How Much Does It Cost to Run Power to a House?

You've found the perfect plot of land for your new home, but nothing's been built there before. When you're planning a suburban mini-mansion, a rural homestead or any other residential home, you probably want electrical power at your new location.

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How Much Does It Cost to Get Power to a Property or New Construction?

It can cost $2,500 to $12,500 (CAD 3,467 to CAD 17,334) to run power to a home or property. Costs can be higher depending on factors such as how far you are from the nearest utility lines, zoning regulations in your area and the conditions of your site.

Let's answer some questions about the cost of electricity installation and factors that can raise or lower expected costs.

How Much Does It Cost to Bury Power Lines?

Underground power lines tend to be the most expensive, as they involve trenching work. If you pay someone to dig the trenches necessary to bury power lines, it can cost $5 to $12 (CAD 6.93 to CAD 16.64) per foot. So if you want to bury 100 feet of power line, the cost could be $500 to $1,200 (CAD 693 to CAD 1,664).

You may be able to decrease the cost of running electric from the road to your house if you're willing and able to do the trenching work yourself. However, local zoning regulations may require very specific trenching, so discuss this option with your utility provider and contractor before you make any decisions.

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How Much Does It Cost to Connect Electricity to a Rural Property?

If you have new construction on a rural property and want to install electricity, you may need to cover the cost of one or more utility poles. In rural areas, lines may span as far as 300 feet from pole to pole. If you are far enough from the existing utility structure and don't want to pay for trenching — or ground conditions don't support trenching — you could install a pole to bring the lines closer to your home over ground.

The average cost of utility pole installation is $1,200 to $5,600 (CAD 1,664 to CAD 7,766) per pole, depending on the location. Factors that impact power pole installation cost include:

• Distance: Poles that can support a longer distance of power line tend to cost more.

• Terrain: Installing power poles on steep terrain or in areas with lots of trees or dense vegetation can cost more.

• Utility company: Check with local utility companies, as some offer discounts, payment plans or reimbursement options for new residential customers.

• Permitting: Your area might require special permits that increase the cost of installing power poles.

What Are Some Additional New Construction Electrical Costs?

Burying lines and/or installing power poles are two of the biggest expenses when installing new electric service, but other costs also add up. They can include:

• Installing a meter socket. A licensed electrician usually has to handle this task, which involves installing the socket and pulling lines through from the nearest transformer. On average, you'll pay $50 to $130 (CAD 69 to CAD 180) per hour, and the total cost depends on the location of the transformer and the complexity of the installation.

• Running electrical lines. You'll pay $5 to $25 (CAD 6.93 to CAD 35) per foot for running electrical lines. Typically, overhead lines fall at the bottom of that range, while underground lines cost more due to the added cost of trenching.

• Meter installation. The power company usually handles this. It may do so free of charge or roll the cost into your future power bills.

Questions to Ask About the Cost to Run Power to a House

Before you can get a good estimate about the cost to run power to your home, you need to know the answer to questions such as:

• What power company are you dealing with?

• How much of the work can you do yourself?

• How far are you from the nearest utility poles and transformers?

• Do you want underground, overhead or a combination?

• What's the state of the property where lines will be run — how steep is it, and is there any vegetation that may need to be cleared?

Talk to your contractor or another professional about your options and how they might impact the cost to run power to the location.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.