You cannot construct a modern house without installing GFCI technology. How Much Does It Cost To Install A GFCI?
The average cost to install a GFCI outlet is $92.19 considering GFCI costs $39.69 with an electrician completing the task within 45 minutes charging $52.5.
| GFCI Cost | Electrician Cost Per Hour | Time To Install GFCI | Cost | |
| Low | $9.79 | $40 | 30 minutes | $29.79 |
| High | $69.56 | $100 | 1 hour | $169.56 |
| Average | $39.69 | $70 | 45 minutes | $92.19 |
Here, I want you to consider that
- You need a new GFCI outlet to replace the old standard outlet. This means buying a GFCI outlet.
- It doesn’t cost you anything to connect the wires. If you have a pre-existing outlet, the wires already exist in the electrical box. You will see them emerging out of the wall. Making a new hole and installing an outlet where one did not exist means paying for the wiring that runs to that new receptacle.
- Testing the new receptacle costs nothing unless the GFCI fails the test because it’s faulty. But many retailers will provide a replacement for free in situations of this sort.
That seems cheap when you consider that a home requires GFCI protection in multiple locations, including the kitchen, bathroom, and garage. You can replace each outlet in those locations with a GFCI if you want.
But the cost will spike dramatically. For instance, if you want to protect ten outlets, you need $922($92.19 per outlet). But most contractors don’t take that route. They use one outlet to protect multiple outlets downstream.
If you want to install the GFCI outlet yourself, check my post on Installing GFCI With 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Wires (Easy Way)
What Steps Does GFCI Installation Take?
- Turning off the power – This is necessary to protect you from electrocution. You cannot install the GFCI without handling the live wire, and a live wire on an energized circuit can kill you.
- Removing the old outlet – You can either replace a pre-existing outlet or cut a hole in the wall to install a receptacle where it did not exist.
- Connecting the wires – Run each wire to the correct terminal. GFCIs have a load side and a line side.
- Testing the outlet – Use the ‘Test’ and ‘Reset’ buttons to ensure the GFCI is working.
Things That Do Matter While Calculating the GFCI Installation Cost
Have you noticed that the cost of a GFCI installation keeps changing depending on who you ask? That is because the contractors providing those estimates are taking the following into account:
1). GFCI Installation With/Without Electrician
This is the most critical consideration. The cost of labor is higher than the price of a GFCI. You can get a GFCI at $15. However, an electrician will charge you $100 or more to install it. This is why some homeowners prefer to perform these installations themselves.
A DIY project is cheaper because you only pay for the materials and supplies. That includes the GFCI, wires, and screwdriver. You don’t have to pay yourself to install the outlet. Admittedly, some regions won’t give you a choice.
If your local authorities prohibit laypeople from performing electrical installations, you must hire a licensed contractor regardless of your knowledge or experience.
2). Electrician Rank
Have you ever given your electrician’s rank any thought? The rank matters because it affects their skill level, experience, and hourly rates. According to Elite Force Staffing, you start your journey as an electrician by becoming an apprentice.
It takes several hundred classroom hours and at least three years to become an apprentice electrician. Once you complete the requirements of the apprenticeship program, a test in your area will earn you the rank of ‘Journeyman Electrician.’
The highest rank is ‘Master Electrician.’ You need roughly four thousand hours of electrical work and a decent score in the licensing exam to attain this position. You find master electricians in industrial settings.
But that won’t stop a master electrician from installing your GFCI. Although, the rank determines the hourly rate. From the information This-Old-House has posted, you can see that master electrician are the most expensive, charging up to $120 per hour. A journeyman electrician, on the other hand, will charge you $90 per hour.
The apprentice is the cheapest at $50. You don’t need a master electrician to install a GFCI. An apprentice is more than adequate. The geographical location will influence the prices you will encounter. Electricians in some areas have lower hourly rates.
3). GFCI Installation Location
The location of the new GFCI matters because it affects the difficulty of the task. The more complex the task, the longer it will take, and the more expensive the labor costs will become. For instance, an installation that takes 6 hours will cost you more than an installation the contractor can finish in 30 minutes.
Sometimes, the location influences the supplies you require. For example, if you need a GFCI outlet outside, you should include a weather-protective hood. Outdoor GFCIs are vulnerable to the elements.
4). Time To Install GFCI Outlet
The labor costs are the most expensive aspect of your calculations. The more time it takes to install the outlet, the more money you will pay. For instance, it takes 30 minutes or less to install one GFCI.
But adding a GFCI to every receptacle in the house will take much longer. As such, the labor costs will spike dramatically.
5). Permit
Some regions have prohibited laypeople from performing basic installations. They want to prevent unnecessary property damage and loss of life because many laypeople don’t know what they are doing.
In other places, anyone can install a GFCI. But you must pay for a permit as well as an inspection fee. The experts expect the permit and inspection to cost you a maximum of $200. Check your local code to determine whether you need a permit and how much it will cost.
Laypeople don’t expect a GFCI installation to require a permit. However, some GFCI installations are significant undertakings, especially when you don’t have a pre-existing outlet.
You need to run wires from the panel to the new electrical box. This could mean making holes in the walls and ceilings. If you hire a professional to perform this task, your expenses will skyrocket because it takes more hours to install a new outlet than it does to replace an old one.
6). Number of Outlets.
How many outlets do you want to install? It is cheaper to use one GFCI to protect multiple outlets. But if the GFCI trips, all the connected outlets will lose power. This is more of an inconvenience than a severe weakness.
But some people don’t want that weakness. They prefer to give each outlet a separate GFCI. This prevents a trip in one GFCI from influencing the other outlets. But this second configuration will cost you more because you must purchase multiple GFCIs.