i want 220 vac

[Jim0424]

Hi, all. I want to have 220-volt service run to my garage, I mean my shop, for all the obvious reasons. The utility pole is located right next to the corner of the building, and I'd like to have 100-amp service to an independent box. My question is: utility costs aside, what am I looking at for installation? I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and want the installation done right. I'm not at the point of calling an electrician for an estimate; I'm at the budgeting stage. Am I looking at $500, $1,000, more? Ballpark is all I'm looking for.
Thanks to any and all who care to reply.

[Crash2510]

If you are talking seperate meters depending on how far you are from pole to new breaker box can be 1000 dollars or more depending on breaker box etc.

[gary]

My local code will not allow another meter unless the building (shop) is detached from the house. You might want to check that if your shop is attached.

[LCHIEN]

you need to make a description of what exactly you want. Then you can ask for a ballpark quote, maybe over the phone.

Sounds like you want:
100A Sub box located a few feet from your main box inthe garage. (I'm assuming the main service entry box is in your gaage - an important factor)
1, 2 or 3 220V, 20A (or 30A?) Circuits located x feet away in the (unfinished) garage, one outlet per circuit
1, 2 or 3 120V 20A circuits located x feet away in the garage. You need to decide how many duplex outlets you want per circuit,

you need to decide how many circuits you want.
I would suggest individual circuits for at least air compressor, table saw, and dust collector, and air conditioning. Whether they are 220V or 120V is up to you.

[crokett]

You are looking at 1000.00 or more. Loring gave some good advice. Decide exactly what you want, then call for estimates. You may have call several companies to find someone to come out.

[SteveJ]

If all you want is a 240 volt outlet, then you could save a lot of money by installing the outlet and running the wire yourself. Once the wire reaches the power panel have an electrician connect it for you.

Steve

P/s you have to have space in your existing panel for the new breaker.

[scorrpio]

The biggest question is: what service do you have now, how many amps? How much amps does house take? Electric range/oven, electric dryer, electric heating/hot water? Those are the biggest draws, if you have gas/oil heat, house itself should not be using a lot of juice. Or you might want to upgrade to a larger service.

Now, I myself ran a cable to a detached shop, and installed a subpanel there. For the time being, I only have four 120V circuits there, but I have plenty of space for more, including 240V if needed. The cable, subpanel kit, conduits, fittings, boxes, outlets and all that cost me around $400 total. That is just materials for a DIY, so with labor you are likely to go well over $1000.

[mdutch]

I was investigating this myself this weekend, and also live in the D/FW area.

Basically, if you're running from your main service panel, you'll need to have an electrician (or you if you're qualified, but I never said that..!) add a load-center or a service panel. The difference between them, is the service panel has a 100A breaker with positions ror various circuit breakers below. The load-center panel has just breaker positions, with no main breaker.

I think you'd want a load-center panel, fed from a 100A breaker in your main panel at the house. Electrician will run three #1 or #0 (single ought) wires from your service panel to the distribution panel, (the two hot sides of the phase, and the neutral).

Local (shop) circuits are protected by the breakers in the load center. If the load center has a big electrical short, the 100A breaker back at the house trips.

SAFETY FIRST: I'd recommend you drive a new 8" ground rod just outside your shop into the wettest location you can find and ground your panel to that. Don't use a water pipe or the service-panel ground. I'd suggest you use dedicated circuits for anything with a big electric motor (saw, compressor, DCS, etc.) and GFCI circuits for non-dedicated circuits (regular plugs for hand-power tools), use metal boxes throughout the shop, and ground them all. This will help avoid death when you're operating a belt-sander and your 4 year old grandson decides to spray you playfully with the hose.

Now to answer your question. I'm going to do my work myself. Main panel is on one side of the garage, load center on the other. Short runs, no outdoor work. I won't buy GE panels or breakers, I'm a Square-D man. So panel, breakers, and wire will run about $200. Additional outlets, wire, faceplates, and switches, probably another $100. Lights about $300 (Class A ballast for low-noise and no-flicker winter lighting). Total budget, $600, and that's high. I'll have enough for a couple cases of german beer at the end of the job.

Since it's from one building to another, I'd get a licensed electrician and consider an electrical building permit. Doing otherwise may void your homeowner's policy!!