How difficult and roughly how much does it cost it to relocate a main electrical breaker panel?
I am remodeling an area and the main panel where the electrical feed comes in and where the meter is partially blocks where the rear door is. Basically, it protrudes about 8-inches into an already narrow walkway. I’d like to relocate it about 10-feet onto another exterior wall.
Look closely at these common locations for hazardous materials in older homes.
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Replies
Somewhere between $100 and $10,000.
10k just for the feasability study... maybe...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Yeah, I probably should have added another zero on both numbers.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
why stop at one..Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I was recently quoted $1300 to move one about 30'. The power company would run their end for free, your mileage may vary.
Whoever it is I wish they'd cut it out but when they will I can only guess.
They say I shot a man named Gray and took his wife to Italy,
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me.
I can't help it if I'm lucky.
Is this an EXTERNAL panel.
Typically things like this is done by using the space where the existing panel is (or gutting the panel) ans a junkction box and extending the wires to the location for the NEW Box.
That junction box has to remain accessible. Accessible in this case means without removing building structure. In general it it is an area that you can get into with only a screw driver.
If it is how an external panel then it could be replced with an internal panel or junction box. And the space covered with a picture.
If you use an panel in the current location you can move the meter and either run external conduit or if internal then you will need to add a main disconnect at the meter and the panel becomes a sub-panel.
Another problem is that the new location might not allow for the POCO drop to have the correct clearnance.
And local codes and POCO requirements may have other requirement$.
In any case this is not a $imple matter and may be very expen$ive.
But everything is guess and a poor guess at that with some local looking at it.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
If you're simply relocating the existing box, it's likely that most of your costs will be labor-related. If that's the case, the cost and difficulty can vary greatly depending on the circumstances. There may even be code issues that will further complicate your current plan.
You need to get a licensed electrician on site for a personal evaluation. Since you'll also need a permit, it would probably be wise to run your plan by the local building inspector first.
New knowledge is priceless.
Used knowledge is even more valuable.
I don't have an exact number for you.
Here in Wichita I believe an electrician would charge $750 to replace an electric panel.
This is what an electrician charged recently on a home I'm familiar with
the old panel was a Federal Pacific - the house was for sale and the buyer demanded it be replaced due to safety concerns.
In Denver it's higher and they charge $1,500.
^^^^^^
a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces
Here in Wichita I believe an electrician would charge $750 to replace an electric panel.
Replacing the panel in the same location is a lot easier than moving it, since replacing it will probably let him use the existing wires, while moving it to another location means that in all likelihood, every wire from every circuit is now too short to reach the new panel location. Could be a pricey problem.
Moving can be MUCH different then replacing..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I'll bid $99,999.99. Plus expenses.
I'll do it for $99,999.98.To the OP: The point is that there are a who sithload of variables here -- is this the main breaker panel or just service entrance panel? If main breaker panel, is there a separate service entrance disconnect? How big is the panel? How many circuits? Can the panel be reused or is a new one needed?And most important of all, are the finished walls in or out? Can someone easily rip out the wires, cut back to the nearest point that won't be disturbed, and install boxes for the circuits (which must remain accessible), then easily route wires to the new location, or does this involve a lot of snaking and fishing of wires through finished walls, installing junction boxes in the attic (to keep them "accessible" without having them mar walls), demo and repair of places where holes must be made, etc?
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
It is a main panel and it is where the power line comes in and the meter is located there as well. It is located on the exterior wall near my rear door. The wall that I'd like to relocate to will be a new exterior wall located near it's current location. Running wires to the new location shouldn't be a problem, since it will be completely open. Would all the wires that fed the panel have to be re-run all the way back? If that's the case, I'd forget it right there.
It sounds like the cost and trouble may not be worth moving it. It is just located in a walkway that is about 3-feet wide, but it protrudes about 8-9-inches so it gets a little tight with two arms full of groceries.
Thanks everyone for your responses.
Is it what you would call a "Surface Mount" electrical panel?Could it be changed to a "Flush Mount" in which the panel would go in the wall in between two 2 X 4's?^^^^^^
a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces
How many breakers are in the panel? Is it just a few, with other breaker panels elsewhere, or are there a coupla dozen in there?To most efficiently relocate the panel, you'd need a large junction box (roughly the same size as the panel) within, say, 5 feet of the existing location, and possibly a smaller one on the other side of the area being reworked. By code, the removable cover of the junction boxes must be "accessible". (Could be in the back of a closet, eg, but could not be covered by siding or drywall.)The new panel could then be located any reasonable distance away (ideally under 50 feet or so). You would not have to replace all wiring in the house, but might, eg, be required to replace a electric dryer or electric stove feed.Since you'd presumably be relocating the "drop" from the power pole, there would be rules about that that would have to be observed -- can't have the wire get too close to other structures, etc.Cost-wise you're almost certainly over $2000 but probably under $10K.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Yes, it is a 'surface mount' panel, and I suppose it could be relocated into the wall, however, the meter would still stick out a few inches, but certainly not as bad as the entire panel. I may look more into this if the cost isn't too much (say over $1000).
There is a sub-panel a few feet away that had maybe 10 old breakers. The newer exterior panel has maybe 20 switches.
Thanks again for the comments.
Sounds like it's been upgraded once, which could make it easier or harder.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
What you might ought to do is to go browse your town/city's web page, and check for codes and permits. If your town requires a permit, which it probably does, you'll need to talk to as mant electricians as you can stand to find out how to ballpark this.
If your new panel location is closer to the existing curicuits, that can be easier--no need to splice the home runs to the panel. But, if the meter and service drop don't--or can't--move, the conductors needed to go from the SD to the panel can get to be expensive (and a pain). Which can be a bad time to find out the town has adopted an energy code that wants insulation in exterior walls, which inset panels and 4" conduit just don't leave much room for.
Does not mean you should not do this, just that it can be complicated. It may be that the old panel really ought to be taken out or reworked (especially if it's full of dicey splices from back in the dark ages). but, you need a licensed electircian on site to say, like as not--which ought not run you more than $50-100.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Dang! Been underbid again!
If it's an old breaker panel you'll feel better after you get rid of it and get a new one in there.
^^^^^^
a Smith & Wesson beats four Aces