Change The Old Fuse Box The Circuit Breaker
i saw a house is 44 yeas old and it has old style fuse box for the electrical system. does anybody know how much it normally cost to install a circuit breaker? i know know what else information you need in order to estimate, i just clueless on this one, a ballpark is fine thank you
Sally
Odds are, if it's got that old of a breaker box, all the wiring's going to have to be replaced to get it up to code, 'cause way back then, they used a 2-wire system, with the only ground at the breaker box, so you need to get an estimate on rewiring the entire house.
Upgrade of electrical where I live to a 200 amp service runs anywhere from 1200-1800. My guy does it for $1200 but he IS the cheapest in town.
Tim
I just paid $952 to put a pedistal outside in and $452 to bring the electric to the house.
Putting in a box is between $1000 to $1500 in the State of Wi.
Pulling the cable is essentially time & material.
To do an entire 3/2 ranch, you're looking at 2 to 3k -if you buy the wire & pull it yourself, then you're looking at cost.
Many times the electrician will pull the permit and allow you to do the wiring after he's installed the box.
Thanks :-D ,
OnTheWater
Just because a house has a fuse panel does not mean the existing wiring can not be used..........get several bids and go from there........
around here its average around 1500 - 2000.00
I concure, the house isn't that old. The 1000-2000 prices quoted here seem within reason.
I'm a former electrical contractor and agree with the last two posters. A rewire is usually only needed when the house has knob and tube type wiring which to my knowledge was no longer used in the 60's, look in the basement for exposed wires attatched to ceramic insulators.
Odds are the house is wired in BX ( 2 wires covered in a metal sheath) which is fine.
[ Edited by LoneGunman on Date 05/08/2004 ]
I just had a 100 amp panel put in a small bungalo I have as a rental.
The panel i bought at home depot for $49 dollers including some breakers. This was a "Square D", not junk.
It took the electrician 4.5 hours to install because of other things that I wanted done.
Electricians bill was $211.55 including misc. wire fittings ect.
Total cost $260.55
Try getting a union guy off of the couch for that. (my brother is a union elect. in another state and that was his comment)
JohnNH
thank you for everybody's kind replies!!!
I may have a silly question, but what is so bad about simply keeping the current fuse box? I have several units that have fuse boxes and I have generally simply replaced the fuses with the screw in circuit breakers. That way you don't have to worry about the tenant putting in a fuse that is too large for the circuit. I know that some insurance companies have a problem with fuse boxes but mine doesn't. Any other reasons for going to the expense of changing out the box?
What years would most likely have the knob and tube type system? I have heard of this but do not know which time period would most likely have it and what to look for.
Quote:
On 2004-05-10 21:41, pushcart wrote:
What years would most likely have the knob and tube type system? I have heard of this but do not know which time period would most likely have it and what to look for.
Pre 1950 or so. You cant miss it, look in the basement or attic for wires that are wrapped around ceramic knobs. You'll have two wires one black and one white with only a rubber and cloth like covering. Major problems with knob and tube is no ground and the rubber and cloth break down over time .
I just had my 150amp box replaced with a GE breaker box. The 50's wiring was not brittle and the electrician said the home in this area is grandfathered. The cost was $450.00 Plus they removed a wired in but dead extra meter.