Permits

[WNKent]

I’m trying to install a wall charger and was really surprised by my permit/inspection cost of $400. It increases the project cost significantly since the electrician quoted $500 for installation. I’m curious to hear from people with more experience, is this a typical amount for a city to charge?

Check the cost with your city/county. $400, seems really high

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[SpaceEVDriver]

While $400 seems too high for an EVSE permit, my experience is that it's often worth it to pay (something) to the contractor to deal with the permitting process. One year I built a permitted deck and the permitting process took my inexperienced (in the permitting process) self many more hours than it cost a contractor for a much more complicated remodel a few years later. I value my free time at several times my hourly rate, so paying someone who has experience in permitting is worth it to me.

Of course, the electrician who installed my EVSE did it wrong and I had to fix two major mistakes, so this doesn't always hold...

 

[leehinde]

My city fee was $86 or some such, but both electricians I contacted wanted more if I insisted on a permit (I did.). Then, when I did most of the paperwork for the permit, the guy I did hire reduced his estimate back down. And a third electrician didn't want to be involved if a permit was involved.

The city was confused that I was involved. I gathered it's typically the contractor. But it was a good experience.

 

[HuntingPudel]

During COVID I did a minor change (bath fans) and got permits from my city. They did not come to inspect. They just wanted pictures of the roof penetrations. I also photographed the rough wire runs, but they didn’t give a hoot about those photos. Seems odd that they didn’t care about something that could set the house on fire but cared about possible leakage, but there you go. ?‍?

 

[Bbear]

Thanks so much for the really helpful replies. I’m somewhat relieved to hear that others would have been surprised by the amount but also pretty disappointed in my city.

Unfortunately, that was the final number from the city, or more precisely $398.54. It includes a $35 EV charger fee which to me seems pretty backwards. We are in a hot part of California where we’re frequently asked to reduce energy use at the hottest parts of the day so I was looking forward to charging late at night.

On the bright side, it seems my experience is an outlier and shouldn’t discourage people in other communities.

 

[glenthompson]

Electrical permit in my county is $52.50. I didn't need it since the previous owner had a 50 amp receptacle installed (for daughter's Tesla) so the plug in ESVE didn't require any type of permit.

Many inspections are not detailed because the inspector may trust who is doing the work or a quick look for typical trouble spots will indicate if a more thorough inspection is needed. While doing some plumbing repairs in my bath I discovered that one DWV pipe was not actually glued in. It never leaked due to the way it flowed but any backup would have caused a leak.

 

[leehinde]

Thanks so much for the really helpful replies. I’m somewhat relieved to hear that others would have been surprised by the amount but also pretty disappointed in my city.

Unfortunately, that was the final number from the city, or more precisely $398.54. It includes a $35 EV charger fee which to me seems pretty backwards. We are in a hot part of California where we’re frequently asked to reduce energy use at the hottest parts of the day so I was looking forward to charging late at night.

On the bright side, it seems my experience is an outlier and shouldn’t discourage people in other communities.

Sorry, do you mind saying where? I'm in Elk Grove (south of Sacramento). I'm just astonished that the fee is that high.

 

[Bbear]

While $400 seems too high for an EVSE permit, my experience is that it's often worth it to pay (something) to the contractor to deal with the permitting process. One year I built a permitted deck and the permitting process took my inexperienced (in the permitting process) self many more hours than it cost a contractor for a much more complicated remodel a few years later. I value my free time at several times my hourly rate, so paying someone who has experience in permitting is worth it to me.

Of course, the electrician who installed my EVSE did it wrong and I had to fix two major mistakes, so this doesn't always hold...

Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s certainly most important that the work be done well. At this point the electricians I spoke with seemed to be very experienced with these products but it’s so hard to know how a project will turn out.

I have a huge learning gap on this and tried to hire an electrician to pull the permit. I got pushback from them but for a price they agreed. The one we hired backed out after speaking to the city and expressing they want too much paperwork and didn’t answer his questions. He’s only done them in other cities before. He offered to hire an EE but I was really thinking the costs would get out of hand so I did it myself with help from the city. They mentioned several times usually Electrical Engineers do the forms but can you imagine my costs at that point if the permit alone is $400! Honestly, somewhat average people could do the papers if they just provided clearer instructions. I shared specific ideas with the Building Official responsible for the forms which statements could be clarified but he said explaining them better online would have “diminishing returns” for his time because they’re not meant for people like me. His way of expressing that access to permits for homeowners on a budget is not of importance to him, I guess. I really never would have started this if I’d known the full cost.

