I need an electrical outlet in my closet. The builder had already but the shell in place but there is no power and it's not hooked up. What's the best way to go about finding someone qualified to do that? And what sort of price range can I expect? Thanks.
Licensed electricians are expensive (because they have a license) and the job sounds like an easy one any carpenter should be able to do. If you are still building, you may have to use an electrician for the sake of building inspectors. But then, if you were still building you could just lean on your builder to just do a little extra work.
I'm not building anymore so that is not an option. I've been in the house since last May. Are the wires there? Maybe. There is a box in my closet with all of the cables for my cable. And there is my security system box. There is also an big orange hose like thing that has a cover on the end. I'm thinking the wires for the outlet may be in that although I haven't look. Obviously I was never meant to be an electrician.
FA, It sounds like you have one of those Home Network Centers. I have one too and love it. Anyway, what you need done is relatively simple. If you are at all mechanically inclined, you could do it yourself for about $50 in materials. If you hire a contractor, they are going to hit you up pretty good. My guess would be, at least $250 based on my experience. Contractors make most of their money in labor. Is there a ceiling light in your closet?
Why dont you just call your builder, lots of times they will just do it for free if they think it will be good for business...or they will send their electrician over there for cost.
I don't think the cost is so much in the labor but in the getting-in-your-truck-and-driving-to-your-house expense. It's a pretty small job, really, but a contractor needs to make it worth his while to actually come by. He's not making it up on volume. Find a friend who knows something about wiring and buy him a 12 pack to come by and 'help' you with it.
Is the ceiling light connected to a wall switch or does it have a pull chain? If it has a light switch, is the switch directly above the shell for the electrical outlet (even if the switch is outside the closet)? There used to be a gadget that screwed into a light bulb receptacle and turned it into an electrical outlet. Possibly there is even one with an electrical outlet on the side and a lightbulb receptacle. You might take a look around a Home Depot, Lowe's etc to see if something like that is available to temporarily bridge you over if the outlet in the closet is a critical need. Yes, the cord will be hanging from the ceiling rather than nice & neat from the wall, but it will get you going until the wall outlet is ready for use.
As you walk into the closet, the light switch is midway up the wall on the left. The cable box is above the door. Next to that, on the left, is a "shell" that I THINK could be used for an outlet space. Thanks for the help so far. I may go with the lightbulb outlet, as bad as that would look, for now.
I called the builder today. He said the "shell" that I thought might be for an outlet was for the home security system. He said I would have to hire an electrician. In the meantime I bought one of those outlets you screw into the light fixture. I guess that beats having an exetension cord running from the closet, thru the bathroom, into the bedroom. Dammit.
Go to Home Depot and buy one of those How to Do Minor Fix Up Crap Around the House. Read it at the store and buy whatever tools you may need. Then, go to the fusebox and turn off that sectio of the house. Follow the instructions to splice a wire off whatever is nearest. Trust me when I say it really isn't that hard. You can patch the hole you make in the wall with some styrofoam and repaint it if you don't want to buy some sheetrock.
