Price of adding 1 or 2 220 circuits

[Brian Kent]

I am setting up shop and don't want to unplug the dryer to plug in my 220 tools.

I have a main breaker panel on the outside of the garage wall where I want two circuits to come in.

In your experience, what kind of price will I be expecting?

Too many unknowns & risks to actually do this myself so I do want professional help.

Thanks in advance.

Brian

[John Fabre]

Ten years ago, I bought a PM 66 5hp that needed a 220 plug, so I got a qoute of $300.00 for a sub panel and one outlet. I did it myself and wired my whole shop for four 220 outlets and ten 110 outlets for $75.00. Hooked it up to the main breaker panel and had it checked by the city for $45.00.

Buy yourself a book, it's easy. The panel ran $25.00, outlets/breakers/wire ran $45.00, book was $12.00 and my time - priceless.

[Jarrett Vibert]

Maybe ten yrs ago, but I highly doubt you'll pull of buying what you'd need for that job for $75 these days. $300 for sub panel install is a good price. Everyone seems to forget that time=$$$.

OP: Hard to give you a useful number without seeing the area where the work is being done, and where you want the outlets mounted. To pop in a couple of breakers (assuming you have room for them), and run/strap 30ft of wire to recepticles shouldn't take more than an hour. Materials/labour cost will be location dependant, so I can't offer anything else useful.

Don't be ashamed to hire a professional to do you install. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be sure it's done right. Just be sure to request a copy of the permit the company pulls.

[Bob Riefer]

About 2 months ago, I got a quote for the same thing from two larger electrical companies in my area (couldn't get the smaller pros to even call me back for such a small job... hmmm, economy must be REALLY bad for them to not need work eh? ha ha). I was running about 35 feet, surface mount between open ceiling joists and open wall studs (i.e. no fishing wire, no conduit). I have a sub panel in the barn so they just needed to tap into that. Quotes were both in the $600 range. I ended up getting the materials for under $100 and getting a lesson from books and an experienced friend. Hope this helps

[Kent A Bathurst]

Mr Kent:

Moved to Atlanta, put the shop in the basement. Basement had doodly-squat for electric - couple lights, couple 110 outlets, and one 220 for dryer. Fortunately, previous owner's renovation included 200a main service. They had not used the basement for anyting but laundry and storage.

I got an electrician to put a 100a breaker in the main panel, and run from there to a new sub-panel in the shop/basement. Maybe 25'. Been 7 years, but I think that was maybe $500 out-the-door ["in-town Atlanta" and "inexpensive tradesmen" are never used in the same sentence].

Anyhoo.......That gave me a single main breaker on the primary panel that would shut down the entire basement. I had always been chicken to go into a panel, but not anymore. Wiring a breaker is easier than wrestling 10ga into a junction box. I get to run what I need, where I need it, and make changes as things move around. It really is very simple to do - especially with no ceiling, access to the joists, and 8'6" clear height. In fact, I need to split off part of my main 220 circuit, install a 2d breaker, and run a 2d line - added a 220 old-gold PM drill press to the supply/demand curve, and the extension cord is getting boring [no pun intended].

"Cry once" on the initial purchase, and then just roll on along from there.

Kent

[Jeff Bartley]

Brian,
I'd first look at your main box. Look for unoccupied breaker spaces. A 220 breaker takes up two slots so for two 220 breakers you'll need four open slots in the panel. If you have room for two more breakers your task is pretty easy: running wires and installing a couple breakers. But whatever you do if you doubt your work have a pro check it out; it's not worth the risk of a fire!
Last year I watched a neighbors shop burn to the ground! Fire was so hot you couldn't get closer than about 25 feet before your skin was too hot to stand. Within an hour there was absolutely nothing left of his shop!
Not trying to scare anyone but it's best to be safe with the electrons!
Jeff

[John Fabre]

My house is 12 years old, well two months ago my LOML noticed a fire coming out of a outlet. I cut power to it, let cool down for a day and took it apart. Doing so I noticed a loose wire on one of the terminals that spark had a burn mark. My house's wire and outlets was ran by electricians and inspected by the city. Since then I have replaced all my outlets in my house myself, found loose wires on two more outlets.