Again, thanks for sharing. I’ve been feeling so discouraged about this.

 

[ArthurDOB]

My city in Minnesota charges the following for a permit:

"$40.00 for the first $500.00 plus $2.25 for each additional $100.00 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000.00."

I have a basement electrical panel on the opposite end of my house from my attached garage, so it's going to cost me almost $1600 for the electrical work alone. That's why I chose this quote from their fee schedule. It goes higher as the job gets more complex.

 

[Pioneer74]

$400 is highway robbery. I paid $90 for my permit and that included a sub-panel, a hardwired EVSE, a 14-50 receptacle and 2-20 amp 110V circuits I added to my basement.

Of course, every jurisdiction is different. I would call the inspectors office and make sure that is the real cost.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s certainly most important that the work be done well. At this point the electricians I spoke with seemed to be very experienced with these products but it’s so hard to know how a project will turn out.

I have a huge learning gap on this and tried to hire an electrician to pull the permit. I got pushback from them but for a price they agreed. The one we hired backed out after speaking to the city and expressing they want too much paperwork and didn’t answer his questions. He’s only done them in other cities before. He offered to hire an EE but I was really thinking the costs would get out of hand so I did it myself with help from the city. They mentioned several times usually Electrical Engineers do the forms but can you imagine my costs at that point if the permit alone is $400! Honestly, somewhat average people could do the papers if they just provided clearer instructions. I shared specific ideas with the Building Official responsible for the forms which statements could be clarified but he said explaining them better online would have “diminishing returns” for his time because they’re not meant for people like me. His way of expressing that access to permits for homeowners on a budget is not of importance to him, I guess. I really never would have started this if I’d known the full cost.

Again, thanks for sharing. I’ve been feeling so discouraged about this.

It seems to me the permit processes are written by retired and for working contractors. There's value in it for them to be obscure. There's also some stuff that really does require some knowledge of the codes and the reasons for the codes. But as someone who has done a lot of by-the-code construction work, I still find the permit process opaque and unfriendly.

 

[timbop]

Yes, I should have been more clear for sure. I should have said an inspection doesn't guarantee safety, in my experience.

Permits are primarily a money making method for localities.

A game that must be played in some areas of the country and one that can be ignored in some areas of the country.

Watch a few episodes of "Holmes on Homes" and you might change your mind about permits being unnecessary.

The people that I bought my house from had a small addition put on by what I can assume was someone whose only qualification was that he could swing a hammer without hurting himself. Not only did he put skylights in what is essentially a flat roof (installed crooked), he also put windows in the very corner of the room without putting a properly supported header over it. Literally 2 nails into a pair of 2x4s and the window frame were supporting the ends of the roof.

When I put my addition on I had trouble with one of the inspectors being a hardass, but he was at least trying to make sure I didn't make something that would collapse.

 

[orangethunder]

Thanks so much for the really helpful replies. I’m somewhat relieved to hear that others would have been surprised by the amount but also pretty disappointed in my city.

Unfortunately, that was the final number from the city, or more precisely $398.54. It includes a $35 EV charger fee which to me seems pretty backwards. We are in a hot part of California where we’re frequently asked to reduce energy use at the hottest parts of the day so I was looking forward to charging late at night.

On the bright side, it seems my experience is an outlier and shouldn’t discourage people in other communities.

Most SoCal localities have very favorable EVSE permit rates relative to other electrical permits. I’ve done some in LA, OC, and SD. Not sure where you’re at but surprised it’s that high. Most I saw was under $200. Any other non-EVSE work also being done?

 

[Kevin C]

Permit? What permit?!

 

[MachLovin]

I’m trying to install a wall charger and was really surprised by my permit/inspection cost of $400. It increases the project cost significantly since the electrician quoted $500 for installation. I’m curious to hear from people with more experience, is this a typical amount for a city to charge?

I remember some electricians when i was going through this process tell me that an inspection was "required." However, after I made additional calls to other licensed electricians, and the county i resided in, an inspection was not required. I only paid the installation costs. As Kdonnel said above, it could potentially be a way to increase the cost... But, maybe you might call a couple other electricians in your area to get their feed back. I could MAYBE see an inspection could be needed if i was Selling my home, and the buyer wanted to make sure everything was up to code per the county regulations...

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