most cases I am sure they will figure it out when you are point to a spot in the garage that is no where near thir laundry <grin>. Not telling them you are getting a "Tesla" might make sense though. (note: I've never heard of this causing a problem, but misleading the professionals who are doing high power electrical work in your house is not the best plan.) If you think you are getting padded quotes, get more of them and/or check out the installers on something like Angie's List.
And finally, don't let anyone push you into doing the work yourself if you are not comfortable with it. Yes, in many cases it is VERY EASY to do this, but these voltage/amperage levels can easily kill you or burn down your house. Its not worth the risk if this isn't something in your comfort zone.
Just to add another data point. I paid $1600 plus the HPWC. I wanted a 100 Amp circuit to support a car with dual charger at max rate. The charger is inside the garage, about 100 feet total wire run from the main electrical panel. Had to go across a partially finished basement, up to the first level and then across the garage. The price included local permits. Local code also requires an electrical disconnect next to the HPWC so that was in the price, too. Good news is that I get $900 back in a state rebate
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
@enantiomers, don't let someone sell you something you don't need. My point is that you are not buying and installing a charger. You are not buying and installing a big clucker piece of electrical hardware to charge your Tesla. The charger is inside the car. All you need is electricity from some outlet. (Please don't refer to EV charging capability as a charger.) You are simply having a higher capacity electrical outlet and proper wiring to support the higher capacity outlet/circuit. Most outlet in the house are 110/120 volt. You want higher to charge the Tesla. For instance, like an electric dryer might use a 30 amp circuit, and you could use it from your house/garage if its available, But using a 30 amp circuit will still take several hours overnight to charge the Tesla. Most people have a 50 amp circuit installed (like an electric stove/oven would use). Making a little more sense now?
You've already hear many people here provide excellent insight to the cost. Its going to vary depending on your situation and your locality and the electrician that you find. Like having your driveway repaved, or your house painted, get several quotes.
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