The build contract sounds like it may be ambiguous? I know am receiving bids for a build. Some are including the connection from the pole and others are not.
I'll be watching as to what language must state to include the power from the pole to the house.

 

Number 4 is the only thing that addresses the electricity

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See your local JP-Small Claims court. Take your contract and tell it to the judge.

 

I can't help with the electrician, but that must have been quite the New Years party! :cheers:

 

It was hot! Lol

Sea what I did there....lol

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On my electrical I will run underground conduit from pole to the house and the electrical provider runs the wire that they provide. Meter can will be on the house though.

 

So, you run from pole to house, underground......that's my point and question

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Not sure how they do it over there, but around here, the meter is on the house, homeowner provides the underground conduit from the meter socket to the pole, electrical provider provides the wire from the pole to the meter socket and makes the tie in.

 

No matter overhead or underground, the electric company provides and installs wire to their side of the meter. Your electrician owes everything else, including a conduit from your meter to the utility pole if it is underground.
There are trying to give you the chorizo. The contractor is either an idiot or bald face liar if he says anything different. It certainly isn’t illegal. Sounds like the electrician just missed it in his bid and the contractor is trying to get you to pay so he doesn’t have to.

 

This is exactly right. I have the same power as you, my meter and pole are 200' away from my house, AEP supplied wire to the meter, my electrician ran conduit and wire to my house, as per his contract. Depending on the length of run your wire size could be pretty costly. Probably why he's trying to lay it back on you.

 

I have a similar setup....meter is near the transformer....and I was responsible for running the conduit/wire the 200' or so to the house.

But we agreed to that beforehand....your contract is a bit ambiguous and I can see how either side views it differently.

$2800 sounds a bit high (especially if aluminum wire)....I would get quotes on material and see what it costs to do myself (like I did). Granted my experience is 7 years old.

 

I guess it differs from one electric provider to another, but to me your builder messed up and didn't consider the wire price.

Although in some instances the electric provider may be responsible only as far as the transformer, and in other instances be responsible to the meter, I don't believe the electric provider is ever responsible downstream of or past the meter.

 

Pay your guy to have it done then when final payment is due after final checklist, deduct what the electrical cost you from his final check. He can take it to small claims if he wants where the contract should act in your favor.

 

Yep, do this. Tell him to sue you. Thieving POS. I have been in the GC business 30+ years. Been there done that.

 

Is this a repeated tactic by contractor? Previous owners should know.

 

Not sure, we researched the builder and have a friend that spoke highly of them. They are from Laredo.....

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This is my experience in my last two builds in Polk county.
Our electric coop charges 0.75 a foot to run underground wire in plastic conduit from their last pole to my meter and distribution panels mounted on the house.
From what I see in your photos there should be a weather head with conduit down to the meter and panel mounted on the house not the remote pole.
Our county fire code says there must be a main shut off between the meter and the distribution circuit breakers. It must be in plain view to any one at all times.
In our county you could not get a clean inspection with the meter on a remote pole.
If you run under ground there in no need for the weather head. It is replaced by a 2 or 3 inch long radius steel conduit from the bottom of the panel to 3 feet below ground.
The underground installer for the electric company will tie in to the elbow. Also there should be a 4 ft copper ground rod at the panel with a no. 10 bare ground wire to the panel ground buss.

 

Our meter is on the co-op's pole adjacent to the house (about 150'). Our general contractor had the electrician run it 4' underground to the house. I know for a fact that it is not illegal as the electrician was a stickler for details.

I think your GC and/or his subcontractor is trying to screw you.

 

If the utility pole was not in place before the house was built or they didn't know the placement of the pole they should have excluded the underground service and told you that they excluded it. If the pole location was know they should have included it in their price.

 

I'm getting ready to do the same. AEP took the power pole after Harvey and they are just now getting another installed a week or so ago. I thought about just having them set a new pole closer to the future house and them running new wire in the air. However, I just don't like looking at it so I will be running the 125'+ feet of conduit myself so I can get the driveway done. When the house is ready, AEP will install the new wire in the conduit provided I also install a rope so they can pull the wire. The meter will be on the house and from there inside is mine. They have certain criteria for the conduit...3' coverage, long sweep 3' radius conduit, 6" between conduit and power pole. They will also install the conduit from mine above ground and up the power pole. They normally don't install a weather head at the top but I bought a pvc unit to match the gray conduit. AEP will install up to 100' of aluminum wire on their dime for new service...though I've been told by the field guys that is as the crow flies and they don't really measure. It is more of an issue with pulling the wire so far, unless there is a pull box. This is a function of how many turns you have to get between the two points.

 

$2,800 is not a crazy price. your 4/0, 4/0, 2/0 URD is $2 a foot cost. I would run 3" PVC for a run like that $2 foot cost. Trenching will cost at least $5 a foot. With labor and mark-up I could see the $2,800. If you have a Ranch Hand I will come supervise and make the connections for a doe.

 

So who ended up on the receiving end of the chorizo????

 

#4 reads to me all material required beyond service provider. If someone is going to bid low, they better state what they do and don't provide in my opinion. Just like the 1k fixture allowance. Is this for rough in cans, exhaust fans, etc. or lighting?

I've been using the same electrician for over ten years but each bid includes meter base, service entry charged per the foot depending which side of the house the garage falls, and all interior finish-out excluding fixtures. If provider only goes so far and a meter pedestal is required, I would be responsible again considering its service entry to the panel. Meter out is on me or the customer with service provider which I also account for and estimate per the foot.

You probably have a good case if he's backing out on anything considering the vague specifics. I lose jobs as a GC all the time to people playing games hitting customers at the end with massive change orders. If this was a flat fee bid job and you feel this is the case, I'd consider holding my ground.

 

It's on him, as a home builder I state in all of my contracts in the electrical portion, price does not reflect main wire or light fixtures because during the bidding process there is no way to know length of main wire and there are too many variables on the fixtures. It's only illegal above to do anything above the meter.

 

well, sorry for the late reply, had a lot going on besides my charters and this build. LOL

anyway, long story short, i waited to say anything until the walk through....once everything was complete and they asked about my wife and I's home, i came clean what i was upset with.

basically, once they heard me say i had talked to my attorney and several builders that i know, which i do and i didn't mention the 2cool gang.....we got our money back. :biggrin: :cheers:

 

Good outcome. Glad it worked out in the end.

 

2cool brain trust strikes again...
Congratulations!