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What?! $1,331.47 for 15' NEMA 14-50R Install (Georgia)

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Hello All! Please excuse me if I have posted in the wrong subforum or am following improper forum etiquette. I am still relatively new here.

Just trying to make sure I'm not off my rocker when it comes to the following quote I received for a NEMA 14-50R install in my garage.

A bit of background: I have two panels, each fed with 240V@150A (single phase, two pole). Both panels are in the garage. Panel A has very little active load on it (measured by the electrician at only 1.5A) and plenty of available capacity. The proposed run is only 12' horizontal (15+' when accounting for vertical portions of EMT conduit), running along the baseboard. Please see the attached picture of the garage. Panel A is to the left of the photo. The proposed NEMA 14-50R plug location is next to the ladder.

Garage - 2.jpg


After doing my research, I assumed the quote would come in around $400-$700, as no panel replacement/upgrade is necessary (or quoted). Only the 50A breaker, ~15' of #6 wire, ~15' of EMT conduit, box, fittings, NEMA 14-50 receptacle, permit, and labor, are necessary, from my understanding. $1,231.47 + $100 permit fee seems excessive. Am I wrong here? What sort of range should I honestly be expecting for this sort of install? Any recommendations for electricians in the Atlanta (Gwinnett) area?

Redacted Quote:
14-50 Quote - Redacted.jpg
 
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This is out of line, but typical, you need a small, independent electrical contractor for this job. Ask around, there is a good chance you'll find a friend or coworker who knows an electrician who does small jobs for much less. You can also call a spa/hot tub reseller, ask if they know an electrician who wires spa disconnects.
 
Thanks FreeOfPge. I should have mentioned that this was the Tesla recommended installer. I'm going to start looking around at alternatives, since it seemed high. I've built out the required materials at Home Depot using 1" EMT conduit and #3 wire (and everything in-between for the NEMA 14-50), and I'm sitting at around $240 for materials ($1612.18 total cost per electrician).

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Is there a Georgia rebate for for installing charging stations? This is what I'd expect from someone trying to milk the government.

I'm not aware of any GA rebates for charging stations. We have a very generous $5,000 tax rebate on the vehicle itself.
 
Prices vary widely by location and by specific job, but it does seem high from what I've read on these forums over time. Rule of thumb for hiring contractors for your home: get multiple quotes. Especially if the first one seems or feels out-of-line. I think my NEMA 14-50 quotes ranged from $500 to $1700 for the same job. (Mine was closer to 30' and through an unfinished basement.) In addition, check places like Yelp, Angie's List, BBB, etc., to get a sense of a firm's reputation. And there are probably some specific Atlanta area recommendations elsewhere on these forums; maybe check TMC Community -> North America -> Southeast, or do a search.
 
Prices vary widely by location and by specific job, but it does seem high from what I've read on these forums over time. Rule of thumb for hiring contractors for your home: get multiple quotes. Especially if the first one seems or feels out-of-line. I think my NEMA 14-50 quotes ranged from $500 to $1700 for the same job. (Mine was closer to 30' and through an unfinished basement.) In addition, check places like Yelp, Angie's List, BBB, etc., to get a sense of a firm's reputation. And there are probably some specific Atlanta area recommendations elsewhere on these forums; maybe check TMC Community -> North America -> Southeast, or do a search.

Thanks for the suggestion! I shall do that. Too bad I'm no longer in Sterling, VA, otherwise, I could ask you for one. :)
 
This is out of line, but typical, you need a small, independent electrical contractor for this job. Ask around, there is a good chance you'll find a friend or coworker who knows an electrician who does small jobs for much less. You can also call a spa/hot tub reseller, ask if they know an electrician who wires spa disconnects.

+1 ... if you know a builder, roofer, remodel contractor, pool/spa repair ... they always have "friends" who will take the company truck home ... but stop by your house on the way home conveniently leaving you with a NEMA14-50 but only taking about 1/3 to 1/2 of what was quoted there.
 
Agree that this is a very high estimate. Mine was installed for about $600, and they had to run the line around the entire garage to get to the opposite wall.

My first one (on my old house) I installed myself for a couple hundred bucks...that's an option if you feel like you have the skills. If you do decide to do it yourself, of course be very careful as you could easily kill yourself if you don't know what you're doing.
 
Curious, but why conduit along the baseboard? Can you run the wire up into an attic area and then down behind the wall?

If you do it yourself, for that short a run 6 gauge wire is plenty.

Tesla maybe should know their preferred installer is gouging. Those are NYC prices...
 
I'm in Decatur and finished my install last week.
PM me for names and numbers of 2 Electricians that may be better alternatives.
When I asked for recommendations from the Service Center, they mentioned that they had some complaints about overcharging from the one that gave you a quote.
 
Definitely high for the work that's listed there. Always get multiple quotes.

I wonder if he's thinking he has to stay within the wall? For a wall-surface conduit installation, that's unconscionable and I'll bet you're feeling the Tesla tax.
 
I would also complain to the Tesla Service Center that their electrician partner is taking advantage of the situation. (the body shops often do it too, unfortunately) Tesla needs feedback about their vendors to know if they need to make changes and how their clients are being serviced. All roads lead back to the Service Center, if you will.

Good luck!

