# Does This seem like a decent price



## Miller257 (Jan 24, 2009)

I'm buying a new house, and the seller has agreed to upgrade the ungrounded 100 amp(i think) fused service to a 100 amp grounded breaker panel with new meter and wiring. 

well i wanted to go ahead have them put in a 200 amp service right away, and said i would cover the excess cost. they quoted me 500$ extra to go to the 200 amp service. does that sound about right?


thanks


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

Miller257 said:


> I'm buying a new house, and the seller has agreed to upgrade the ungrounded 100 amp(i think) fused service to a 100 amp grounded breaker panel with new meter and wiring.
> 
> well i wanted to go ahead have them put in a 200 amp service right away, and said i would cover the excess cost. they quoted me 500$ extra to go to the 200 amp service. does that sound about right?
> 
> ...


Yes


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## Static Design (Nov 30, 2008)

dooo eeeeet


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

I am hoping this exchange led to an electrician making some money


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## naptown CR (Feb 20, 2009)

The circuits are the same. if it is an underground service there is minimal additional SE cable involved there is not much differance in the cost of the panels The ground wire would have to be replaced but that is being done already so 500 seems good


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## ampman (Apr 1, 2009)

i would say yes


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

...that really depends if the 100A upgrade/change was a fair price to begin with.


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

I say for you its a great price. For the EC its a terrible price. He's selling his soul for pennies on the dollar.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

mahlere said:


> I say for you its a great price. For the EC its a terrible price. He's selling his soul for pennies on the dollar.



Now how can you say that?:blink:
He may have sold him a 100A OH drop for ...say...5k :whistling


Now maybe he sold his soul for the $500...but he probably was able to buy a few spares with some of that 5k :laughing:


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

The additional cost for a 200amp over a 100amp, is most likely $200-300. But it's easier to just say $500 and make a little extra money. LOL at pennies on the $, good luck sitting at home in my area.


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

Celtic said:


> Now how can you say that?:blink:
> He may have sold him a 100A OH drop for ...say...5k :whistling
> 
> 
> Now maybe he sold his soul for the $500...but he probably was able to buy a few spares with some of that 5k :laughing:


if you believe that, i got a nice bridge to sell you...:laughing:


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## naptown CR (Feb 20, 2009)

There was another post in here in the last few days where a guy paid 8 grand for a 200 amp service change. This was in Canada but the exchange rate isn't that bad. Last service I had done was a 200 amp and cost 1600.00


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

hbelectric said:


> The additional cost for a 200amp over a 100amp, is most likely $200-300. But it's easier to just say $500 and make a little extra money. LOL at pennies on the $, good luck sitting at home in my area.


may only be a $300 cost difference....but put a 200A service in properly and you've just increased the value of their home by thousands...they will never have to replace that service...and they can add features that will now increase the value of their home even more (Central A/C, Hot Tub, Steam Shower, etc.)....and all you got out of the deal was $300....and you paid most of that to your supply house...wtf is wrong with electricians?


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

naptown CR said:


> There was another post in here in the last few days where a guy paid 8 grand for a 200 amp service change. This was in Canada but the exchange rate isn't that bad. Last service I had done was a 200 amp and cost 1600.00


During the boom the pricing was better than now. I've been getting regular quotes for 2600-3200 bucks. wtf


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

rbsremodeling said:


> During the boom the pricing was better than now. I've been getting regular quotes for 2600-3200 bucks. wtf


And those are the cheap ones!


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

mahlere said:


> if you believe that, i got a nice bridge to sell you...:laughing:


I already own part of a few bridges...here is one:











*Garden State Parkway opens world's widest bridge - 15 lanes*


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

Celtic said:


> I already own part of a few bridges...here is one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


shoulda used better rebar in this one...you wouldn't be chipping up the concrete to replace the rebar already:whistling


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## ampman (Apr 1, 2009)

Celtic said:


> I already own part of a few bridges...here is one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 we do to ,sunshine skyway-tampa,i-10 bridge-pensacolaand and my most favorite 7 mile bridge -fl. keys


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## DMMConstruction (May 14, 2009)

*Mr. Miller*

Call three electricians in your area, say that you installed 100 but you need to upgrade it to 200, asap. What's the charge? Some times it's not a fair estimate because you have to give a base rate like two hundred a day for labor then you need to think about gas 50 more so your at 250 then you need to consider overhead and all the tools you need to perform the job and the education and the permit. So at the end 500 might be a lot to some who only makes 700 hundred a week but to a business owner it's peanuts.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Celtic said:


