Hey everyone, I'm facing a bit of a dilemma with my house's electrical setup. The main panel is in a really inconvenient place, making it tough to add new circuits without tearing down parts of the walls and ceiling. We need to get power to a garage subpanel, and my contractor gave me an outrageous quote for running wires through the house. However, a neighbor who's a retired electrician suggested that we could just bury a metal conduit around the house instead, which seems simpler. But when I asked my contractor about this, he claimed it's against code. My neighbor disagrees, so I'm wondering who's right? This is in California, by the way.
3 Answers
Yes, running a buried conduit is allowed, but just be cautious not to hit any other underground utilities while digging. It's a good idea to check with local resources for any documentation that might help you locate existing lines to avoid damage. Sometimes, even the locating services can mess up, so be careful!
From what you've described, running a buried conduit is fine and falls within code. Your contractor might not want to deal with the hassle. Just make sure you're clear about the specifics of what your project entails. Some people might get confused about the requirements for different types of conduit and depths. I had similar quotes before, and getting a second opinion saved me a ton. Got a quote of $6k when I agreed to do all the digging myself!
You should definitely look for a different electrician. Burying conduit is pretty standard and not against the code as far as I know. Just make sure you're aware of regulations for conduit type and how deep it needs to be buried. Most electricians know this, so it sounds like yours might be lazy or trying to inflate the costs!
Yeah, my neighbor touched on that too. Apparently, shallow bedrock makes trenching tricky, which is why we might have to use metal conduit instead of something cheaper. He said the cost would still be way less than running it through the house!
Honestly, I feel you on the worry about opening up walls in an older home. The last time we did any renovation, we uncovered a ton of unexpected issues, like asbestos in the plaster! I think a trench around the house might be a much safer way to go.