Posted this on the home improvement board with no luck, so I though I'd try here:

I'm having a small cabin (400 sf) built and am trying to get an idea of the cost to have an electrician wire it up. Anybody have a ballpark of what this might cost? Is there any of it that I could do myself to reduce the cost?

To what extent are you wanting to wire it? Just overhead lights, or wall outselts, etc. too?

Sounds like a great DIY project to me.

The full nine yards. Lights, window unit ac, electrical receptacles, hot water heater, stove etc.

it is so easy to do if done before putting in ceiling and covering interior walls. get someone to show you how if you dont know already, and DIY

it will take 2 to 3 hours depending on how many outlets you want, if you are putting in a breaker box, what kind of power supply you have

I can swap wiring services for some hunting!

I'm guessing a couple of grand

Unabomer alert

Why not just have an electrician put in the meter base, connect the service and install a panel. The rest, you could easily do yourself with the help of a DIY book. I would guess that would cost you $ 1-2k depending on vicinity to power lines.

How far will you have to bring the power to reach your cabin?
Not all hunting land has convenient power.

That could add to your costs pretty quickly.

There is a power drop immediately next to the cabin. That won't be an issue. I have a couple DIY books and believe I could wire everything after the panel. Should I have the panel installed first, or wire everything and then have the electrician connect it to the panel and double check my work.

I would have them wire in the panel first and get a meter set, then do your end. Just be very careful and you should be fine.

if you have someone set the meter, have a master cut off switch on that meter can. that way you can run the main wire into the cabin into a 50 to 100 amp breaker box, then run and connect all your romex, outlets, switches, etc while the power is off. then when you turn on the main breaker in the breaker box it will pop any breakers for circuits you wired incorrectly. there is a formula you can find easily on the net that shows the calculation for how many outlets you can put on a circuit. its something like amps = watts x volts

so if you have 20 amp breakers in the breaker box, you can calculate how much each circuit can handle

and those cost estimates are high i think. romex is not that expensive, a breaker box is $100, 15 amp breakers are about $10 each at home depot

DIY and learn something while saving $$

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it will pop any breakers for circuits you wired incorrectly.

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Step 2 is lighting the match to check for gas leaks.

We got a bid of $4k for a 3200 square foot barn. It's a DIY job for sure!

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amps = watts/volts

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FIFY

Most residential outlets are wired to 15A breakers (at least mine are), so if it's a 110V outlet then you could pull ~ 1650W before tripping the breaker.

You can put up to 6 receptacles on a 20A breaker. For a 400 sq ft place all you should need if you are just running normal items is a 100A panel with a Main Circuit Breaker with (6) 20A breakers. #12/2 Romex for all of the wiring for the lighting and receptacles. You will need #6 THHN to go inbetween the meter and the panel.

The switches and receptacles you can get at Home Depot, Lowes cheap and make sure they are rated at 20A. Any light fixtures will work on the 20A breakers and you should be able to put all of them on one circuit.

If you need any other info or help let me know.

Where (generally) is the cabin? I know an electrician that takes side jobs like this and is VERY reasonable.

North side of Lake Livingston. About 110 miles from Houston.

Sorry, he's in central Texas (Kyle).