Do it yourself and you will know it's done right, use good parts too, not the cheaping ones.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Do it yourself and you will know it's done right, use good parts too, not the cheaping ones.

+1. This is a super easy job. 20 minutes perusing a DIY wiring book at your local library, and you'll easily be able to do this. Don't let the 220V aspect scare you - there is really nothing more difficult or dangerous about it.

[Darius Ferlas]

another +1 for DIY

[Rod Sheridan]

Brian, where I live I would expect to pay $75 per hour for an electrician, plus materials.

If I understand correctly, the runs would be short, and simple so I would suggest 4 hours work, $150 for materials plus permit.

Obtain a couple of quotes, it shouldn't be too bad..............Regards, Rod.

[David Castor]

I agree with Rod - get a quote or two then you can decide if you want to try to tackle it yourself. If the wiring must be run inside finished walls and the existing panel is congested, it is not always so simple to get a new cable pulled in. The concept is simple, but the electricians have a lot of tricks and special tools to make the job easier and safer. My GUESS would be about $500 by the time you're done, but you can probably get a free quote, then you'll know for sure. Just my $0.02.

[Bruce Wrenn]

If your 220 circuits are 20 amp, look at the possibility of doing "multiwire branch circuits." Using a double pole breaker, you can get two 110 circuits, and a 220 circuit.

[Jarrett Vibert]

+1. This is a super easy job. 20 minutes perusing a DIY wiring book at your local library, and you'll easily be able to do this. Don't let the 220V aspect scare you - there is really nothing more difficult or dangerous about it.

It's advice like this that makes my skin crawl. Current kills but voltage gives it an easier time.

Once more, don't let the this site's diy members convince you to do something you're uncomfortable with. There is a reason why a pro electrican requires a trade license and pro drywaller does not. There are real dangers to this type of work, and easily overlooked mistakes that can cause major issues.

I have obsolutely no doubt you can handle this task. Residential electrical work isn't brain surgery, but don't for a moment consider energizing the circuit until it's been inspected. Safety before diy pride...

[George Bregar]

It's advice like this that makes my skin crawl. Current kills but voltage gives it an easier time.

Once more, don't let the this site's diy members convince you to do something you're uncomfortable with. There is a reason why a pro electrican requires a trade license and pro drywaller does not. There are real dangers to this type of work, and easily overlooked mistakes that can cause major issues.

I have obsolutely no doubt you can handle this task. Residential electrical work isn't brain surgery, but don't for a moment consider energizing the circuit until it's been inspected. Safety before diy pride...

The statement you bolded is fundamentally true so I'm not sure why your skin is crawling. Wiring 240V circuits isn't more difficult nor is it more dangerous. The only physical exposure is at the panel. That said I agree that if someone doesn't feel they can do something like electrical work then they should hire it out. I would disagree with your "must have inspected" warning. I wired my whole shop, including installing the meter socket for the utility, with no inspection (none was required). Wiring done by a competent diyer does not require any more attention...at least here in WI. In some jurisdictions inspection is required by both. But in no jurisdictions is an electrical license required for home wiring by the owner.

I 'm not sure about asking costs for "adding one or two 220 circuits"...too many unknowns to even start. This job could be a few hundred or a few thousand....

[Rod Sheridan]

If your 220 circuits are 20 amp, look at the possibility of doing "multiwire branch circuits." Using a double pole breaker, you can get two 110 circuits, and a 220 circuit.

Good point Bruce, that's what I did for my shop, one multiwire circuit for all the receptacles, and one dedicated circuit for the cyclone.......Extremely cost effective...Regards, Rod.