Qmerit - Rivian Home Charger Installation Experience

[bac4uw]

I received an email from Rivian today with a link to get a quote from Qmerit for installation of the Rivian home charging station. The link took me through a multi-step survey and had me upload photos of my electrical panel, proposed charging station location, and other aspects about electrical load in our home. At the end of the survey, I received a quote for $699 with $149 due to initiate the next step. Given other recent experiences with electricians in our area, I thought the quote was reasonable. In reality, I think the bill will be much higher once the electrician carefully inspects my old loaded panel and all of the various loads potentially drawing power from it!!! ?

I am prepping myself for... 'yeah, we're going to need to upgrade your service, install a new panel, and rewire your whole house'. Either way, feels like progress.

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[BigE]

I received an email from Rivian today with a link to get a quote from Qmerit for installation of the Rivian home charging station. The link took me through a multi-step survey and had me upload photos of my electrical panel, proposed charging station location, and other aspects about electrical load in our home. At the end of the survey, I received a quote for $699 with $149 due to initiate the next step. Given other recent experiences with electricians in our area, I thought the quote was reasonable. In reality, I think the bill will be much higher once the electrician carefully inspects my old loaded panel and all of the various loads potentially drawing power from it!!! ?

I am prepping myself for... 'yeah, we're going to need to upgrade your service, install a new panel, and rewire your whole house'. Either way, feels like progress.

Hi Bryan, thanks for sharing. Just wondering, do you have a delivery date yet?

 

[bac4uw]

Hi Bryan, thanks for sharing. Just wondering, do you have a delivery date yet?

Mid to late November was the last I heard, which was pushed back from October.

 

[flabyboy]

Electrician is doing it for $250 for me. All it really needs is a few feet of 6 gauge copper wire and new circuit breaker installed into the subpanel.

 

[bac4uw]

Electrician is doing it for $250 for me. All it really needs is a few feet of 6 gauge copper wire and new circuit breaker installed into the subpanel.

You're totally right -- I even entertained doing it myself, but my wife put the kabosh on that. I otherwise don't know any certified electricians, but it might be good to get another quote. My hunch is that this bid is competitive in the Seattle market.

 

[hkb26]

You're totally right -- I even entertained doing it myself, but my wife put the kabosh on that. I otherwise don't know any certified electricians, but it might be good to get another quote. My hunch is that this bid is competitive in the Seattle market.

I'm in Seattle too but didn't get in on the launch edition reservations. So I'm waiting for my R1S until this time next year most likely. I would love to hear how you like the vehicle once you take ownership.

 

[flabyboy]

You're totally right -- I even entertained doing it myself, but my wife put the kabosh on that. I otherwise don't know any certified electricians, but it might be good to get another quote. My hunch is that this bid is competitive in the Seattle market.

don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t do it myself. I will also add that I don’t have enough power to use the Rivian charger to its fullest abilities. I’m going to have to down rate it to 40 amps. If I wanted to get a full 100 amps to my garage it would cost a lot more money as I would have to rewire everything from the main to the subpanel. Not ready to do that yet

 

[SeaGeo]

I just did two at my house in Seattle. Quotes varied quite a bit, but outside of Seattle proper (technically unincorporated KC):
$100 to pull the permit.
$695 to install the EVSE for a 60 amp hardwire. Length of run that you need makes a different. I had to run my interior one to the opposite wall on the garage.
+$395 if you need to reconfigure the panel.

Edit: also, plan ahead. As with everything else, it seems like electricians are busy.

 

[Temerarius]

Yup, plan well in advance. When I did my Tesla hardwired charger, it wasn't just a matter of wrangling an electrician, but then getting the permits submitted, work done, inspected, and then all the shit the inspector then found that the last home owner did without a permit (thanks jackass) we had to fix before he would fully sign off on it all.

It sounds like a lot of hoops, and I did ask a couple of friends in the insurance industry about having an electrician (certified) doing it under the table. Their response was, "If your house catches fire and it is even remotely related to the electrical panel, you are screwed."

 

[flabyboy]

So you need a permit to add a circuit to an established subpanel??

 

[bac4uw]

So you need a permit to add a circuit to an established subpanel??

It probably depends a bit on your county, but in my county the answer is 'yes'. I had a contractor install electric floor heating in a bathroom a couple of years ago and we pulled a permit. I could be wrong, but I don't think the person doing the work needs to be a certified electrician though. If the inspector inspects the work and signs off on the permit, then I think you are in the clear. Note: our inspector failed our electrician's work three times before finally signing off on the floor heating system. It's worth at least pulling the permit to have the work blessed!

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

So you need a permit to add a circuit to an established subpanel??

In every jurisdiction I’ve lived, yes.

Homeowners typically can pull permits and are often not required to be licensed to work on their own home, however.

 

[flabyboy]

It probably depends a bit on your county, but in my county the answer is 'yes'. I had a contractor install electric floor heating in a bathroom a couple of years ago and we pulled a permit. I could be wrong, but I don't think the person doing the work needs to be a certified electrician though. If the inspector inspects the work and signs off on the permit, then I think you are in the clear. Note: our inspector failed our electrician's work three times before finally signing off on the floor heating system. It's worth at least pulling the permit to have the work blessed!

i don’t even know how to “pull a permit”. I’m the equivalent of a maintenance illiterate ?

 

[crashmtb]

So you need a permit to add a circuit to an established subpanel??

Until quite recently, where I live you needed to get a permit from the city to change out a lightswitch. ?

 

[Temerarius]

i don’t even know how to “pull a permit”. I’m the equivalent of a maintenance illiterate ?

Tis the beauty of having an electrician install it. Most work for companies that do know how to, and take care of it for you (especially if they are referred to you by the vehicle or home charger manufacturer).

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