"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
With moderate DIY skills and an average tool kit, you should be able to
complete the job for $300 worth of materials and an afternoon's work.
That's what it took me.

Well, I know a 200 amp load center is fairly cheap ($150 or so) but I would
need to replace both the wiring into the 100 amp service (the existing
aluminum is not "big" enought) and I believe the meter would need to be
changed. I'm good with simple wiring and circuits (i.e. anything past the
panel in the house) but I am not confident enough to do this type of
upgrade, even if the electric company would let me.

Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
With moderate DIY skills and an average tool kit, you should be able to
complete the job for $300 worth of materials and an afternoon's work.
That's what it took me.

Well, I know a 200 amp load center is fairly cheap ($150 or so) but I would
need to replace both the wiring into the 100 amp service (the existing
aluminum is not "big" enought) and I believe the meter would need to be
changed. I'm good with simple wiring and circuits (i.e. anything past the
panel in the house) but I am not confident enough to do this type of
upgrade, even if the electric company would let me.

If the meter socket through the load center needs to be replaced and
there are not complicating factors (difficult location, existing
circuits in really bad shape, etc.) it should run between $1,000 -
$1,500 and take most of a day to complete.

'Bub's comments on the DIY side are pretty much correct unless you opt
for higher end components. A friend had to upgrade his house from 60A
fuse to 100A breaker (small house no justification for 200A), and with
an evening of instruction he did the DIY in roughly the same time and
cost.

I did an upgrade myself a couple years ago from 200A service to 200A
service Actually it was replacing a 200A POS Stab-Loc incendiary
device with a 200A Square D QO load center in the house and upgrading
the sub in my shop 80' away to a 125A QO load center along with
installing all new conduit and wire underground to the shop. It took me
about two days to complete (not counting trenching the concrete like
clay) and ran around $1,500 which also included a complete internal
rewire in the shop.

On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:28:46 GMT, "Pete C."
wrote:

If the meter socket through the load center needs to be replaced and
there are not complicating factors (difficult location, existing
circuits in really bad shape, etc.) it should run between $1,000 -
$1,500 and take most of a day to complete.

This is what we paid to upgrade our 60A to 200A in 2003: $1,000 and
just about a full day of work for a licensed electrician. We're very
happy to have all these extra slots for the upcoming kitchen remodel,
and we've used several to run new circuits to spread the load better
in the house.

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
With moderate DIY skills and an average tool kit, you should be able to
complete the job for $300 worth of materials and an afternoon's work.
That's what it took me.

Well, I know a 200 amp load center is fairly cheap ($150 or so) but I
would
need to replace both the wiring into the 100 amp service (the existing
aluminum is not "big" enought) and I believe the meter would need to be
changed. I'm good with simple wiring and circuits (i.e. anything past
the
panel in the house) but I am not confident enough to do this type of
upgrade, even if the electric company would let me.

If the meter socket through the load center needs to be replaced and
there are not complicating factors (difficult location, existing
circuits in really bad shape, etc.) it should run between $1,000 -
$1,500 and take most of a day to complete.

That's about what I thought a "fair" price would be. I have full existing
14/2 romex (NM-B) in the house so I don't get why he would want to "upgrade"
any of that on the 15 amp circuits. I do have some 14/2 on a couple of 20's
but they go to the kitchen (which I am rewiring with 12/2 and 20 amp sockets
for those circuits).

I don't have enough "knowledge" to know about the meter and all, which is
why I need an electrician. Like I said, I know my limits - I'm willing to
pay a "fair" price, but $3000 is a bit high IMHO.

I would also not have a problem taking that type of job on (the run to a
subpanel to another building). As long as I can cut power on what I'm
working on I have no problems. I get that the panel in a different building
needs to be bonded to it's own ground, run with wiring in a "wet" condition
etc ......

Thanks for the response. Looks like maybe I just got to line up about 5
electricians and get quotes.

"KLS" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:28:46 GMT, "Pete C."
wrote:

If the meter socket through the load center needs to be replaced and
there are not complicating factors (difficult location, existing
circuits in really bad shape, etc.) it should run between $1,000 -
$1,500 and take most of a day to complete.

This is what we paid to upgrade our 60A to 200A in 2003: $1,000 and
just about a full day of work for a licensed electrician. We're very
happy to have all these extra slots for the upcoming kitchen remodel,
and we've used several to run new circuits to spread the load better
in the house.

Ok - thanks for the reply. Again - this is around what I think should be
right. Just looking for varification of what others have spent.

Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
With moderate DIY skills and an average tool kit, you should be able to
complete the job for $300 worth of materials and an afternoon's work.
That's what it took me.

Well, I know a 200 amp load center is fairly cheap ($150 or so) but I
would
need to replace both the wiring into the 100 amp service (the existing
aluminum is not "big" enought) and I believe the meter would need to be
changed. I'm good with simple wiring and circuits (i.e. anything past
the
panel in the house) but I am not confident enough to do this type of
upgrade, even if the electric company would let me.

If the meter socket through the load center needs to be replaced and
there are not complicating factors (difficult location, existing
circuits in really bad shape, etc.) it should run between $1,000 -
$1,500 and take most of a day to complete.

That's about what I thought a "fair" price would be. I have full existing
14/2 romex (NM-B) in the house so I don't get why he would want to "upgrade"
any of that on the 15 amp circuits. I do have some 14/2 on a couple of 20's
but they go to the kitchen (which I am rewiring with 12/2 and 20 amp sockets
for those circuits).

