Cost for new 240V, 50AMP line for oven

[905CANMAN]

We are buying a new home with a 200AMP supply and are installing a cooktop and double wall ovens.

The builder has quoted about $1100 to provide one additional 50AMP line for the ovens!

I am trying to determine what the cost of adding this after we move in will be. Need to go the 'legal' route, so will need certified electrician, inspection and anything that may be required so that builder cannot blame any future unrelated electrical problems under warranty on this change.

I expect the distance from the kitchen to the panel to be about 30-40 feet maximum.

Any help in figuring out an approximate cost would be much appreciated.

[Drthorne]

wire, breaker and plug cost is about $600, permit maybe $150. 1 day labour @ $80/ hour. I think $1100 from your builder is a fair price

[Lexcyn]

It will most likely end up being more expensive after construction has been completed. That seems like a decent price, considering the cost of the wire alone makes up over 50% of that cost.

[sprdave]

We are buying a new home with a 200AMP supply and are installing a cooktop and double wall ovens.

The builder has quoted about $1100 to provide one additional 50AMP line for the ovens!

I am trying to determine what the cost of adding this after we move in will be. Need to go the 'legal' route, so will need certified electrician, inspection and anything that may be required so that builder cannot blame any future unrelated electrical problems under warranty on this change.

I expect the distance from the kitchen to the panel to be about 30-40 feet maximum.

Any help in figuring out an approximate cost would be much appreciated.

So is that is addition to the 40amp circuit they already have to install?... ending up with a 40amp and a 50amp circuit (not just upgrade to 50amp)

Is the house under construction? (wiring not completed)

Im not sure where these guys are getting this $600 for parts, or the 1 day labour.....

Last time I got 6/3 wire (couple months ago) it was about $10 per METRE, so that's about $100, depending if the 30-40' is based on wire length (squared measurements and includes the vertical portion) or a straight measurement. Breaker about $30-50 depending on make. Box and receptacle about $10. Connectors and straps about $10. So that's less than $200 for material....

Labour, unless it's something really special, you're talking 1-2 hours, especially if it's still under construction.

Permit, nothing additional if the rest of the wiring isn't complete, less than $100 if another permit needed.

Maybe $500 or so would be reasonable, depending a bit on those variables, unless there are details that have been left out? So the builder is charging pretty good, as to be expected. But you are a bit trapped with him too. The only other way is to ask other electrical contractors how much they would charge afterword?

[905CANMAN]

So is that is addition to the 40amp circuit they already have to install?... ending up with a 40amp and a 50amp circuit (not just upgrade to 50amp)

Is the house under construction? (wiring not completed)

Im not sure where these guys are getting this $600 for parts, or the 1 day labour.....

Last time I got 6/3 wire (couple months ago) it was about $10 per METRE, so that's about $100, depending if the 30-40' is based on wire length (squared measurements and includes the vertical portion) or a straight measurement. Breaker about $30-50 depending on make. Box and receptacle about $10. Connectors and straps about $10. So that's less than $200 for material....

Labour, unless it's something really special, you're talking 1-2 hours, especially if it's still under construction.

Permit, nothing additional if the rest of the wiring isn't complete, less than $100 if another permit needed.

Maybe $500 or so would be reasonable, depending a bit on those variables, unless there are details that have been left out? So the builder is charging pretty good, as to be expected. But you are a bit trapped with him too. The only other way is to ask other electrical contractors how much they would charge afterword?

sprdave,
thanks for your reply. Yes this is an additional circuit for wall ovens. I am evaluating whether to let them rip me off at $1100, or just say thank you very much and deal with it after we close. We do need to get an electrician in right after we move to get some power points etc created in the unfinished basement (the builder does not even offer this as an option), so we will have to have an permit/inspection anyway. If this can be done at the same time for less, without any extra complications brought on by the fact that it is a 220V 50AMP line, then I'd rather not pay the builder any more than I really have to.

[EugW]

wire, breaker and plug cost is about $600, permit maybe $150. 1 day labour @ $80/ hour. I think $1100 from your builder is a fair price
$600 seems horrendously expensive for parts.

And would they really need another permit?

[sprdave]

sprdave,
thanks for your reply. Yes this is an additional circuit for wall ovens. I am evaluating whether to let them rip me off at $1100, or just say thank you very much and deal with it after we close. We do need to get an electrician in right after we move to get some power points etc created in the unfinished basement (the builder does not even offer this as an option), so we will have to have an permit/inspection anyway. If this can be done at the same time for less, without any extra complications brought on by the fact that it is a 220V 50AMP line, then I'd rather not pay the builder any more than I really have to.

Oh, if you're already getting an electrician to add circuits afterword, by all means do that. The main reason to give away an extra like $600?? is to save the nuisance of dealing with someone else. Most builders want to make good money on the extras, and you might as well deal directly with an electrician. And it shouldn't be much more (if any) for the permit (additions/renos are charged based on the items). If you would feel better, you could call an electrician or two to see if they would give a ballpark figure to do it after? But unless they charge $400/hour or otherwise scam, it would be pretty hard to get to $1000. Unless there are details missing? But if the basement is unfinished and oven on first floor it shouldn't be hard.

The only complication that I could think of is, if they somehow have the panel space so tight that there is only two empty spaces left, but that would be just stupid of them, as the cost difference would be about nil (you could ask them though - how much empty panel space there will be, and/or if they're upsizing the panel for that quote). Even then it would probably still be fairly cheaper to add a subpanel in afterwords, then pay their price. The fact that it is 240v doesn't really make it more complicated, just that it takes two spaces for the breaker.

Im reading again and you said cooktop and double wall ovens (vs an additional receptacle I was thinking). Is that a separate cooktop, and a double wall oven in a single unit built into the cupboards (not two separate wall ovens)? Im not saying it changes things much... in fact probably makes it less for them....

What is the layout of the cooktop, ovens (i.e. along one wall)? Do you have the make/model of the units?

What are they already including in the house at no extra cost?

It seems like a lot to be adding a whole 50amp circuit, normally one 40amp (or 50amp) circuit would do a cooktop and single oven...So I would have thought if one 50amp circuit wouldn't cover it, a 30amp for cooktop and 40amp for ovens would do. But it's hard to say without knowing the details (doesn't hurt to oversize either).