probably been beat to death in the past but......

100 amp, 150 amp, or 200 amp service in a new house and is one better or more desirable?

cost difference between the 3?

thanks and happy new year

V X

 

Last three houses I owned all had 200 amps boxes. New home being constructed also 200 amps. Don't know the cost difference, but with all the different needs of new homes, I wouldn't want less.

 

thanks for a quick response

 

We remodeled, finishing about a year ago.

We went to a 200, with a 100 sub in the kitchen and 60 for the garage. It's almost full.

Ours is overdone, but when you do a kitchen, you are looking at separate circuits for the refer, the freezer, a couple for plugs, a couple for lights, one for the microwave, one for the dishwasher and disposal--it adds up.


Our house was built in 1951 with a 60 amp service. 4 15 amp circuits. lights and plugs were split.

I talked to someone the other day with a 300.

Live better electrically, you know.

 

If you build here or remodel they make you go to 200A minimum service. I intend to use 200A or more in my remodeling. I have a 100A sub panel in my shop and that may not be enough in the future. 50A for a welder and 30A for the compressor can eat 100A quick with lights etc. I wish I could get 3-phase. Unfortunately that would involve some rather $$$ transformers on the pole.

 

The cost of it, you'd probably have to ask the installer, but definitely get the 200A. I have 100A subpanel in the garage, and I think the rest of the house is 100 or 150, the whole 2nd floor is on it's own circuit and I could easily blow it with more than the hair drier, some lights, and a TV going and some extra stuff running...I can barely run two window AC's w/ extra stuff on...my 2nd floor has a short amount of power.

 

thanks all


this site is the best as are all that use it

 

I have 200 A service and two boxes, the service is split. Wanted 3 phase, but the utility wouldn't let me have it.

 

I'm not a electrican but i do alot of home improvement add ons to my home. If your attic and ceilor are not finished ( with electrical outlets and extra lights etc. ) get the biggest 200amp box. Because later on YOU WILL fill the whole box with new electrical add ons. So far I have added 10 new breakers in four years, to my ceilor. When you build a garage add a smaller box in there. I added two outlets in the kids room 6 feet off the floor for there nite lights, outlet for freezer in ceilor, outlet for a/c unit in window, yard light, one outlet to shed and a light, outlets for attic, lights for boiler and electrical rooms in the ceilor, more outlets for wood workshop in ceilor, one outlet for a welder.... dont forget an outlet for outside to plug in a battery charger etc... You may want an outlet just for the computer to with a battery hookup. Also you may want to get a box set up for a generator later on???? new home was built in 2000. If you haven't done your electrical in your home yet you may want to add an out let in your kitchen cabinet over the stove for a future microwave. Also add more outlets in the bathrooms for the girls in the house. You should make all your ceiling electrical boxes ready to add ceiling fans if you think you will add fans later on.
If you think you will have sarand sound for your tv you should add wires in a plastic tube in the walls and ceiling now, and add a plastic tube that runs to your attic for later electrical add ons. Takes pics or video of all electrical work and draw a wire diagram were all the wires run, for later add ons. Good Luck

 

all great ideas

lots of planning

thank you

 

go to 200 amp. cost difference is mainly in material( meter pan, panel box and wire). as others have stated get the largest bo42 circuit) even if at this time you only use i/4 of the spaces 0ver time you will fill it up.

 

Being a "spark jumper" and a heating installer, always go for the 200. Most homes now if opted to use heat pumps MUST have the 200 for the heating load.

The cost? Relatively the same. Atleast labor wise, we charge the same because the work is the same. Material costs are higher, but only by a couple hundred dollars.

 

I am having a house built right now and this is what I am doing:

Two 200 amp circuits, so I have two cicuit panels.

One panel controls most of what is upstairs, and also has a 1.5" ID tube that runs from the panel up into the attic. That way, after the house is built, I can fish additional romex through that tube into the attic if I ever want to add another circuit for anything upstairs.

The other panel controls most of what is downstairs, and also has a 1.5" ID tube that runs from the panel down into the crawlspace. That way, after the house is built, I can fish additional romex through that tube into the crawlspace if I ever want to add another circuit for anything downstairs. PLUS, whenever I build a garage out back, I can tap off 60A from this panel, run it through the crawlspace, and under the backyard into my garage.