Rewiring the shop/running cable for another box: painless, or painful?

[Kerry Krishna]

I had a ticketed Electrician come in today to tell me everything that I needed to get my shop wired up better than it is now.  It was decided that the two of us could work together ( not always the case eh?) and my good buddy 'M'  and I will be roughing in a 130 length of TEC cable to my shop from the main BUSS into the building, and I will be buying a new box, all the breakers, and all that goes with doing this. I am pretty excited that this work is going to be finally getting done, and it begins to look like many of the electrical projects that I have been wanting to get done, may become a reality now that this guy is going to help. The new panel means I can also finish two big projects that were 85% finished too. 

 

   The TEC cable is good for 100 amp (?) service, and runs 3 bucks a foot, the box will be several hundred bucks, and he is only charging me $45 an hour. 'M' and I will be pricing all of the extensive parts list out tomorrow, and I am happily expecting this phase to come in under 1200 bucks. 

 I had no clue what the box and line would cost actually, or how expensive an electrician could possibly be.  It all sounds so good now! I am much relieved after a week of wondering/worrying... 

He said that all the different projects could be done over time, so that I am not forking out (say possibly) 4k in the next month. I hope that 'N' will be on my acquaintances list, and that I will be able to call him and get him to come and help (and pay him of course) when I need it. 

 I have never been thrilled with the number of outlets in my shop, and though none of the wiring is worrisome according to the 'N',  I am pretty sure that I will be able to ( with some adult supervision)  replace all of it, AND add in a few 220V outlets too. Cement wall construction means running a ton of BX cable, (is that what you Americans call it? Armoured cable of the right gauge) 

  'M' and I will do all the roughing in work , as he has done this exact work several times in the last decade, and 'N' will come in for final inspection and wiring it all up.

 The building's landlord is so good to me also, and it makes no difference to him at all that this work is being done. He makes it so easy to be a good tenant!

 

[Kerry Krishna]

No replies. OK, I will continue anyway... I will be picking everything up in the next few days. M came over today and we got a large ladder and scoped out the path we will be using above the basement ceiling. The cable path is only 90 feet end to end, So that plus a 125 amp box, plus N's final bill will likely be coming in under $1000.