Electrical Service Upgrade - Cost?

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  • DoggyDaddy

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    I am going to be getting hooked up to a city sanitary sewer system in the near future (currently on septic). That will require the installation of a grinder pump. My current electrical service is 100 amps, but it's a fuse box, not a breaker panel. The people hooking up the sewer service are offering a "discounted rate" for upgrading to a 200 amp service, and from what I understand, it will be approximately $1300 for the upgrade.

    I've contacted Frye Electric to get a second estimate. My question is, what should I expect to pay for this upgrade? Is $1300 a good price? Does anyone have experience with Frye? All I know about them is what I've seen in their commercials where they claim to typically charge about half of what other electrical contractors. Naturally I'm taking that with a grain of salt.
     

    femurphy77

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    The price doesn't seem terrible but I've never done it. Something that will come into play is can the service drop from the pole handle the 200 amp service? I'm guessing it's an older house, there's a small chance that they only sized the drop for 100 amps.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    The price doesn't seem terrible but I've never done it. Something that will come into play is can the service drop from the pole handle the 200 amp service? I'm guessing it's an older house, there's a small chance that they only sized the drop for 100 amps.

    Yeah, that was mentioned on Frye's website, but it sounds like that IPL would do that at no cost to me if necessary. I think they coordinate all that stuff with them. Also mentioned that I'd need a larger meter base as well. My buddy's parents live behind me and they just had all this done. He told me that the $1300 price was less than he could even buy all the parts/equipment to do it himself. I just have no idea. I figured it wasn't going to be cheap no matter what.
     

    eldirector

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    All depends on what is included:
    - Service from the pole (this is typically IPL)
    - new meter (Also IPL)
    - new breaker box and all the breakers
    - Need a new feed from the meter to the breaker/fuse box?
    - The wiring in good enough shape (and long enough) to work with the new breakers?
    - labor for all of the above

    IIRC: 200 amp service has a different base rate as well. Your monthly bill may be higher. Definitely worth double checking before getting a surprise.

    My in-laws converted an early 1900's house from glass fuses to modern breakers. NOT cheap. But, it was all knob and tube, and no one would touch it unless upgraded to modern wiring. Sounds like yours at least has more modern wiring, so not nearly as bad.
     

    churchmouse

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    That is a fair price for an electrician to do the work.
    200 Amp service panel/breakers/romex fittings and all the Etc's are near to half that money or better.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure the house wiring is good to go (no knob and tube for sure). It was originally a 60 amp service but I think Dad had it upgraded to 100 amp back in the early 70's when he converted the existing garage to the family room and added on a new garage to the front. The garage has its own box (breakers), but it's fed from the main house box. Guess I'll see what Frye has to say, but it seems like the deal through the guys doing the sewer work may be the way I'll go.
     

    sparky32

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    I would take the 1300.00 price. I used to charge 2k or so. I have not done any for a few year because I have no time between my job and the wifes dental practice.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    I would take the 1300.00 price. I used to charge 2k or so. I have not done any for a few year because I have no time between my job and the wifes dental practice.

    I think IPL/Citizens Energy have some kind of deal with this whole process too, which is where the discounted price comes from. That wouldn't be the case if I go with another contractor, so most likely that's what I'll do.
     

    Usmccookie

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    I have done quite a few upgrades. Parts cost can vary greatly depending on your current set up. For smaller jobs $1300 is a fair starting price. I'd say average I a bit more $18-2500. Once again its hard to say with out running through the job. Over the phone estimates are nearly worthless.
     

    VUPDblue

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    Frye Electric is garbage. Their owner is a colossal *******. I wouldn’t hire them to change a simple lightbulb. Just my two cents of course.
     

    awames76

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    $1300. i got a deal. mine was 60 amp wire with a 100 amp breaker box. i upgraded to 200 amp with wire underground [was above before]. underground was $400, above ground was free. i installed the box, meter base, wiring.
     

    CHCRandy

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    Frye Electric is garbage. Their owner is a colossal *******. I wouldn’t hire them to change a simple lightbulb. Just my two cents of course.

    That's funny how people have different opinions of people. I have casually known Howie(Hal) for 30-40 years and never heard a bad word about him...... His son in law is Rick, the IFD fireman that held the man's hand as he burned to death in them fires on the southside when homes exploded. He has always been good to me and my family, but I have never had him do electrical work for me nor have I ever worked for him.

    Another good choice is call Trent Electric and have Bill give you an estimate....tell him Randy Beavers had you call them. He is a very fair guy, super down to earth and will do you a fine job at a reasonable price. He will give you a free estimate, just call his office and schedule.

    BTW, $1300 Sounds very reasonable if it is a licensed electrician.
     
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    jedi

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    Up here in nwi that is a VERY GOOD deal provided it's a license electrician doing to work. My dad had my grandma's house upgraded from 100amp to 200amp, new line from pole to house about 4 years ago and that was 2k.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    Well, I'll be going with whatever subcontractor that Citizen's Energy is using. Frye just left and they said it would be at least $2800 for them to do it. I told the guy right up front that I didn't even know if it was fair for me to call them since Citizen's is "subsidizing" the work with special pricing. Turns out I only have a 60 amp meter base (even though my fuse box is 100 amp). Converting to 200 amp is going to be pretty involved - new drop line, new meter base, new cut off, new riser. So it sounds like the $1300-ish is quite a deal.
     

    Alamo

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    FWIW the cost to upgrade from 100 to 200 amp on my property here in Texas was $1800. I don't know how applicable that is to your market area, but $1300 does sound good with the usual caveats (licensed electrician etc). And yes the local electrical company had to come out and upgrade their part.
     

    gregkl

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    I paid $1750. This was to coordinate timing with Duke when they were burying my incoming feed(not part of the $1750), installing new outside meter and box along with a disconnect, running approximately 40' of service from the meter to the breaker box, making the switch of the wires and rewiring one line to the washing machine since the machine was acting as a ground.

    I upgraded from 100 to 200 amp.

    $1300 seems fair to me.

    BTW, my overhead to ground conversion was $1150 for 115' of cable buried.
     

    DoggyDaddy

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    I paid $1750. This was to coordinate timing with Duke when they were burying my incoming feed(not part of the $1750), installing new outside meter and box along with a disconnect, running approximately 40' of service from the meter to the breaker box, making the switch of the wires and rewiring one line to the washing machine since the machine was acting as a ground.

    I upgraded from 100 to 200 amp.

    $1300 seems fair to me.

    BTW, my overhead to ground conversion was $1150 for 115' of cable buried.

    Yeah, as I mentioned, this is to coordinate with the sanitary sewer connection and grinder pump installation. I don't currently necessarily need 200 amp service, but if nothing else it will be a good selling point when it comes time to sell the house. And since I've currently got a fuse box, at the very least I'd have to have it switched out to breakers before I could sell anyway, so this seems like a good idea to me, especially at the discounted rate.
     
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