[super]

It seems that for many of you, like me, the ID.4 will be you first EV. Accordingly, I thought it might be helpful to talk about electrical work and the prices folks are seeing.

I plan to use a level 2 charger at home and am currently obtaining electrical quotes (more detail below). I understand prices vary significantly based on the location of someone's electrical panel, the region, etc., but am curious: What have you all paid (or been quoted) for the electrical work necessary to prepare for a level 2 charger?

I'll go first:

Location: Denver

Scope of Work:
-- Add 50A (or 60A) breaker to main panel (last slot remaining);
-- Run 220V line from new breaker in mail panel to garage;
-- Install NEMA 14-50 outlet in garage.

Conditions:
-- Main panel is located on exterior of home;
-- Will have to run new line from main panel via conduit on outside of home (a few bends);
-- Will have to penetrate exterior wall into attic, run wire above family room, and then drop the line into the garage for the NEMA 14-50 outlet;
-- Total run is roughly 40-60 ft.

Quoted prices:
-- (1) $1500;
-- (2) A range of $1320-1700.

I'd greatly appreciate you all sharing your situation and what you paid or have been quoted. Just want to make sure these quotes aren't totally off-base. Thanks.

 

[ErickF]

In Seattle suburbs, i was quoted $840 for a 40 foot run, new 50 Amp breaker, to a wall box I purchase. Includes breaker, wiring and conduit in my garage.

 

[Vegan Diver]

I did the work myself, 15 ft run and I was in for about $150 for parts. I only ran a 30 A line though. I'm about to re-run this though as the ID.4 has the charging port clear on the other side of my garage than my current EV. I'm going to run 50A this time and it's looking like $250 for parts and about two hours of work. I recently had an electrician do a similar run for my air conditioner and it was $1000. I'm in Los Angeles if that makes any difference.

I should also mention that the EVSE is separate and usually doesn't come with the car. I got a clipper Creek 30 A for $550 3 years ago. I think prices have come down lately but you need to budget for that separately and decide if you want hard wired or plug on it first before you get the electrician out

 

[Huey52]

This cost discussion presumes you already have an electrical panel/entry cable that can accommodate another 220V circuit/breaker. Had I not had the circuit roughed in during construction, which thereby mandated a larger capacity panel than most of my neighbors (new 'downsized' community), the cost would have been substantially greater [e.g. necessitating a sub-panel].

Since I did already have the appropriately sized panel and a cable roughed into my garage and I mounted the ChargePoint myself my cost for a plug-in application (40A max charge) was:

Chargepoint 6-50: $743 (Amazon, w/state sales tax)
Circuit breaker 50A/6-50 socket and licensed electrician installation: $125

 

[TT97]

For the people getting quotes - does your community require permitting for the installation? It's been a few years since we installed ours but pretty sure remembering our electrician needed to get a permit for the work. This was in Los Angeles.

 

[Huey52]

Yes, many differing requirements by locale. For personal safety and potential future insurance claim reasons best to comply with same.

For my generator I had to pull permits (gas & electric) since that was dwelling-external work, but electric permit not needed for my in-garage charger. I also didn't need a GFI circuit breaker given a "dedicated use appliance." (same electrician in my case and very local/NEC code-fluent/abiding).

For the people getting quotes - does your community require permitting for the installation? It's been a few years since we installed ours but pretty sure remembering our electrician needed to get a permit for the work. This was in Los Angeles.

 

[DanM]

I live in the Chicago area. My situation is different than most. We have a detached garage on a 100 year old house with a relatively recently upgraded 200 Amp main panel in our basement service. The run was ~80 ft outdoors with rigid conduit in a trench, and another ~50 ft indoors. 3-gauge THWN copper was used in 1-1/4 inch conduit.

To run upgraded electrical out to the garage, including the trenching, install a 100 Amp subpanel, install a 14-50 outlet and circuit, and connect the existing garage electrical to the new subpanel, it was $3000 for parts and labor, and another $200 for the permit.

Note that if you have a detached structure, NEC code dictates that you can only have a single feed to the building. So you cannot just run a new circuit out there for the EVSE, you have to rewire the existing stuff which thus necessitates a subpanel in the garage. Chicago-area code also requires basically everything to be in metal conduit, no NM (Romex) allowed here.

