Adding main breaker

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Now I am glad I didn't the job, alot of good replies that will come in handy down. Again as always thanks for sharing your knowledge.
 
guschash said:
Customer sold his house but AHJ said his panel needs to have a main breaker. Right now its wired from meter to the panel's main lugs. I told him I can put a 100Amp breaker in but I would have pull longer wires in also because the ones going to lugs would be to short to reach new breaker. I gave him a quote of $250 plus materials. He said that was to high,I said OK have a nice day. Was I to high?
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How many breakers were in the existing panel? were there more then six, was this an occupancy inspection? where violations must be corrected before the new owner can occupy the home?

If the panel only had 6 breakers installed, I can't see a problem with that, however if someone installed more breakers, they created a problem.
 
I would have tried

I would have tried

to get a panel change out of this. this sounds like a homeowner special tried to do his own service change and screwed it up. 500 minimum for a 100 amp more if grounding involved inspection fees and option for all new breakers. If you have a hypress it is the best way to extend feeders provided they are in good shape otherwise see if you can move the new panel either up or down to gain enough slack on the service conductors. most home improvement stores sell contractor packs which supply many new breakers along with panel and mains.
 
Customers Pain in the buttocks

Customers Pain in the buttocks

Just good advice from annother contractor to me said get rid of problem customers. There are so many out there that are not a problem that when you get a problem customer go buy a pair of sneakers and run as fast as you can away from them after they pay you of course. If they keep coming back keep doubling your normal prices until they go away for good.
 
iwire said:
Dale the fact that your area requires an EC to fix things that have nothing to do with the work they where hired to do I find disturbing.
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Around here, they would consider installing a main breaker in a service, changing the service. As far as the grounding, it is part of the service and you would be required to bring the grounding up to code with the service.
 
bradleyelectric said:
Around here, they would consider installing a main breaker in a service, changing the service. As far as the grounding, it is part of the service and you would be required to bring the grounding up to code with the service.
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I really don't see this line of reasoning as being in conflict with the rules that iwire quoted earlier. It's not as if they are trying to get you to install GFCI protected receptacles in the bathroom only to bring the service up to code. If there was an existing main breaker and you only wanted to change it out that would be a different situation.

Here if I change out a meter based an nothing else there is no problem but if any of the service cable is defective and needs to be changed it's back to rebuilding the service and everthing up to code. Big cost difference.

That's why it's important to inspect the job before quoting a firm price. This way the customer knows what the job will cost up front and not get nickeled and dimed to death by two are three contractors.
 
satcom, see 408.16(A) ex. 2 (2002). I get this call from a lot of home owners after the "home inspector" has been there.

I'm wondering if the inspector really wanted a main in the panel or a disconnect nearest the point of entrance. Out here we never install anything other than all-in-ones.
 
cowboyjwc said:
satcom, see 408.16(A) ex. 2 (2002). I get this call from a lot of home owners after the "home inspector" has been there.

I'm wondering if the inspector really wanted a main in the panel or a disconnect nearest the point of entrance. Out here we never install anything other than all-in-ones.
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Yup, he most likely wanted a disconnect, because someone added more then six breakers, and may have overloaded the service, problem is, we really don't know why he asked for the disconnect. IMO 408,16(A) ex. 2 should have a footnote on service loading. I do understand your position, and I agree as long as it is not an overload condition, adding a breaker in an existing installation, the six switch rule, when the panel is used as a service still applies.

We also get a lot of calls, most of them from home inspectors comments.

This is a good topic, considering home inspectors are commenting on this issue.
 
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Colorado agrees too...

Colorado agrees too...

I too think $250 is too low.

Granted, you could get a main breaker for $50-$60, and you could probably even install the breaker and complete the job in under an hour.

However, you would need to charge for material, labor, inspection time, permit fees...

Even if the cost didn't run you $250, I still think you're low.

Then there's the warranty issue... All the "what if's" come to mind.

Today I installed a GE surge arrestor. Took less than 10 minutes to install. However, I still charged $70 in labor.
I had to go and purchase the surge arrestor... time everywhere...

Greg :cool:
 
Greg Swartz said:
Today I installed a GE surge arrestor. Took less than 10 minutes to install. However, I still charged $70 in labor.
I had to go and purchase the surge arrestor... time everywhere...

Greg :cool:
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Do you think you would not have gotten this job if you charged $85 for your labor?
 
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