masanori Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I am getting ready to hook up my hot tub.We had an electrician give us an est. Cost was $1650 The tub is 50amps and. The. Cable run is75ft.Only 25 ft will be inground.It seems high ILive in NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdubya200 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I havent had mine run yet, but that does indeed sound high at first glance. Id check Craigslist, lots of guys post there to run electrical for hot tubs. Local hot tub dealers could also point you towards their contractors too. We're having some major reconstruction done, and guys are hungry to work. I havent had anybody get angry when I counter on their initial bid at a lower, yet still reasonable in my eyes, price. If they need the work, and your price leaves some money for them...they'll do it. Finding a licensed electrician who isnt bidding out jobs for his employer ( the Craigslist route) can save you a ton of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimKW Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I did mine last March and I think it ran right around $700. Ran it about 50' in the basement and about 25 from the box to the tub. They quoted me about $550, but it ended up costing a little more. I had a professional electrician that works for one of the Hot Tub Dealers in the area do it, but I did not go through the dealer. Just contacted them directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Itchy and Scratchy Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 In California I was quoated $10 a foot that was assuming no trenching or underground wiring. Your quoate seems high but you won't know untill you see what other contractors in YOUR area charge. All codes very which affects cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getnold Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I called around in NY also. One quote was $1650 and the other was $800. 60 foot total run, 10 feet under an existing paver patio that needs to be torn up and replaced. Make sure the electrician is certified in the county you live in. Otherwise you won't be able to get the saftey inspection signed by the town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endorfin Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 In MA, I got two quotes from reputable, local electricians. One was 1,200 and the other was just under $700. This included moving some breakers on my main panel to allow for a double breaker. Then add the double breaker inside and the GFCI / disconnect outside. About 40' inside and 20' outside, plus connection to tub. Went with the low quote - happy. I did learn the actual panel you have can make a difference. Also, the wiring was pretty easy inside the house as it went through an unfinished part of the basement. Definitely worth getting more than one quote just to keep them honest (or at least let them know you are getting another quote even if you don't). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdubya200 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 THose are some really varied quotes. Crazy how they can differ from contractor to contractor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masanori Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 THose are some really varied quotes. Crazy how they can differ from contractor to contractor. I will get another est.MY Basement is also unfinished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveR Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I had a qoute of $1,800 which included upgrading my main panel to 200 amp a 40ft run to the sub panel and a 30ft run to the tub. I ended up doing it all myself for under $700. Inspected and signed off. Here just a tub hookup runs around $500-700. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdubya200 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Yeah...that sounds reasonably close to what I expect for my 50 or so foot run. Our walls are totally open right now, so were going to run it through the walls vs conduit outside/buried. Should save a significant amount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1oty Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Be sure that you compare apples to apples when evaluating quotes from electricians. Any electrician who gives a quote without reading the installation instructions is not likely to properly quote and perform the job. Various tubs require different conductors and/or wiring methods. Many electricians even low-ball their bids in order to obtain the job and then proceed to use sub-standard material, creating a hazardous condition. And don't expect the electrical inspector's to catch any shortcuts, as most of them are not fluent with Article 680 of the NEC. You really want to ensure that you use an electrician who is very familiar with hot tubs and their unique code requirements. Generally speaking, that usually means getting a referral from your hot tub dealer. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoolSpaGuy30 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Be sure that you compare apples to apples when evaluating quotes from electricians. Any electrician who gives a quote without reading the installation instructions is not likely to properly quote and perform the job. Various tubs require different conductors and/or wiring methods. Many electricians even low-ball their bids in order to obtain the job and then proceed to use sub-standard material, creating a hazardous condition. And don't expect the electrical inspector's to catch any shortcuts, as most of them are not fluent with Article 680 of the NEC. You really want to ensure that you use an electrician who is very familiar with hot tubs and their unique code requirements. Generally speaking, that usually means getting a referral from your hot tub dealer. John best advice possible is in bold...any dealer who has been in business for basically any amount of time is going to have an electrician they use/recommend. Calling "joe blow" off craiglist who shoots you a super cheap number over the phone sounds good $ wise, but in the end, just as stated by N1oty you might end up with sub-par materials/installation which could lead to serious issues down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdubya200 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Just bc they are on craigslist or other classified ads doesnt mean they are automatically dangerous. Ive seen some RIDICULOUS wiring jobs done from contractor referred Electricians too. I do agree that asking for referrals from the HT dealer is a great idea though. If they refer Steve's Electrical Service, who then sends John out who works for Steve, and he bids $1,000, but also moonlights on the side, and you find John on craigslist for $700 bucks, and he uses the same or equitable materials and does the job well...AND IS LICENSED AND INSURED....is it wrong that he came cheaper from a classified ad vs a referral? I realize that my example is Black vs Blue where there are many shades of gray, but just saying that if you do your research and know where the money is going , paying less for something doesnt necessarily make it inferior to something that costs more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drylandfarmer Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I would recommend using a qualified electrician recommended by your dealer. The lowest cost electrician quote is not always the best idea. There was a post a while back about a hotspring tub hooked up to a 50amp where a 60amp was required. Mistakes can be costly and the headaches would not be worth it. My cost for hooking up my tub recently was $648. This did not include the wire as it was run when the house was built 6 years ago and this did not include the GFI breaker as this was supplied by the dealer. I am guessing the total cast from scratch may have been in the $1000 range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
