Hot Tub Forum

Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: RK23 on October 24, 2007, 02:24:21 pm

Title: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: RK23 on October 24, 2007, 02:24:21 pm
Could folks share what the expected or actual costs were for an electrician to set up a hot tub?  The distance from the main electrical box to the GFCI sub panel is about 30ft of unfinished basement.  The distance from the GFCI sub panel to the hot tub is about 15 ft, under a deck.

I live in New England, but would be interested in both labor and material estimates no matter where you live.  Please note that I already have the GFCI sub panel, which comes with the hot tub.

Thanks
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: cburk0677 on October 24, 2007, 02:35:56 pm
I live in Indy and my electric was base charge of $450 which included 40ft of wiring. Additional ft was $8 a foot. I had a fairly long run so my total install was around $900.00
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: tinybubbles on October 24, 2007, 02:40:09 pm
We did it ourselves.  The GFCI was $90.  We paid a little over $3.00 a ft. for the wire.  Then there was the cost for conduit and fittings, but this wasn't much so I don't remember.  Around here, the general rule of thumb is that electricians will charge the same amount for the labor that the materials cost...so $250 materials, $250 for labor....$500 total.  I have seen people on here with quotes all over the place for the same job.  
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: 96SC on October 24, 2007, 02:47:18 pm
I'm in the deep south.  We recently had our sevice ran and had the sub panel that came with the spa.  From our electrical box to the sub panel was about 45 feet (all outside in plastic conduit), from the sub panel to the spa with wiring (again in plastic conduit) ran under a new patio was about 20 feet.  (The electrician layed all the conduit).  Total came to $585.00.
The electrician is the designated installer for the dealer we bought our spa from which may have helped cost-wise.

Hope this helps, but the south is usually cheaper than in New England, California, Chicago...just about anywhere.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: RK23 on October 24, 2007, 02:49:32 pm
Thanks for the quick responses.  My quote is just over $800, which seems like it's in the ballpark, considering I'm in Massachusetts.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: 96SC on October 24, 2007, 02:57:04 pm
Quote
in the ballpark ..... I'm in Massachusetts.

[size=16]Go Rockies[/size]  Sorry, RK.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: Jacuzzi Jim on October 24, 2007, 02:59:17 pm
 Average in the Pac N,West is 8 to 1200.00
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: Dr. Spa™ Ret. on October 24, 2007, 03:04:57 pm
8 is pretty good. The lowest I ever did was $20, and I once bid a job at $3000 (while I was the lowest bid, the customer decided not to get a spa at all).
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: loosenupspas on October 24, 2007, 03:09:01 pm
In Florida, the breaker and other hardware is $310.....4 wire & 6 guage is $7.00 per foot above ground and up to $11.00 if trenching is involved.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: Dr. Spa™ Ret. on October 24, 2007, 03:58:45 pm
Gotta love digging in sand.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: Vanguard on October 24, 2007, 05:17:37 pm
Quote
Thanks for the quick responses.  My quote is just over $800, which seems like it's in the ballpark, considering I'm in Massachusetts.

Always costs more when unions get involved.  
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: Doobiewah on October 24, 2007, 05:37:04 pm
Hello,

I've gotten four quotes to go from a box, 100' through a ceiling, then into a GFCI Breaker box, then another 10' under a deck to the spa.  The bids ranged from $700 to $1200.  This is in Flagstaff, AZ.  The cheapest quote was the smallest (owner and one assistant) company.  The highest was from the biggest electrical contractor in town.  My neighbor, a local developer, told me to call a couple of small guys as they have less overhead and will charge 20% less.  This seems to have been the case here.  Make sure the contractor is familiar with spa connections, as two of the spa dealers that I've spoken to told me that the have several spas a year burn out when the electrician is not 'spa friendly'.  Also, with the price of copper, make sure that they are not skimping on the wire gauge to save money (caught one bid with that as an issue...he quoted a smaller wire than I had requested).

HTH...from a newbie who is in the middle of researching and (hopefully) buying a new spa...

The Doob
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: D.P. Roberts on October 24, 2007, 08:04:28 pm
Quote
We did it ourselves.  The GFCI was $90.  We paid a little over $3.00 a ft. for the wire.  Then there was the cost for conduit and fittings, but this wasn't much so I don't remember.  Around here, the general rule of thumb is that electricians will charge the same amount for the labor that the materials cost...so $250 materials, $250 for labor....$500 total.  I have seen people on here with quotes all over the place for the same job.  

Did you have to get a permit for this, or get an electrician to sign off on your work? I'm thinking of redoing my wiring (eventually), and I know I can run 6/3 wire right where the 8/3 was, so I really don't want to pay an electrician for that part.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: rphman on October 24, 2007, 09:14:16 pm
Did my own. Panel came with the Caldera tub, 30 feet from panel to panel in unfinished basement and 12 feet from panel to tub under deck. Cost me $200 plus a couple of hours.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: RK23 on October 24, 2007, 09:48:24 pm
Quote

[size=16]Go Rockies[/size]  Sorry, RK.

My sox are doing allright so far....but it's early.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: mattNY on October 24, 2007, 10:19:13 pm
I live in NY, mine was $175 for the subpanel box, and $350 for all of the electrician's work (about a 30 ft. run).  $525 total.
Title: Re: Electrical Setup Costs
Post by: tinybubbles on October 25, 2007, 10:22:52 am
No permit DP and no electrician to sign off on anything.  It could be different where you live.  Here, if there is an electrical permit required, the homeowner can sign an affadavit if they are doing the work themselves.  That's what we did when we built our house.  We knew the guy that did the wiring and my husband helped.  Since he normally works for a guy that has the license, but was doing this on the side, my hubby just had to file the paperwork.