Does this dedicated circuit quote sound reasonable?

[hyolee]

Hi all,

Was wondering if any of you DIYer's know how much it typically costs to install a dedicated circuit.

I was given a quote this morning of:

$700 - 15amp line through stucco exterior wall, into crawl space, 30 feet run, 2 pairs of GFCI outlets.

Other random electrical work
Upgrade 12 2 prong outlets to 3 prong outlets $1200
Upgrade 5 3 prong outlets to GFCI in kitchen $240

Does that sound about right? If it sounds reasonable, I won't bother with getting other quotes.

Thanks!

 

[silverwolf72]

Sounds about right, looking on the net found 1500 to 3000 for a room is about normal for a total rewire.

 

[dave2184]

Sounds resonable if he's actually pulling new wire to all those outlets, if just changing outlets your gettin screwed.

 

[Quinster]

Also if all GFCI are being hooked to the same breaker, you don't need all GFCI.

You just need the first plug in the line to be GFCI, then feed the other plugs from the first one, then it will protect all 4 from the one GFCI.

Unless you are worried about the one tripping then all shutting off, but that would be the only drawback.

HTH

 

[Paul_PSU]

I had an electrician last year put 3 outlets in( one in one room and 2 in another) and put two on their own breaker and the other one on its own. It was about a 10 ft run for one and 25 ft run for the other and he charged me 289. Oh and he fixed a mess I created with a ceiling light in my front room.

Paul

 

[SSpiro]

Sounds insane to me, but I'm not an electrician. I just sell to them.

I'm also not in CA.

I'd get 3 quotes.

 

[hyolee]

Thanks for the tips.

It seems OK, but it sounds like I should get multiple quotes to be sure.

Upgrading 12 2 prong outlets to 3 prong outlets I assume is just adding a ground and changing the outlet.

I think he is pulling my chain on the kitchen. My kitchen and bathroom both have a single GFCI outlet with a bunch of other 3 prong outlets (which are probably all protected). He said he would recommend changing making ALL outlets in the kitchen GFCI, but leaving the bathroom is ok.

I'm thinking I will just do the dedicated circuit and live on the edge for the other two issues.

 

[PDX-PLT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12065480#post12065480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hyolee

Upgrading 12 2 prong outlets to 3 prong outlets I assume is just adding a ground and changing the outlet.

Hi,
To do that properly and to code, he needs to fish a ground wire back to the panel - that's alot of labor. If it was me, I'd consider just putting a GFCI on that circuit.

I think he is pulling my chain on the kitchen.

'sounds like it.

 

[goldenfamaliy]

how old in your house, he may have to run new wire, if thats the case, then it could get expensive. I replace most of the wiring in my mothers house ( had old nob and tube) and it took me about 3 weeks to do. And just the wire and other odds and ends was very expensive.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

Re: Does this dedicated circuit quote sound reasonable?

If you are at all uncomfortable. Hire someone. With that said...


$700 - 15amp line through stucco exterior wall, into crawl space, 30 feet run, 2 pairs of GFCI outlets.
(Seems high, but I cant teach you how to run wire in a post)

Other random electrical work
Upgrade 12 2 prong outlets to 3 prong outlets $1200
(My house looks like it was upgraded in the past. They installed a green ground screw in the back of the box, attatched a ground wire to it and grounded the outlet. Supprisingly enough the hole was already there to accept the screw)


Upgrade 5 3 prong outlets to GFCI in kitchen $240
(You only need to upgrade the first one in the series. The outlet is in two parts. LINE and LOAD. LINE is the feed from the panel. LOAD feeds all of the outlets downstream. If you can figure out what wires go where, hooking it up is a breeze)


If you are going to hire it out. Try to get 3 quotes like stated above.

 

[Icefire]

I really hope they pass wire for all those 3 prong outlet as it take 5 minutes to swap and 2$ to buy each.

An electrician is 60$/hour here, so just calculate that.

Pmolan, I hope you have a ground wire from the main to your box as attaching a ground to the screw is not grouding if the box itself isn't grounded.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

I have this cable throughout the house. The metal jacket is grounded.

 

[LostinTime]

Why use multiple GFCIs only one is needed. I personally would use a gfci breaker rather than a outlet. They are better made. Not much price difference either.