-m
 
i paid $2000 CAD for

100A sub panel
100A Breaker
125Amp (Armored) cable ran from main breaker to garage (approx 10ft)

NEMA 14-50 outlet
65Amp (Armored) cable ran 50ft
50 Amp breaker

NEMA 5-15 tamper proof outlet
short 1ft run just outside the sub panel
15 Amp breaker

so a single outlet should not be more than $350 even with permits and stuff.
hell the 14-50 outlet itself is only $4.29
the cable looks like it shouldnt cost more than $70-80 full retail price as its not very far away.
 
The Tesla recommended installer gave a quote of $2500 for a similar installation at my place when I was trying to get my charging station installed back in February. It was probably around 50' away though, including all ups and downs. He said he'd been installing charging stations for Teslas all over the place for famous people/celebrities.

I thought it was too high, and called on someone from Craigslist, who then quoted $200 plus parts..!!! Even though he claimed he was licensed, I was skeptic - especially given the difference in quotes.

Then I found another better established electrician, who quoted $450 plus parts, and said he would get all the legal code certification etc. - which the previous guy did not offer. So I went with this third guy.

tl; dr
Shop around. Find local licensed electricians. They may not use iPads for scheduling appointments (!?@!) or have a fleet of vehicles with their brand painted on them, but will not rip you off just because the charging station is for a Tesla.
 
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Curious, but why conduit along the baseboard? Can you run the wire up into an attic area and then down behind the wall?

If you do it yourself, for that short a run 6 gauge wire is plenty.

Tesla maybe should know their preferred installer is gouging. Those are NYC prices...

The electrician recommended it as the least expensive method. Can't run it up into an attic, as there is a bedroom directly above the garage (non-detached). There would be a lot of drywall work to be done to hide the conduit away in the wall.

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Definitely high for the work that's listed there. Always get multiple quotes.

I wonder if he's thinking he has to stay within the wall? For a wall-surface conduit installation, that's unconscionable and I'll bet you're feeling the Tesla tax.

Nope. All outside the wall. :eek:

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I would also complain to the Tesla Service Center that their electrician partner is taking advantage of the situation. (the body shops often do it too, unfortunately) Tesla needs feedback about their vendors to know if they need to make changes and how their clients are being serviced. All roads lead back to the Service Center, if you will.

Good luck!

-m

I was thinking of letting them know, but I didn't want to seem difficult. Perhaps I should casually mention it to them though.

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i paid $2000 CAD for

100A sub panel
100A Breaker
125Amp (Armored) cable ran from main breaker to garage (approx 10ft)

NEMA 14-50 outlet
65Amp (Armored) cable ran 50ft
50 Amp breaker

NEMA 5-15 tamper proof outlet
short 1ft run just outside the sub panel
15 Amp breaker

so a single outlet should not be more than $350 even with permits and stuff.
hell the 14-50 outlet itself is only $4.29
the cable looks like it shouldnt cost more than $70-80 full retail price as its not very far away.

That's what I was thinking as well. When I put together a list of materials (need to recheck to make sure it's complete), it came to $270 using 3AWG wire. Need to figure out the permitting process though, so I'm still going to look for an electrician until I figure that out.
 
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Curious, but why conduit along the baseboard? Can you run the wire up into an attic area and then down behind the wall?

If you do it yourself, for that short a run 6 gauge wire is plenty.

+1

Or might you consider just running/fishing it behind the gypsum with a few "sight windows" instead of utilizing unsightly exposed conduit which looks like an afterthought (to me) since you a have such a spiffy garage?
 
+1

Or might you consider just running/fishing it behind the gypsum with a few "sight windows" instead of utilizing unsightly exposed conduit which always looks like an afterthought (to me) since you a have such a spiffy garage?

Spiffy! Haha - thanks! I'd need to figure out how to fish it up towards the ceiling, horizontally, and then back down to make it work, since I can't go drilling straight through the studs. Probably difficult to fish around with 3 AWG wire, but might be possible if I go with 6 AWG and forgo the "investment protection" of a 100A-capable run.
 
I don't think you want #3 wire. 8 gauge is good enough for most, 6 gauge is good enough for any 50A circuit. 6 gauge is very difficult to bend and align just right in a box to mate with 14-50R. I only ran 3' of 6 gauge but was still swearing it it before I was finished. Used a hacksaw to cut the wire.

Check your local regulations. In many areas the homeowner is free to install such stuff themselves while a professional has to be licensed and buy a permit.
 
Check your local regulations. In many areas the homeowner is free to install such stuff themselves while a professional has to be licensed and buy a permit.

Let me correct this - in most jurisdictions where a permit is required, it's required for anyone who does the work, including the homeowner. Homeowners generally don't get a free pass to bypass inspections; in fact, they're the ones where inspectors place focus. In many jurisdictions, it is illegal for someone who is not the homeowner of the home to do the work unless he is licensed as an electrician, and if it's anything more than a single-family home it's generally required to be done by a commercial, licensed contractor.

Most of the electrical work that is discussed on this forum qualifies as requiring a permit in those jurisdictions that require them, because new branch circuits are added or modified. In typical jurisdictions, only like-for-like component replacement does not require a permit.

In my county, building permits are required to construct a structure but electrical permits are not, except in some municipalities where the local government has decided it needs more money... err, I mean, wants to ensure safety. :)
 
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