The Expense of the Electrician
@GardenGerty (160665)
United States
November 8, 2015 6:34pm CST
During the last week I posted about the electrician forgetting to come, and I had to remind him. I posted that his estimate for the work I need will be in the neighborhood of $700. I know that is a lot. It even seemed like a lot to me but I thought I should explain.
There is no real problem with the electrical service here, at this time EXCEPT this home was a duplex, and we are working on making it a single family home. Right now, I have two electric meter "canisters" and two bills and two customer service numbers. These are extra expenses.
I also learned, while talking to the electrician, that in order to be up to current code my lines have to be up higher. He will run a pole and conduit up above the roof. He says that is the biggest expense, actually. I understand, as the wires run pretty low across the yard from the pole at this time. It could be dangerous or it could come down more easily.
So, what he will be doing is putting a junction box in for both lines to run through, so that will be "legal" as they can only have one set of lines entering a single canister. Then he will place that at eye level--new rule. He will extend a pole above my eaves to put the wiring coming off the pole at a higher above ground level.
Seven hundred dollars is a lot, but we are going to be able to do that. It is a lot of work to be done.
13 people like this
18 responses
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
I am going to have to have the two water lines and the two gas lines put together, plus I think there is a gas leak on one of the furnaces, so yep, expensive. The thing is it saves money eventually.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
@rebelann I would like it done before the first of the year. I just started drawing Social Security, so for now, until I get used to it, there is "extra money". We are also going to cut at least one hole between the kitchens but that is gonna be DIY.Gotta prove it is not an income property any longer.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112878)
• El Paso, Texas
9 Nov 15
Do you have to get this all done really soon @GardenGerty ? Your wallet would love you better if you could space these things a little.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Nov 15
also, if things aren't to code and he is making the to code, it sounds that it will be safer when done
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
My son and daughter-in-law had some carbon monoxide problems this year and when the city inspector checked on that they had to have a lot of this kind of work done as an emergency, and could not even plan for it. It will be safer.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
@Jessicalynnt Good idea. My former neighbor works for the gas company and said it was the worst he ever saw. Bad hot water heater.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Nov 15
@GardenGerty hmm, I bet we dont have a detector for that, prob need one
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (51960)
• Philippines
9 Nov 15
phew!
I could probably buy at least two laptops with that amount! Kinda reminds back in 2010 when we had to install electric meters for our tenants and I was shock on how expensive it was. turns out, there's a lot of monopoly going and transactions that are beyond the parameters of the company. 
Im glad it's done but it's sick knowing they don't stick to the usual process.
I could probably buy at least two laptops with that amount! Kinda reminds back in 2010 when we had to install electric meters for our tenants and I was shock on how expensive it was. turns out, there's a lot of monopoly going and transactions that are beyond the parameters of the company. Im glad it's done but it's sick knowing they don't stick to the usual process.1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Good analogy, two not very expensive laptops. This is not so much a monopoly as just that it has not been done in years.
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (51960)
• Philippines
9 Nov 15
@GardenGerty well, I guess it's got to do with the high cost there which am not surprised as to why the services fee was high in the first place
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
9 Nov 15
That's a huge expense, but good electrical work is important for safety.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Exactly. And this is the last home we will own, need to have it safe.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
I hope you can get your furnace taken care of.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Nov 15
@GardenGerty I took in the rest of the paperwork they required that I finally got on Saturday. She said I should hear from someone as soon as tomorrow. I hope so.
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
15 Oct 17
This was almost two years ago. We paid it all at once. It was well worth the money to have our system up to current code and combined. I have not gotten a plumber at this time, hope to do it this year.
@Hannihar (130218)
• Israel
16 Oct 17
@GardenGerty
Heather, glad you could pay it all at once. I am one of those that either pays something all at once if not bad amount or makes payments.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Sounds like you don't have much choice. I am glad hubby can do a lot of electrical work himself, but not the stuff you've mentioned. We will eventually need an electrician as well to upgrade our breaker box as it's really old.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
We are keeping the same breaker boxes and some of the inside stuff we will do ourselves but this really needed a professional.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
9 Nov 15
@GardenGerty Hubby can do all the inside stuff himself too. He completely rewired our bathroom when we remodeled that. But yeah, he wouldn't be able to do that sort of stuff.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
9 Nov 15
seems we always run into a lot of extra expense we never thought of when we move. just one of the things that keeps me awake at night over all this
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Yes, it happens, but if you move to a senior apartment it will have to be up to code.
@Juliaacv (51193)
• Canada
9 Nov 15
We had our metre moved and another panel put in about 11 years ago, that was a hefty bill. Electrical work, although often a necessity, is not cheap when done by a professional. And it has to be done by someone with their ticket in order to pass inspection.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Funny, my electrician cannot start on this one until he recertifies next weekend.
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23672)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
9 Nov 15
That's reason number 9,854 why I am glad I rent now! 
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
As long as you are in a well maintained rental it is good. We have no house payment at all, so we are doing these things.
@Tampa_girl7 (50250)
• United States
9 Nov 15
We had to update the wiring on our home in West Virginia. It was an expense.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
9 Nov 15
stuff for the home (and car) is always so expensive. good luck with the changes!
1 person likes this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
9 Nov 15
Better up to code than leaving it the way it is now. Here to run a pole for us is around 1000 dollars and you have to dig the hole. Then to install the meter was around 750 plus the cost of the meter around 600. So to makes your up to code and what we paid I can see why it will be 700 dollars for you.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
When we compare costs and when we know what the dangers are, it is worth it.
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
9 Nov 15
@GardenGerty I am sure it is. You will so much safer this way.
@LCaldwell (251)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Wow that is a lot! Good that it will be done right though and legal. Even better that it will save money for you.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
9 Nov 15
Often having things done the right way, though it seems costly saves in the long run. I am glad to have it done and secure. We get some ferocious winds here and it could be a concern.
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
20 Mar 16
I am so pleased to have this done and done right. With the kind of wind we have here it is good to know that the wire that brings the power in is secure and where it needs to be for safety.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
9 Nov 15
Luckily for us the said Electrician that came saw the problem right away and it was very cheap to fix it a 100 Euros is quite expensive for some but we had been without hot running water for four months and it gets very cold now to wash you hair in really cold water so we were lucky in the end.
The two heaters of the Electric water heater had completely blown and it had never been used before which I found quite strange.
However its a very good job you have a really reliable Electrician to do things right for you.