And the price quote for the kitchen outlets is ridiculous. At most you would have two circuits in the kitchen for the outlets. Two gfci outlets approximately 20-25 dollars. Are you sure that the kitchen isnt gfci already.....If the house was wired within the last 25 years it would more than likely is (probably by breaker rather than outlet).

 

[SSpiro]

Re: Re: Does this dedicated circuit quote sound reasonable?

Re: Re: Does this dedicated circuit quote sound reasonable?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12066287#post12066287 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pmolan
If you are at all uncomfortable. Hire someone. With that said...


$700 - 15amp line through stucco exterior wall, into crawl space, 30 feet run, 2 pairs of GFCI outlets.
(Seems high, but I cant teach you how to run wire in a post)

Other random electrical work
Upgrade 12 2 prong outlets to 3 prong outlets $1200
(My house looks like it was upgraded in the past. They installed a green ground screw in the back of the box, attatched a ground wire to it and grounded the outlet. Supprisingly enough the hole was already there to accept the screw)


Upgrade 5 3 prong outlets to GFCI in kitchen $240
(You only need to upgrade the first one in the series. The outlet is in two parts. LINE and LOAD. LINE is the feed from the panel. LOAD feeds all of the outlets downstream. If you can figure out what wires go where, hooking it up is a breeze)


If you are going to hire it out. Try to get 3 quotes like stated above.

Those boxes have existing grounding locations on them. Some even come pre-pigtailed.

 

[SSpiro]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12067222#post12067222 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pmolan
I have this cable throughout the house. The metal jacket is grounded.

Wow, MC (metal clad). Interesting. In Florida, its only needed in commercial applications. Residential uses NMB, also known as romex.

As far as your work..

How old is your house? We can't really show you how to run new wire through your house.. but the age of your house will tell us a lot.

As far as the Kitchen GFI's, you have two options. A: Replace the breaker in the panel from a standard breaker to a GFCI breaker; or B: Replace the first outlet in the circuit to a GFI. The balance, along as the following recpts follow the load circuit, they'll be protected (as mentioned above).

As far as upgrading your outlets to grounded outlets; it depends on code in your area. Best scenario is grounding at the panel, which means running new wire.. Can be easy (using existing wire as pull string) or can be extremely complicated. Just depends on how your house was built.

 

[Icefire]

That's some BX cable, used in old appartement bulding and most commercial application.
Most have a ground in it too.

 

[TIMMYE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12067366#post12067366 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LostinTime
Why use multiple GFCIs only one is needed. I personally would use a gfci breaker rather than a outlet. They are better made. Not much price difference either.

And the price quote for the kitchen outlets is ridiculous. At most you would have two circuits in the kitchen for the outlets. Two gfci outlets approximately 20-25 dollars. Are you sure that the kitchen isnt gfci already.....If the house was wired within the last 25 years it would more than likely is (probably by breaker rather than outlet).

According to most codes GFI outlets need to be anywhere where they can get moisture. If you have 5 in a kitchen that can get wet they all should be GFI's. Also in most areas, GFI breakers are supposed to be replaced after they trip ONCE.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12064920#post12064920 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SSpiro
Sounds insane to me, but I'm not an electrician. I just sell to them.

I'm also not in CA.

I'd get 3 quotes.

That is a very reasonable quote (I am an electrical estimator), and your comments........the reason we started charging $ 50.00 for residential estimates

 

[Young Frankenstein]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12068976#post12068976 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TIMMYE
GFI breakers are supposed to be replaced after they trip ONCE.

LOL there you go, finally someone in RC that knows what he is talking about

 

[LostinTime]

GFI breakers are supposed to be replaced after they trip ONCE.

Dont know who told you that. Been doing electrical work for more than 35 years. Usually when they trip means you have a problem somewhere but it isnt necessarily the breaker. (And usually it isnt )
And by the way, Ive seen way more GFI outlets go bad than GFI breakers.

According to most codes GFI outlets need to be anywhere where they can get moisture.

Agree 100% if you say GFI protected circuits! Code says that it must be a protected circuit ... does not say that it must be an outlet.
Now it can be an outlet but also can be a circuit breaker that provides the GFI protection.

If you have 5 in a kitchen that can get wet they all should be GFI's.

Disagree ... Only one needed per circuit.

Havent seen a house or business yet where every socket is a separate circuit. Most kitchens have two circuits (because of code) and bathrooms usually one.