Electrical to new shop

[Rod Mortensen]

So I had a new shop build last week and even thought I told the builder three times I needed 220 and 110 I guess he cant add or something anyhow so to go 40 ft and put in a 80 sub panel and six outlets two lights a switch is 2700 dollars. I dont know if its just me or not but I feel thats a bit steep I have room to do it my self the question is it cant be that hard to run the correct wires but I just cant justify 2700 dollars the guy made it sound like I was trying to switch the north and south pole. I have the space on a 200 amp panel to go 220 out to the shop and then run a sub panel from it. I could see if I was running every tool the stereo a micorwave tv ect at once but thats not going to be the case so why is it so fricken hard.

[Mike Heidrick]

Its not hard to do. Just do the research on what is required for your install in your area and get it done. Its four conductors from your main panel to the new sub panel. Two hots, a neutral and a ground. Your install will determine your wire type and size needed and how to install it. The code book is skicky'd in the workshop forum section.

[Mort Stevens]

I dont know if its just me or not but I feel thats a bit steep

Did you ask for a breakdown? $2700 doesn't seem to bad to me... I'd figure...

40' 3#8, 2" Conduit, Trenching @ $15/ft
80amp panel, 4 c/b $400
6 outlets $200 ea
2 PC Lights $150 ea
1 220v outlet $200
---
$2700

Remember things like outlets include 20A duplex receptacle, j-box, 12/3 wire, cable clamp, mounting, installation, cover plate... it all adds up.

[Kent Adams]

Rod, I paid about that amount, a little higher actually because they had to replace the panel in my home from a 100 amp to 200 amp panel and I only put in a 60amp panel in my shop. How big is your shop that you need a 200 amp panel? I dug my own trench over several weekends. That's a lot of work doing it by hand down 30" or so.

I have about 10 or 12 outlets, 3 220v, 30 amp outlets and 1 240v 40 amp outlet. I have 6 t8 ceiling light fixtures as well. If I had to do it over again, I might go with a 100amp panel, just so I could have some more dedicated circuits. 200 amp would be far too big for my micro-shop. The wire from my house had to travel a long way, about 75+ feet, so it was pretty expensive. Good luck with your project. Also, check your insurance to make sure if you need an inspection passed if you were to suffer a fire loss. I've heard, not sure if true, that insurance won't pay in case of electrical fire if the wiring didn't pass an electrical inspection by the local governmental authority.

[Michelle Rich]

eek! 2700? I did it all myself ..there are plenty of books on how to wire. (100 amp panel) lots of 110 receptacles, switches, and 3 -220 and cost me 800?( in that ball park). I dug over 100 ft.

[Jim Andrew]

Seems regulations have caused prices contractors charge to go out of sight. Not just code, but banking regulations on business, employees, etc.

[Rod Mortensen]

Yeah I am going to put an 80 amp panel because I need 2 220 outlets but I also just remembered that I am going to not go to trench I can go out the house panel back into the house and I have a crawl space run conduit under the house come out trench maybe 7 ft and then I am in the shed. I just remember that I had someone else run 220 under the house for a 220 hot tub.

[Dick Strauss]

My buddy and I ran a 60A service about 40ft through the basment ceiling into a crawl in conduit to a garage panel. The garage has 9x 110V outlets, 3x 20A 220V outlets, and 1x 30A 220V outlet (all 220V are twist lock). We ran roughly about 100 ft of conduit in the garage as well. The materials came to about $650 and we did it in one day IIRC.

[Don Jarvie]

Buy a full 100 amp panel and forget the eu panel. You have more space in the full panel. Add up the amount of amps you may run at one time. TS, DC, heat, lights and base the amount of amps you need on that. I have 50 which is plently.

Do all of the work yourself and have the electrician make the connections in the house and box. Watch what he does and you can add more lines.

[Rod Mortensen]

See Dick and don you guys are life savers because I have put in my own 20 amp breaker and then wired the plug and ran the DC for in my old shop but Just to have a electric guy come out and put in the service to the sub panel he wanted 1100. I even gave him the option of running it out side on the House witch should not have costed that much money. I could see four hours to put it in But come on 1100 dollars who are you kidding. I went to home depo and looked at the prices just on there wire and a 60 amp sub panel was under I think three big ones so what are you telling me the pipe is what 50 dollars per ten feet are you nuts or what...
I like your idea about doing all the work and then having the guy hook it up that makes perfect since to me

[Steve Kinnaird]

I am putting a 100amp sub-panel in my workshop. It is approximately a 75 ft run. I am using #3 for the 2 hots and neutral, and #5 for the ground.

Cost Breakdown
1 - 100amp Breaker for existing box - $55.48
1 - 100amp Sub-Panel - $52.97
10 - 20amp Breakers - $67.40
1 - 30amp Breaker - $24.97
1 - 15amp Breaker - $6.74
24 - Single Gang Boxes - $37.36
1 - Four Gang Box - $3.97
1 - 100ft roll of 10-2 wire - $95.27
1 - 50ft roll of 12-2 wire - $30.17
1 - 15ft roll of 10-3 wire - $25.77
24 - Cover Plates - $11.28
1 - 4 gang switch cover - $3.99
210ft of #3 wire - $195.30
70 ft of #4 wire - $51.80
40 ft of 2" PVC conduit - $35.24
2" PVC fittings - $28.42

Total = $726.13

Oh, my labor $2,000.00

[Andy Booth]

You pay for knowledge and safety when it comes to electricity.
Find a buddy who has done this before.
Not hard, but you need to follow the rules. Many of those rules are the result of something bad happening.

Think of your panel as a 20 year investment. Get as much breaker space as you can afford as you will add stuff as time goes on.

[Robert Engel]

$2700 sounds like alot for what you're getting.

I had a 200A service put in my barn/shop.
The run was 275 feet from transformer $4000.
That's in Jacksonville, FL so I would think the prices wouldn' be that much diff.
Have you gotten any other quotes?

BTW I agree with Don go with a 100A panel the cost is not much more.
I was thinking 150 amp was plenty and the 200 was only about $100 more.

I say do it yourself it you have the know how or ask around and find an electrician who will moonlight.

[Art Mann]

Each person must assess his own knowledge and skill but I have done a lot of this kind of work, including my own shop, and would not hesitate to do it myself. Based on your description, I would say the electrician is charging a high price. If you decide not to do it yourself, find another electrician or two to give you estimates.

[Mike Heidrick]

That quote was an eye opener for me. Wow!