Electric Hookup - How far is "far"?

Started by Ray_N, December 16, 2004, 11:21:03 AM

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Ray_N


I originally thought that if you can't can see the electric lines on a leafless day that electric hook up is pricey.

One book I am reading, and it is an old one, about cabins defines far as 1/2 mile from the nearest electric pole.

Of course where I'm planing to build is somewhere between that.   Are there any rules of thumb or good price per foot, or tips on how to get electric service for a semi-remote cabin.

I am in the Northeast if that makes a difference, and I do have a wheel to measure the linear difference if that helps.

Thanks

Neil

#1
What is the most expensive cost in laying out power lines?  Labor or materials?

I have a 40-acre tree farm (timber not Xmas) that I want to build on sometime.  The homesite I've chosen is probably 1/4 mile from the nearest junction box.  Since it's a tree farm, I will want the electric to be buried.  My plan is to bury the power lines along the driveway (an old logging road).  It won't be the shortest path, but it'll be a lot easier to trench and then bury the lines.  The shortest path will require dodging trees and going up a steeper grade.


glenn kangiser

Nowdays with electric deregulation, even if the power poles are on your property it can cost a ton of money - a few thousand or more - to hook up to power even for a short run.  You are nearly always saving money if you do the work yourself rather than having the power company do it.  A contractors price will usually fall between those two costs somewhere.  The power company and your local building department can usually give you the information regarding requirements to do the work yourself.  You can rent or hire a trencher or backhoe to dig the lines to your specs.

Cost of materials is directly related to the actual distance you have to go.  Labor cost nothing more than a bit of your available lifetime if you are willing and able to do it yourself.  I would have no problem doing the conduit myself however would need help pulling in the cables.  Many times you can find a local electrician who is willing to help for a fee.

Glenn
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

Ray_N


I spoke to the local zoning guy and mentioned my electric hookup question.  Where the land is he said $10 per linear foot after the first 100 feet,  I believe this was a contractor not the electric company.

So a thousand feet off the road runs about $9000,  which for a little house is a big portion of the total cost.

CTBuilder

There a good number of variables for this. My homes power runs 1100 feet underground.  There is a transformer at 800 feet and then 300 feet to the house.

I laid the 3 conduits myself and that should run around $3K for material. The power company charge 5K to install power. Because I did the labor myself it was cheap than overhead as that runs $1K a pole and I would have needed 5 poles to span the distance.

Now, that is here in CT. I've had a client build in NY who ran the same length but codes do not require condiut where he was so he direct buried the cable which saved him the expense of conduit but leaves out the future ability for repairs or expansion if needed.

The best bet is to call the power company and find out exactly what they require for service.


Amanda_931

Well, in this county our electric company charges $775/pole, and I could definitely see electric lines down on the lower end of my properties.  Three poles,  plus a temporary (trailer) pole.

Across the street a couple had paid less than ten grand for a shell house, was horrified to learn that the electric company wanted more than that to send them electricity.  

I think they may have spent a little less than that because they bought another five acres or so, and then got someone with a ditchwitch to dig a trench for the wire.

If it happens to me, as it may, up the hill, it sounds like a good excuse to go PV.  Then, when the electricity goes out like it did Wednesday night for a couple of hours, I won't care!

As it was, I was just glad that it was only for three hours--of ice and snow, and it hasn't been above freezing since.

I love travel trailers.