I don't have enough "knowledge" to know about the meter and all, which is
why I need an electrician. Like I said, I know my limits - I'm willing to
pay a "fair" price, but $3000 is a bit high IMHO.

I would also not have a problem taking that type of job on (the run to a
subpanel to another building). As long as I can cut power on what I'm
working on I have no problems. I get that the panel in a different building
needs to be bonded to it's own ground, run with wiring in a "wet" condition
etc ......

Thanks for the response. Looks like maybe I just got to line up about 5
electricians and get quotes.

Partial photo gallery of my power project for your amusement:

http://wpnet.us/Power/index.htm

Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Eric_Scantlebury wrote:


"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
With moderate DIY skills and an average tool kit, you should be
able to
complete the job for $300 worth of materials and an afternoon's work.
That's what it took me.

Well, I know a 200 amp load center is fairly cheap ($150 or so) but I
would
need to replace both the wiring into the 100 amp service (the existing
aluminum is not "big" enought) and I believe the meter would need to be
changed. I'm good with simple wiring and circuits (i.e. anything
past the
panel in the house) but I am not confident enough to do this type of
upgrade, even if the electric company would let me.


If the meter socket through the load center needs to be replaced and
there are not complicating factors (difficult location, existing
circuits in really bad shape, etc.) it should run between $1,000 -
$1,500 and take most of a day to complete.


That's about what I thought a "fair" price would be. I have full
existing 14/2 romex (NM-B) in the house so I don't get why he would want
to "upgrade" any of that on the 15 amp circuits. I do have some 14/2 on
a couple of 20's but they go to the kitchen (which I am rewiring with
12/2 and 20 amp sockets for those circuits).

I don't have enough "knowledge" to know about the meter and all, which
is why I need an electrician. Like I said, I know my limits - I'm
willing to pay a "fair" price, but $3000 is a bit high IMHO.

I would also not have a problem taking that type of job on (the run to a
subpanel to another building). As long as I can cut power on what I'm
working on I have no problems. I get that the panel in a different
building needs to be bonded to it's own ground, run with wiring in a
"wet" condition etc ......

Thanks for the response. Looks like maybe I just got to line up about 5
electricians and get quotes.

if you have 14/2 on 20 amp breakers, that might be a reason for the high
quotes. those may actually need to be rewired for the electrician to
hook them up. if they serve a kitchen he might not be able to replace
with a 15A breaker. I can understand why someone might refuse to do that.

Since you say you feel comfortable doing your own wiring, could you
repull those with 12/2 prior to the service upgrade? That might make
some of your problems go away.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Partial photo gallery of my power project for your amusement:

http://wpnet.us/Power/index.htm

LOL! My kitchen right now looks like your "bare" room in the first photos.
Man, this started out as a floor repacement and has turned into a full gut
(and, now, apparently, a full house electrical upgrade) and the only thing
"finished" is the floor.

Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...

if you have 14/2 on 20 amp breakers, that might be a reason for the
high quotes. those may actually need to be rewired for the
electrician to hook them up. if they serve a kitchen he might not be
able to replace with a 15A breaker. I can understand why someone
might refuse to do that.

Since you say you feel comfortable doing your own wiring, could you
repull those with 12/2 prior to the service upgrade? That might make
some of your problems go away.


I'm actually in the process of running those home runs now. I'm also
repacing any 15 amp recepticals and switches on those circuits with the
20 amp variety as well. My problem with this is that I'm fairly certain
(at least with the one guy I had look at it) the person probably won't
accept "my" work. Again, probably because a truck payment is due :-)

So I probably should "code" the existing wiring to the current panel and
leave a service "loop" on the current upgraded runs then contact and
electrician?

That's my highly non-professional opinion. FWIW.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...

if you have 14/2 on 20 amp breakers, that might be a reason for the high
quotes. those may actually need to be rewired for the electrician to hook
them up. if they serve a kitchen he might not be able to replace with a
15A breaker. I can understand why someone might refuse to do that.

Since you say you feel comfortable doing your own wiring, could you repull
those with 12/2 prior to the service upgrade? That might make some of
your problems go away.

I'm actually in the process of running those home runs now. I'm also
repacing any 15 amp recepticals and switches on those circuits with the 20
amp variety as well. My problem with this is that I'm fairly certain (at
least with the one guy I had look at it) the person probably won't accept
"my" work. Again, probably because a truck payment is due :-)

So I probably should "code" the existing wiring to the current panel and
leave a service "loop" on the current upgraded runs then contact and
electrician?

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Pete, just curious, why did you run your wire outside the wall in that
"shop" area? Looks like you had to sheerock anyway so why not run behind
the wall with NM-B rather than conduit with I assume THHN?

Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Pete, just curious, why did you run your wire outside the wall in that
"shop" area? Looks like you had to sheerock anyway so why not run behind
the wall with NM-B rather than conduit with I assume THHN?

Ease of changes, additions, serviceability and it also minimizes breaks
in the 5/8" fire code sheetrock. Industrial style basically.

"Pete C." wrote in message
...
Eric_Scantlebury wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Pete, just curious, why did you run your wire outside the wall in that
"shop" area? Looks like you had to sheerock anyway so why not run behind
the wall with NM-B rather than conduit with I assume THHN?

Ease of changes, additions, serviceability and it also minimizes breaks
in the 5/8" fire code sheetrock. Industrial style basically.

Ah, makes sense in a shop senario.