> I already own part of a few bridges...here is one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Half of that bridge is route 9. Not far from Bourbon Street in Old Bridge. I don't know how I know that, but I do. :w00t:


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## 220/221 (Sep 29, 2007)

It does depend on the 100 amp quote but, assuming it was in line, another $500 isn't much. We haven't installed anything under 200 amp since the 70's. It's not anymore work to install a 200 and now days, the 200 is actually less expensive than a 125. (meter/panel combos)



> put a 200A service in properly and you've just increased the value of their home by thousands...they will *never *have to replace that service...


I have replaced quite a few 200's that were upgraded _only_ 20 years ago.

In the old days, 200 amp 20 space panels were the norm. Now that we use 200 amp, 40 space panels with copper bus, I am more confident that they will last more than 20 years.


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

220/221 said:


> It does depend on the 100 amp quote but, assuming it was in line, another $500 isn't much. We haven't installed anything under 200 amp since the 70's. It's not anymore work to install a 200 and now days, the 200 is actually less expensive than a 125. (meter/panel combos)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


and the average person moves every 7-10 yrs...so the people paying for this will likely not have to replace it...but they will get the additional money for it when they sell their house


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Sounds cheap if it will require a new meter base, riser and weatherhead.

I'd make sure the group doing it isn't fly-by-night... They could easily throw in a 200 amp panel to the existing service wire and the avg. HO wouldn't know they were getting screwed.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

The 200 amp service upgrade is to older homes what the engine is to the automobile.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Magnettica said:


> The 200 amp service upgrade is to older homes what the engine is to the automobile.


 X2, very common to upgrade a service on almost any home older than 40yrs. $500 is awfully cheap too. I would wonder what work would be performed for this money. As said above some clowns will just replace the panel itself and leave the old wire. A panel loaded with breakers/connectors will run at least $200 at minimum no less labor and inspection if one is required. Again, what work is being done here?


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

mahlere said:


> may only be a $300 cost difference....but put a 200A service in properly and you've just increased the value of their home by thousands...they will never have to replace that service...and they can add features that will now increase the value of their home even more (Central A/C, Hot Tub, Steam Shower, etc.)....and all you got out of the deal was $300....and you paid most of that to your supply house...wtf is wrong with electricians?


 
I don't see how property value, is any of my business. My cost difference is generally $500, but I always sell the 200amp. I have never installed a new 100 amp service. Nobody knows what the base prices are from the original post , so how can there even be an agruement?


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

hbelectric said:


> I don't see how property value, is any of my business. My cost difference is generally $500, but I always sell the 200amp. I have never installed a new 100 amp service. Nobody knows what the base prices are from the original post , so how can there even be an agruement?


there is a pretty smart old guy floating around the boards with the username of macmikeman....

he'll often say "sell the sizzle, not the steak"....

what it means is that we need to sell the benefits not the features....as tradesmen, we typically sell the features...the technology, the neat orange window, the great trip rating, etc., etc., etc....

and none of this matters to the average customer.,...

but if you sell on the benefits: higher property value, better resale value, etc., etc., etc.

then you sell on emotion....people always pay more when buying on emotion.

so, the increase in property value is of utmost importance to you if you are actually selling the work, rather than just quoting the job and hoping to get it because you have the low bid...


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

I agree, its all about being a good salesman. Tell them what they want to hear if thats what it takes to sell the job. We know the 200 amp panel is the way to go, but telling the HO that it will raise the value of the home may be what it takes to sell it, otherwise they just may say the 100 amp is good enough. Again, $500 is really cheap IMO and makes me wonder what work is really being done.


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## hbelectric (Oct 8, 2007)

woodchuck2 said:


> I agree, its all about being a good salesman. Tell them what they want to hear if thats what it takes to sell the job. We know the 200 amp panel is the way to go, but telling the HO that it will raise the value of the home may be what it takes to sell it, otherwise they just may say the 100 amp is good enough. Again, $500 is really cheap IMO and makes me wonder what work is really being done.


 
The seller is paying for the 100amp service, the buyer, which is the OP has to pay an aditional $500 for the 200amp upgrade. No where on this thread is it stated how much the 100amp panel upgrade is.


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