The charger was another $400; I bought an OpenEVSE Advanced Kit (good for 40 amps continuous, or 9.6 kW) and assembled it myself. If you're comfortable doing electrical work, assembling this charger is really straightforward. You can also buy a pre-assmebled one if desired.

The IRS tax credit for installing alternative fuel equipment covers both the cost of the charger as well as upgrades needed for it.

 

[TomN3]

Just had my install done. Located in Port Townsend, WA. Was $1340 for parts (including EVSE) and labor by local electrician: install new 60 amp circuit and junction box just a few feet from existing (200 amp) service panel and hard wiring of Clipper Creek HCS-60 (48 amp). With EVSI price almost $900, install cost was pretty minimal, and included electrical permit. No sales tax in WA.

 

[Vwvkk]

I had my Chargepoint unit hardwired and installed for $950 with metal conduit, junction box, neutral wire ready for NEMA and 60 amp breaker. I decided against a NEMA outlet for this application. I'm in the Seattle suburbs

 

[super]

Thanks for sharing all. Seems my quotes are higher than everyone else’s. May just be a function of the distance they have to run and the fact they have to come through and exterior wall and the attic. Probably makes sense to get a couple more quotes just in case.

 

[Vegan Diver]

I just finished my install tonight. Total parts cost was $135, for a 35 ft all-interior run

Based on your situation with exterior conduit runs and a stucco penetration I don't think your quotes are too far off IMHO. does the $1500 include the EVSE? Or just an outlet? These quotes are also usually negotiable too. I always bargain with contractors. My guess based on the info you gave would be $1k for electrical work and $500 or so for the EVSE

 

[super]

I just finished my install tonight. Total parts cost was $135, for a 35 ft all-interior run

Based on your situation with exterior conduit runs and a stucco penetration I don't think your quotes are too far off IMHO. does the $1500 include the EVSE? Or just an outlet? These quotes are also usually negotiable too. I always bargain with contractors. My guess based on the info you gave would be $1k for electrical work and $500 or so for the EVSE

The quotes I received do not include the EVSE.

 

[Vegan Diver]

The quotes I received do not include the EVSE.

Counter with $900 and see if they will meet you at $1000. Parts aren't too expensive, there's a lot built into those quotes for labor, so they have wiggle room.

 

[Huey52]

The charger itself is fairly expensive (again $743 incl. tax for my ChargePoint on Amazon) but yes the circuit breaker, socket, cable, conduit etc. are relatively inexpensive. Labor is always the most costly element these days. That's why I try to do as much as I can, to include prepping an area for best installation efficiency. Also the easier you make it for an installer the better the job is likely to be, just human nature. Just think through what you would do if installing and prep accordingly. The only reason I didn't do it all myself was potential insurance claim risk aversion.

..... Parts aren't too expensive, there's a lot built into those quotes for labor, so they have wiggle room.

 

[Drive_Clean]

I got a quote of $350 to put in a 14-50 outlet right below my breaker box--which is both convenient and much less expensive than running a lengthy line elsewhere in the garage. Based in SoCal. Is that a reasonable quote?

 

[Spin]

I got a quote of $350 to put in a 14-50 outlet right below my breaker box--which is both convenient and much less expensive than running a lengthy line elsewhere in the garage. Based in SoCal. Is that a reasonable quote?

I installed a 14-50 outlet under my breaker panel myself for about $60 in parts(outlet, box and cover, 50 amp breaker, 3 ft. of wire). It took me about an hour.

 

[Drive_Clean]

I installed a 14-50 outlet under my breaker panel myself for about $60 in parts. It took me about an hour.

I've thought about it, but I'm in a rental, and second I'd need a credible source on how to do it. It seems easy from what I've seen, which is why I'm wondering why the quote was $350 (they promised it would beat all other quotes--SoCal prices & all). The gleam in their eyes (plus they were scratching their head) while quoting made me feel I was paying an EV tax.

 

[Spin]

 

[Drive_Clean]

That looks legit. Just got another quote for $650+. Apparently I'm in the wrong line of work.

 

[Huey52]

I particularly like that Spin has his power washer wand right above his 240V socket. The man is electrifying.

[just teasing; an excellent installation!]

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