Running 240 to my shop

[Anthony Scott]

I currently only have 110 in my shop which is a detached garage. How expensive is it to run 240 out there? I know it varies but are we talking a few hundred, a few thousand?
Thanks

[Rod Sheridan]

I currently only have 110 in my shop which is a detached garage. How expensive is it to run 240 out there? I know it varies but are we talking a few hundred, a few thousand?
Thanks

Hi Anthony, your question is like asking how much a saw costs, do you mean Martin or Black and Decker?

Please provide a few bits of info

- distance from shop to main distribution panel

- desired ampacity of service 40? 60? 100?

- can you do some work yourself such as digging a trench?

A ballpark answer of $1,000 to $2,000 could be typical unless you come back and say it's 500 metres to the shop......Rod.

[alex grams]

There are a few things that it will depend on:
-Are you doing the labor yourself, or having an electrician come in?
-is there a way to run a wire to the garage? Overhead, submerged? How is the current power to the garage supplied?
-Distance of wire run from main panel to garage?

Overall, supplies will run a several hundred (guessing 300-500, with lots of variance in how much you want to set up), with your main expenses being the main 220 wire feed to the garage and your breakers. If you are running say 4 220v 20A breakers and 2 120 breakers, that is about 100$ in breakers, plus another 40-100$ for the box (depending on size), and then all of the 12/2 w/ ground and 10/2 w/ ground to your outlets.

Overall, i would guess about $400-$500, but a lot depends on how much main wire you need, and how much supply you want at your sub. I would suggest 6 gauge, which supports 65amps i believe (that is off the top of my head, someone correct me if i am wrong).

More details and you can get closer in price. I have no idea what it would cost for an electrician to do it though.

[Jim O'Dell]

I would first ask how the current 110 is run. Is it to a sub panel? If so, what is the capacity of the feed wire? Is it 220 coming in to it? It could be just a single 110 line like my shop has from the house that is run underground(for a flood light on the back corner that can be controlled from the garage). Luckily, mine also had a separate 200 amp service. Jim.

[Greg Portland]

If you need to run a new line, run a big one (100amp). The additional cost for wire and the breaker will be minimal. If you can dig the trench yourself & wire up the shop itself then you will save quite a bit of money. Your electrician will install the new subpanel, the wire to the main feed, and check your work.

[Jeff Nolan]

It also depends on where you live... I can guarantee you that if you are in the SF Bay Area that before you even dig the trench your pocket will be feeling picked after dealing with the city building department and PG&E.

I currently only have 110 in my shop which is a detached garage. How expensive is it to run 240 out there? I know it varies but are we talking a few hundred, a few thousand?
Thanks

[Jason Hanko]

Dont know your details, but heres my rundown:

I did all of the labor (trench digging, subpanel installation/wiring) myself = Free
Electrical Building Permit - $30.00
40 ft of 6/3 with ground underground feeder wire - $80.00
Heavy Duty Hammer-drill rental - $20.00 (feeder wire wouldnt fit through existing hole in basement wall)
New 100amp, 8 slot subpanel - $35.00
60 amp breaker for the main panel - $20ish
Assorted 20/30 amp breakers for new subpanel - maybe $30 (two came with subpanel)
12/2 with ground Wire and outlets for my new 220 line - $30.00 (Small shop for me, so I only needed to run one 30a 220 circuit with two outlets)

So all told I spent less than $250 to get 220 out to my shop, but bear in mind that digging that 18'' deep by 30' long trench would almost have been worth hiring a few teenagers to do it for another $100. But it CAN be done on the cheap if you're comfortable doing the work yourself.

My extra $0.02 (actual cash value 1/100 of one cent):
-Dont even think about buying your feeder wire from a BORG, they will for sure charge twice as much as even the most expensive electrical supply company in your area.
-You'll hear a lot of guys telling you to run 100+ amps out there as long as youre already putting the hole in the ground. I agree, IF there is the possibility that you'll be running more than one major machine + DC at a time. That is definitely not the case for most one man hobby shops, however. 60 amps is more than enough for my 3 and 5 HP machines, and Im sure glad I didnt have to spring for even heavier gauge feeder wire (more $$$!)
-While you have that trench dug, do think about adding a phone and/or cable line out to your man cave.
-Remember that your building permit fee basically means youve hired an electrician to inspect your work before you hit the on switch. Someone from your municipality who (hopefully!! haha) knows what they're doing will come out and inspect your work before you actually hook into your main panel. Get all the outlet and subpanel wiring done first and run up to, but dont connect to, your main panel. Then schedule your inspection - they'll definitely let you know if youve done anything wrong. Your local building inspector is also a great resource for any questions you might have during the planning/working stages. I probably called mine like 4 times to ask questions and confirm things. Hey, your taxes pay for him - use him!

[George Bregar]

Dont know your details, but heres my rundown:

I did all of the labor (trench digging, subpanel installation/wiring) myself = Free
Electrical Building Permit - $30.00
40 ft of 6/3 with ground underground feeder wire - $80.00
Heavy Duty Hammer-drill rental - $20.00 (feeder wire wouldnt fit through existing hole in basement wall)
New 100amp, 8 slot subpanel - $35.00
60 amp breaker for the main panel - $20ish
Assorted 20/30 amp breakers for new subpanel - maybe $30 (two came with subpanel)
12/2 with ground Wire and outlets for my new 220 line - $30.00 (Small shop for me, so I only needed to run one 30a 220 circuit with two outlets)

So all told I spent less than $250 to get 220 out to my shop, but bear in mind that digging that 18'' deep by 30' long trench would almost have been worth hiring a few teenagers to do it for another $100. But it CAN be done on the cheap if your comfortable doing the work yourself.

My extra $0.02 (actual cash value 1/100 of one cent):
-Dont even think about buying your feeder wire from a BORG, they will for sure charge twice as much as even the most expensive electrical supply company in your area.
-You'll hear a lot of guys telling you to run 100+ amps out there as long as youre already putting the hole in the ground. I agree, IF there is the possibility that you'll be running more than one major machine + DC at a time. That is definitely not the case for most one man hobby shops, however. 60 amps is more than enough for my 3 and 5 HP machines, and Im sure glad I didnt have to spring for even heavier gauge feeder wire (more $$$!)
-While you have that trench dug, do think about adding a phone and/or cable line out to your man cave.
-Remember that your building permit fee basically means youve hired an electrician to inspect your work before you hit the on switch. Someone from your municipality who (hopefully!! haha) knows what they're doing will come out and inspect your work before you actually hook into your main panel. Get all the outlet and subpanel wiring done first and run up to, but dont connect to, your main panel. Then schedule your inspection - they'll definitely let you know if youve done anything wrong. Your local building inspector is also a great resource for any questions you might have during the planning/working stages. I probably called mine like 4 times to ask questions and confirm things. Hey, your taxes pay for him - use him!

Did all my own work up north, no inspection required for an existing structure. But I had the utility bring power to the shop...no charge for 200A service. Meter charge is $8/month. No brainer since the shop is 220 feet from the house, uphill, and lots of trees and rocks along the way.

[Drew Loehr]

I ran 200' of 2-2-2-4 to my barn. I rented a trencher for $130. Wire cost me $1.25/ft. I got a used 100 amp panel for free. My electrician charged my $275 to hook up both panels, all runs in the barn (I ran them from the boxes to the panel) and a 100 amp breaker in the house.