Subpanel/electrical costs?

[OneStaple]

Hey all,

I just want to get a sanity check on a quote I got for some electrical work. We're moving to a new house, and I'm trying to have some renovations done before we actually move in. I want contractors to be able to hit the ground running as soon as we take possession. The sellers are currently renting back, which means I don't currently have unlimited access to the house.

I had a recommended and well rated electrician give a quote for some work today (described below). I don't have reason to believe they're way out of line, but also haven't priced out this kind of work previously and just want to make sure it seems to be in the right ballpark. Normally, I'd get three quotes, etc., but having limited access to the house currently makes that difficult unless this is way out of line.

Requested work:

• Put 100A subpanel in garage. Need to run line through about 50' of unfinished basement to get below corner of garage where it will be mounted. There are open slots in the main panel. No circuits in subpanel except the one described below (I'll do them myself later).
  
• Run one circuit to bathroom above garage from subpanel.
  
• Run three circuits from main panel in basement to other full bathroom on 2nd floor. Need to go from basement up two levels.
  

Estimate was $3750. I know, you can't see the house, the walls, how complicated the runs would be, etc. I'm just look for a ballpark "is this reasonable?". Keep in mind, I live in the DC suburbs, so costs for everything are higher.

Also, the electrician said you can't go above 100A for the sub when the main is 200A. I would rather a 125A panel. I haven't read all the local codes, but am not aware of a limitation like this. Does anyone know if there's anything in the NEC stating such a limitation? And yes, I plan to research this more myself.

Thanks,
Tyler

[EatenByLimestone]

If you feel comfortable running circuits, why not install the subpanel yourself?

[fredhargis]

Costs have risen dramatically the last few years, and your estimate sounds pretty much reasonable to me if it's done by a real electrician. About 6 years ago I had a 100 amp sub put in my detached shop. It's about 75' from the main panel in the house and they had to trench it out. They provided the subpanel and the hole thing was about $3000 Real electricians). I was royally screwed on this, but to explain how it came about would be a long (and unrelated story). But I thin given the time span, your estimate is what  would expect, just MHO of course. My "real electrician" comment is not to disparage the others who do electrical work, but the state licensed guys do cost more than Joe's Plumbing/HVAC/Electrical. Around here those guys are not generally licensed for electrical work.

[R Clark]

I'm fortunate to have an electrician who will do small jobs for me as a side job.

I had him extend a small 40A sub panel from my shop building over to me machine shed.  The shed needed some very basic lights, three wall outlets, and outlets for two overhead door openers.  The bill was $1200.  I did the digging to bury the power cable from the shop over to the machine shed.  The shed was new construction and the walls were open, so there was none of the fishing and finagling to run the wires.

You didn't mention anything about permitting.

From the work you describe and your area, I think the bid you received was fair, particularly if the electrician is going to deal with permitting.

[Roly]

Hey all,

I just want to get a sanity check on a quote I got for some electrical work. We're moving to a new house, and I'm trying to have some renovations done before we actually move in. I want contractors to be able to hit the ground running as soon as we take possession. The sellers are currently renting back, which means I don't currently have unlimited access to the house.

I had a recommended and well rated electrician give a quote for some work today (described below). I don't have reason to believe they're way out of line, but also haven't priced out this kind of work previously and just want to make sure it seems to be in the right ballpark. Normally, I'd get three quotes, etc., but having limited access to the house currently makes that difficult unless this is way out of line.

Requested work:

• Put 100A subpanel in garage. Need to run line through about 50' of unfinished basement to get below corner of garage where it will be mounted. There are open slots in the main panel. No circuits in subpanel except the one described below (I'll do them myself later).
  
• Run one circuit to bathroom above garage from subpanel.
  
• Run three circuits from main panel in basement to other full bathroom on 2nd floor. Need to go from basement up two levels.
  

Estimate was $3750. I know, you can't see the house, the walls, how complicated the runs would be, etc. I'm just look for a ballpark "is this reasonable?". Keep in mind, I live in the DC suburbs, so costs for everything are higher.

Also, the electrician said you can't go above 100A for the sub when the main is 200A. I would rather a 125A panel. I haven't read all the local codes, but am not aware of a limitation like this. Does anyone know if there's anything in the NEC stating such a limitation? And yes, I plan to research this more myself.

Thanks,
Tyler

See if there is a label in the existing panel that lists a max breaker size.   If the manufacture says 100a is the max then that is code.  You may be able to feed the 125a panel with a 100a breaker in the main panel.   Roly

[OneStaple]

If you feel comfortable running circuits, why not install the subpanel yourself?

It's purely a time issue. At least these initial circuit runs need to get done before we do some other time-sensitive renovations. I've run a subpanel before and am comfortable with it. I plan to do all the circuits in the garage at a later date myself.

You didn't mention anything about permitting.

Yes, the quote includes permitting.

See if there is a label in the existing panel that lists a max breaker size.   If the manufacture says 100a is the max then that is code.  You may be able to feed the 125a panel with a 100a breaker in the main panel.

Ah, good thought. I wish I took more pictures of the panel so I could see if there's a comment on there along those lines.

Thanks all! It sounds like things are at least in the right ballpark, so I'll probably proceed. None of this sort of thing is cheap, unfortunately.

Tyler

[srv52761]

See if there is a label in the existing panel that lists a max breaker size.   If the manufacture says 100a is the max then that is code.  You may be able to feed the 125a panel with a 100a breaker in the main panel.   Roly

Exactly.  
But maybe to be more clear…
There is no NEC prohibition of >100 amp sub on a 200 amp main.  There are a myriad of situations where you might want a 200 amp sub coming from a 200 amp main.
My house has a 200 amp main.  I have a 125 amp sub to my garage to accommodate two ev charging stations and a mini workshop, a 100 amp sub for added spaces, a 100 sub for circuits on the west side of my house, and and a 100 amp sub to my detached workshop (coming from that 100 amp sub on the west side of my house.) You could have many more if you want.   I certainly would not be able to use them all to the max simultaneously, but if I need that 125 in the garage I want to be able to have it available.

Wrt to using a 125 amp sub enclosure if you do decide to go with only a 100 amp feeder; it’s done all the time.  The feeder is protected by the take-off breaker in the main, not the sub enclosure.  All of my enclosures are 125 amp.  The sub panels within the garage/residence are lug only.
the one in the detached workshop is a 125 amp breaker panel.  I can’t use it for 125 amps, as that is controlled by the breaker in the main.  But the 125 amp breaker acts as the required disconnect.