Installing A New Power Meter?
All,
I am trying to put together a budget for a new project I am bidding on. The property was built in 1966 and does not have a power meter installed. Generally, what does it cost to get one of these meters installed.
I assumed that the power company would simply install one at no cost to the owner but wanted to be sure others agreed that this was the case on their previous experiences.
Thanks in advance.
JS.
should not cost more than $500 for the electrician to install the box, the meter is no cost to you.
It depends on what you have, where you are and what is needed to fix the problem. Changing a box out (often done when upgrading your service) can cost anywhere from $1200-3000 in CA depedning on what you get and if the power is above ground or underground. An electrician can probably give you a free estimate.
Spoke to the power company today and, like I suspected, they confirmed that there is no charge to install the meter so I dodged that bullet.
Thanks for the input.
JS.
The power company will most likely not install the meter without a permit. The city/county will then confirm that a licensed electrician is doing all the work to set up the panel and wiring.
Duh, you are right. We missed the point. sorry
install is of course no charge to you
That makesa sense!!
The lath walls need to be replaced, it is messy but no expensive.
What type of furnace is it?
Is the roof intact?
Pumbing intact? What type?
Kitchen update?
not trying to discourage, to do a duplex you could easily get into the 20-30 k range.
good luck
Keep sending them offers until they accept or sell. Situations change and if you can close fast they may be in a hurry to sell in the future as their circumstances change.
[addsig]
I am curious if someone can explain the purpose of lathes and why they need to be replaced.
My understanding is that most properties that were built before 1978 will have have lead paint. Or you should assume that they do. I think you should focus on encapsulation of the lead paint (painting over), with special attention to windows and door frames, anything that has continuous friction. How you pursue this really is based upon how aggressive your county is in lead paint issues.
How does one find out the county requirements? Is there usually a lead paint inspector in the building department?
I plan to use this as a rental and obviously I want to be sure that I meet all requirements and also do not create a hazardous situation for potential tenants.
Any advice how to proceed?
Thanks,
JS.
All lead based paint must be encapsulated or removed. The county will not bend on this. You can check for yourself, but I have had this problem before and had to cover and remove any peeling paint.
good luck
try posting in the finance forum, afraid I can be of no asssistance in this matter.
Hmmmm, I was thinking about this bill. If a worker goes out to buy a part needed for repairs, do they charge you the hourly rate while out buying an item? Or is the hourly rate simply for when they are working? I am not sure what is industry standard so I am asking the querstion.
Thanks,
JS.
I have found most professionals bill from the minute they leave their shop.
Some contractors use a predetermined charge that comes from a guide book, just like the auto shops do. Auto shops charge from a computor program and not the actual time. My guess is these guys are doing the same thing. 85/hr seems a bit high.
i.e. Clean out w/h ..... 1 hr
Rewire w/h .......... 1.5 h
even though it may only take them 1 hour to do both. If you do not trust them, use someone else. There are many to choose from. Also, get an itemized list of what they did and how they came up with the total charge. This should not be a problem for legit contractors.
good luck
[addsig]
Yes, you can have it tested and should. If they were cooking meth in the house, it penetrates all surfaces, ie drywall wood. This means that all woookers would have to wear meth warning badges that change colors like ph strips.
Definitely have it tested because it can lead to work comp claims or health problems.
Good luck with that one. The county will get involved, as they should, I hope it does not cost you more than the prop is worth.
http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/12/13_steilm_methhouses/
try this link also. you may be surprised.
[addsig]
Very funny story Chris! I just went through about the same thing two nights ago. I had a pipe freeze - it is about 20 below zero here at night. It was a pipe in an exterior wall. It is not very fun to try and sweat between two studs, a mass of wires, and flamable insulation! Yikes! I got it though!
I love being a computer geek.
Chris,
I am now tired just from reading your escapades. Thank God it was you and not me.
Reminds me of the tar paper story..
good luck
[addsig]
If you pay them each as independent contractors less than $600 per year you will not have to issue them a 1099.
Become familiar with the differences between employees and independent contractors.
Have each individual provide you an invoice for their work with a description of the work done (not hrs x $$ ) and the total cost. Pay them by check, keep their invoices. Write off this expense.
You could also pay them in cash from your pocket, no invoice etc. but do not keep records or write this expense off. If you do write "casual labor" off as an expense the difficulty comes in 2 - 3 yrs if you get audited. There is no such thing as casual labor. The IRS will consider them employees. You will have to pay yours and their taxes, penalties and intrest. A $2000 pay out like this can cost you $10,000 in a few years if you do not structure it correctly.
Your choice on how you do it.
Be sure to have general liability on the property that includes your business persuits in case someone gets hurt.
I should add that the we are talking about the labor here, the materials will always be a right off, you are buying them so you have the reciept.
Pam you had my admiration in regard to your advice about friends, but then you mentioned painting with a pad of butter and Walmart paint...
Pam, is the painting pad you are talking about something you can buy or is it something you have created yourself? I have not seen anything like that.
Has anyone used the "Behr" brand paint from Home Depot? Good quality or should I stick with Sheriwn Williams?
agree with Chris,
Paint stores are always the best bet. I have used all brands from elcheapo to the best. I have always had to repaint when the customer uses cheaper paint,so therefore, the cost to paint is even higher when the quality of paint is lower.
Think about this
Cheap
Quick
Quality
Choose any two, same applies to paint
[addsig]
It should not matter if you offer what they list price is, you should be able to put it under contract and do what you want with it. The property is for sale or it is not, what is the issue?
Any thoughts?
I think these VA houses are like hud homes. They have a cut off date for owner occupied purchasers. When they open the bids on the deadline the highest net to va or hud wins the bid, as long as the bid meets their minimum. If no owner occupied meet minimum it is open up to dailey investors. Normally they will take less from a owner occupied.
[addsig]