footie Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Mine cost me a crate of beer and the cost of the materials. Hooked up be a mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drylandfarmer Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Mine cost me a crate of beer and the cost of the materials. Hooked up be a mate. That is always the best route to go. Usually those kind of jobs can take all day and into the early evening hours. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey_in_NY Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 I live in Western NY. Paid licensed contractor about $800 for approx 40' run in basement, and 10' (above ground) outside from basement to tub - 60A circuit. $80 of the cost was for town permit (a necessary rip-off). Didn't need new service panel. I had quotes ranging from $650 to $1,800 for EXACTLY the same work, so shop around. Word of caution - as another poster said make sure your contractor is licensed to operate in your town and/or county else you won't get a permit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouth Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 I had 3 Quotes here in Michigan and all were around $825.00 for approx. 50'. I called the township and they recommended one of them, then I found a 10% off coupon in the Phone Book, so my total was $742.50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ataDude Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 $780 in Texas for 120 feet of 6/3 + ground, 50 amp breakers, 50 amp GFCI. Most of the cable was run in the attic... about 20 feet had to be buried as it exited the attic on the far side of the house. GFCI was mounted on exterior wall about half-way through the wiring run. All to code. Used Angie's List to find the electrician... generally pretty good info with recommendations (or not) along with some prices paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdubya200 Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 Sounds like you did very well. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1oty Posted March 27, 2011 Report Share Posted March 27, 2011 $780 in Texas for 120 feet of 6/3 + ground, 50 amp breakers, 50 amp GFCI. Most of the cable was run in the attic... about 20 feet had to be buried as it exited the attic on the far side of the house. GFCI was mounted on exterior wall about half-way through the wiring run. All to code. Used Angie's List to find the electrician... generally pretty good info with recommendations (or not) along with some prices paid. To code, huh??? What was the temperature rating of the installed conductors and what is the hottest temperature that your attic gets to?? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puckyhuddle Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 $780 in Texas for 120 feet of 6/3 + ground, 50 amp breakers, 50 amp GFCI. Most of the cable was run in the attic... about 20 feet had to be buried as it exited the attic on the far side of the house. GFCI was mounted on exterior wall about half-way through the wiring run. All to code. Used Angie's List to find the electrician... generally pretty good info with recommendations (or not) along with some prices paid. To code, huh??? What was the temperature rating of the installed conductors and what is the hottest temperature that your attic gets to?? John I just had an install done - cost $1200. 30' run to outside of house, then another 20' flex conduit to the tub. Also included adding a new outside outlet. Had another estimate of $1,350 for just the tub run. Tub dealer told me to expect around $1,000. Your estimate seems high. I live on Long Island, so prices tend to be higher than other areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1oty Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 $780 in Texas for 120 feet of 6/3 + ground, 50 amp breakers, 50 amp GFCI. Most of the cable was run in the attic... about 20 feet had to be buried as it exited the attic on the far side of the house. GFCI was mounted on exterior wall about half-way through the wiring run. All to code. Used Angie's List to find the electrician... generally pretty good info with recommendations (or not) along with some prices paid. To code, huh??? What was the temperature rating of the installed conductors and what is the hottest temperature that your attic gets to?? John I just had an install done - cost $1200. 30' run to outside of house, then another 20' flex conduit to the tub. Also included adding a new outside outlet. Had another estimate of $1,350 for just the tub run. Tub dealer told me to expect around $1,000. Your estimate seems high. I live on Long Island, so prices tend to be higher than other areas. Look, all of these "estimates" are not worth the paper they are printed on unless they specify EXACTLY the size, length and conductor type that the electrician plans to install. I have had 5 forensic examinations that I have performed in the past few months that involved hot tub failures caused by low bid electrician screw-ups, one of which involved the loss of the house due to fire. I asked the guy in Texas, who has stated he has #6 AWG conductors running through his attic, to inform us what the temperature rating of his #6 is. We haven't heard from him as yet, but if it is rated 60 C or 75 C, he may be screwed. It is reasonably safe to assume that his attic gets fairly hot in the summer, even if it is well ventilated. Any temperature above 86 Fahrenheit results in a de-rating of the ampacity of the conductors. The amount of the de-rating is dependent on the highest ambient temperature encountered, with very warm attics frequently requiring a halving of the conductors ampacity. It does you no good to have the low bidder install something like #6 NM-B with a 55 amp ampacity at 86F for your 50 amp tub, then have the attic lower the maximum ampacity of the conductors to 30 amps due to de-rating. Your 50 amp breaker will not trip in this instance, yet your conductors in the attic are likely to catch fire. For anyone who cares to read up on the information that I am talking about, I refer to Article 310 of the NEC. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n1oty Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 $780 in Texas for 120 feet of 6/3 + ground, 50 amp breakers, 50 amp GFCI. Most of the cable was run in the attic... about 20 feet had to be buried as it exited the attic on the far side of the house. GFCI was mounted on exterior wall about half-way through the wiring run. All to code. Used Angie's List to find the electrician... generally pretty good info with recommendations (or not) along with some prices paid. To code, huh??? What was the temperature rating of the installed conductors and what is the hottest temperature that your attic gets to?? John I just had an install done - cost $1200. 30' run to outside of house, then another 20' flex conduit to the tub. Also included adding a new outside outlet. Had another estimate of $1,350 for just the tub run. Tub dealer told me to expect around $1,000. Your estimate seems high. I live on Long Island, so prices tend to be higher than other areas. I forgot to mention that your 20 foot length of flex is a violation of Article 680.42 of the NEC. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveR Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 I forgot to mention that your 20 foot length of flex is a violation of Article 680.42 of the NEC. John agreed - I believe only 6 ft of water tight flex is allowed. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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