We need more electricians as well. Got a quote to add a car charger last week and it was a hilarious four figure sum, with a month and a half lead time.
You could always do it yourself if you feel it's overpriced.
It's no different than software engineers charging $300/hour consulting fees. Sure, they're just typing on a keyboard (or running some wires in this case), but you're paying for more than just the marginal cost of that particular job. You're paying for the investment that the specialist had to make to gain the experience required to be able to do the job.
Installing an EV charger (which are supposed to be installed in every new house built in California) versus consulting fees for an enterprise software build out are not apples and oranges, it's apples and horses.
6-10 hours?! One is basically adding a 220V outlet, and usually in a place that's very close to the box full of circuit breakers (the garage). In our case, the charger is about three feet from the breaker box. I would have done it myself if it wasn't installed for free (because $REASONS). As it was, took the pro about 30 minutes.
Now, that's not to say there aren't more difficult installations. But I imagine in a lot of cases in the U. S., where a lot of breaker boxes live in the garage, it shouldn't be anywhere near a four figure installation sum. My guess is a lot of contractors of any kind can pretty much name their price right now. Or they do I used to do when I didn't want anymore consulting work: jack up the quoted price enough that I would drop other clients to do the job at that rate should the potential client be desperate enough to pay it.
Are you aware of the requirements needed to be a licensed, bonded electrician? In my state you need at least 4000 hours of training bare minimum, higher tier licenses require more. This usually entails getting average pay for very dull work, for 2-4 years. Then you need tools, insurance, a vehicle (usually a diesel truck with lock boxes on the sides here), and a reliable employer. If you're starting your own small company and training others, that's a bit of a gamble as well.
Also, most electricians make more money doing new construction, especially condo or apartment buildings. You're getting charged that much because they could have made the same amount of money (or a bit less) putting those hours towards a bigger, longer term project. As someone who works in a skilled trade, I can guarantee they just didn't think your project was important or worth it (and they're right). They see someone who can afford an electric car, and they know what it's worth to you to charge it.
But hey, you could always just google it, do it yourself and hope the inspector doesn't notice. What's the worst that could happen?
>Are you aware of the requirements needed to be a licensed, bonded electrician?
Yes. I'm also aware of their average income in the Bay Area, and it absolutely did not justify the price.
>Also, most electricians make more money doing new construction, especially condo or apartment buildings.
Barely any of that in the Bay Area.
>I can guarantee they just didn't think your project was important or worth it (and they're right). They see someone who can afford an electric car, and they know what it's worth to you to charge it.
Market is white hot for them, not going to lie.
>But hey, you could always just google it, do it yourself and hope the inspector doesn't notice. What's the worst that could happen?
Not where I live, need a city permit and a licensed installer. I'm leasing so that's what the home owner requires.
what did you think it's supposed to cost? i can't imagine it would cost less than $1000, even just running conduit inside the walls, instead of doing drywall.
