Cost of outdoor isolator switch installation ?
Discussion
Hi folks / electricians !
I need to get a ~30Amp Rotary outdoor isolator switch fitted and wondered what the pistonheads experience is for cost.
Electrician came round. He said the feed would be taken direct from the "box" outside and not from my fuse box (so no "indoor" work)..but it's a long cable run. It would go up 1 side of the house, into the loft, across the loft then out the other side of the house and back down to 1 metre above ground on the other side. Let's say 40 metres of cable total.
How much to do that ? They quoted £625 + VAT....which totally baffled me. Clear access to all areas, a couple of holes drilled for cable entry / exit to loft...then run the cable and "attach" at both ends.
If you are an electician...is this reasonable ? or am I being fleeced !
Thanks for your thoughts / experience.
I need to get a ~30Amp Rotary outdoor isolator switch fitted and wondered what the pistonheads experience is for cost.
Electrician came round. He said the feed would be taken direct from the "box" outside and not from my fuse box (so no "indoor" work)..but it's a long cable run. It would go up 1 side of the house, into the loft, across the loft then out the other side of the house and back down to 1 metre above ground on the other side. Let's say 40 metres of cable total.
How much to do that ? They quoted £625 + VAT....which totally baffled me. Clear access to all areas, a couple of holes drilled for cable entry / exit to loft...then run the cable and "attach" at both ends.
If you are an electician...is this reasonable ? or am I being fleeced !
Thanks for your thoughts / experience.
Out of interest, what's it for?
Re the price. Armoured cable is not cheap, plus other parts, some sort of circuit breaker etc. . Two men for a good chunk of a day, ladders etc. Plus he's already been around and quoted, so that has to be costed. Bit toppy but not an unreasonable price.
Re the price. Armoured cable is not cheap, plus other parts, some sort of circuit breaker etc. . Two men for a good chunk of a day, ladders etc. Plus he's already been around and quoted, so that has to be costed. Bit toppy but not an unreasonable price.
Edited by megaphone on Wednesday 1st October 12:56
Hot tub....32 Amp actually quoted for.
I'm no electrician...but I see materials as :
1 * circuit breaker fuse in the outside electrical box
1 * outdoor rotary switch
50 metres of the right cable
+ bits and bobs....
Surely that can't be more than £150 (happy to be corrected, I have no clue..I'm just reacting to a proposed bill for £750)....in which case...nearly £500 labour !! How long can it take ?
I'm no electrician...but I see materials as :
1 * circuit breaker fuse in the outside electrical box
1 * outdoor rotary switch
50 metres of the right cable
+ bits and bobs....
Surely that can't be more than £150 (happy to be corrected, I have no clue..I'm just reacting to a proposed bill for £750)....in which case...nearly £500 labour !! How long can it take ?
Edited by Steve Campbell on Wednesday 1st October 12:59
Thanks folks. Layout is absolutely simple. Electricity meter box at chest height on one side of the house, straight up to gable end, into the loft...across and out the other side...then straight down to the rotary switch. Easy access to all areas, can't see any problems from that perspective.
ch427 said:
Isnt putting mods in the outside meter box frowned upon?
Just interested to know.
Can anyone comment on this ?Just interested to know.
We've now got 3 quotes, all from fully qualified electricians. Only one has mentioned a concern over fitting into the external box. He has said he needs to check with the electricity company to see if they are ok ?
The other 2 have just quoted to take the feed with fitting some type of RCD in the outside box and said that's fine
Thoughts from any qualified electricians ?
R1 Indy said:
Sounds a tad expensive, as a guess without seeing the layout.
50M 6mm SWA £150+ Vat
Clips, breakers, misc £30+ Vat
Labour £200 + vat
So around £400+ Vat.
Nooooooooo 50M 6mm SWA £150+ Vat
Clips, breakers, misc £30+ Vat
Labour £200 + vat
So around £400+ Vat.
Need to know loading of hot tub , the distance from the supply and the load of the hot tub may require a larger cable , external supplies require will RCD protection
Don't rely on back of fag packet DIY advice , get a NIEC or ECA registered sparks to quote , and get more than one quote
BTW , OP what "box outside " ?
Is he suggesting direct from meter if so a additional DB/ switch fuse will be required
Quote don't sound too bad to me
Edited by MX51ROD on Saturday 4th October 17:26
3 registered sparks have quoted. Agreed that price wasn't too far out. It's Notth of £500 for all of them.
2 have said they can run "from the outside box" with appropriate connections/RCD. One has said he can't do that without checking with the authorities ? Don't really understand as from what I understand, they have no intention of messing with the meter, just tapping into the supply on the "house" side somehow ?
Interesting that 3 qualified electricians have 2 approaches. All have been good in discussing options for routing the cables (internally or externally).
The outside box is where the meter is...but they can easily acces the cable that feeds our main fuse box in the house. I think that's what 2 of them want to "tap into" ?
2 have said they can run "from the outside box" with appropriate connections/RCD. One has said he can't do that without checking with the authorities ? Don't really understand as from what I understand, they have no intention of messing with the meter, just tapping into the supply on the "house" side somehow ?
Interesting that 3 qualified electricians have 2 approaches. All have been good in discussing options for routing the cables (internally or externally).
The outside box is where the meter is...but they can easily acces the cable that feeds our main fuse box in the house. I think that's what 2 of them want to "tap into" ?
Edited by Steve Campbell on Saturday 4th October 18:12
Problem is , without seeing the meter set up it is difficult to give a definite answer .
It is not about legality , more what local electricity suppliers allow .
There is nothing wrong in adding a switch fuse or small rcd controlled distribution board alongside the meter , but some suppliers are a bit precious about how much space there is around the meter .
An additional load can be connected via a large purpose made connector block alongside existing load , as I said it is all about space available
It is not about legality , more what local electricity suppliers allow .
There is nothing wrong in adding a switch fuse or small rcd controlled distribution board alongside the meter , but some suppliers are a bit precious about how much space there is around the meter .
An additional load can be connected via a large purpose made connector block alongside existing load , as I said it is all about space available
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