Any advice/guesses on the cost to move an electric panel from inside a house to outside?
This is a lake cabin out in the middle of nowhere east Texas. 1960s era wiring. Recent storms took out the meter so while fixing it, I want to rewire the house also.
I've only found one electrician so far willing to come out and do the work. He wants to replace the old 150 amp inside control panel with a 200 amp outdoor panel. Quoted cost for this work is $2,400. Panel replacement and move only. Rewiring will be a separate quote. Seemed a bit high to me but some quick online checking makes it seem like maybe that price isn't unreasonable. Especially when my options appear to be limited, some travel time is involved, and knowing how ancient the existing system is.

Do electrical panel replacements/moves really run this high?

If I understand what you are saying, that $2400 covers materials and labor for mounting a 200A panel outside and running new wire from the meter to the new panel, but not adding any circuits inside the panel. If so, $2400 does seem a little high.

I suspect in the middle of nowhere you are pretty well forced to pay what the sole provider quotes.

That doesn't seem all that high considering the travel time is time he can't be on other jobs. I got quoted $1500 a few years back to swap out an old FP panel with something new and that was in suburban Houston area.

Being a cheapskate, if the power was disconnected, I'd just do it myself and hire then only to reconnect the main. It's not that hard to read the code and follow the MFG installation instructions, but it is tedious.

I paid $1500 6 years ago to upgrade my panel from an ancient 100 amp box. I could not even have an electric dryer in the house or the entire main breaker would blow if the oven or microwave was on and the AC was running.

It was already located outside.

If outside, please put a roof over it and raised patio/deck so feet not wet if/when you must toggle those breakers in foul weather..

Me thinks the panel price might be 30% high (blind to how far it must move + travel time) but would come down to a proper level if the whole wiring job was included.

The only savings I might entertain would be as the parts runner, gofering supplies the electrician forget or discovered needed on the job while working. Time & money saved.

Does this include a new meter can? (not sure what you meant by the storm took out the meter)
a new weather head, etc?

Why is he splitting the quote? Seems like it is all going to have to be done at once.

Quote:

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Do electrical panel replacements/moves really run this high?

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That could either be really high or really cheap, but it's hard to tell without an idea of scope. The distance and the PITA tax would certainly inflate it. New meter can, new service mast, distance between locations, access, more breakers than before to isolate loads, etc. What are you getting for $2400?

I flipped a panel from inside a closet to the outside wall and it was over $3000. $2400 seems like a good deal.

On the other hand, rewiribg the house will probably cost more than a car.

TexAg1987 said:

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Does this include a new meter can? (not sure what you meant by the storm took out the meter)
a new weather head, etc?

Why is he splitting the quote? Seems like it is all going to have to be done at once.

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Thanks Ags for the input.

I don't believe that the meter itself will need to be replaced. When hurricane Beryl blew through, it took out a limb which hit the power cable leading to the meter and resulted in the meter being pulled halfway off the house. But I assume it can be put back in place.

Quote is split up because the electrician wants to walk through the house and do an inspection before he quotes. So the idea is that he can go ahead and get power back to the house during the trip out to do the estimate.

Good thing is that I have a neighbor down the road who came through with two other electricians who have worked there before. So I'll be able to compare some pricing!

How are you going to move a panel without rewiring it?

The rewiring is rewiring the house. You can move a panel and extend existing branch circuits. Sounds like OP is doing all at once, but pricing is being done in two chunks.