Outside Box Damage

devexityspace · 03-12-2011, 07:19 PM

I am soon to close on a house that I am in contract for on the 31st of this month. However on my inspection I noticed something on the outside of the house where the electric box is. It has detached from the house almost entirely. It looks as if water underneath froze/set/melted and caused the entire thing to sink in the ground. I can't seem to budge it myself to simply put back up and screw back into the house.

How much am I looking to spend on this? I am NOT a DIYer by any means. I just wanted input from professionals who may have done something similar to this before. Pictures are below (links).

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/1999/img0273ici.jpg
http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/4421/img0274.jpg
http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/646/img0275t.jpg
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1359/img0276ku.jpg
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7365/img0277z.jpg
http://img858.imageshack.us/img858/650/img0278h.jpg
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5307/img0279cq.jpg
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6084/img0280sg.jpg
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/9716/img0281x.jpg
http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/7343/img0282h.jpg
http://img858.imageshack.us/img858/3668/img0283w.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4394/img0284rz.jpg

Any idea of what an electrician or the Electric company would have to do to fix this problem will be a huge help.

I need to make sure this isn't a HUGE cost or not because this is a SOLD AS IS house and there are no warranties and the bank isn't going to pay for anything.

killadelphia · 03-12-2011, 08:47 PM

Easy fix if u have very stable hands. All ya gotta do is get tha elec. Com. 2 take tha barrel lock off tha meter, then insert 2 or 4(how many have 2 b replaced) screws. If yer scared 2 diy im sure if u offer tha elec. Co. $50 bucks theyll do it.

n0c7 · 03-12-2011, 09:15 PM

Depending on your area, the meter might even be the responsibility of the electric company. They don't like their customers touching high amperage lines.

nap · 03-12-2011, 09:24 PM

from what I can see, a piece of cake. In my area, this is completely within the liability of the homeowner to remedy (in some areas I guess it is different). As an electrician, I would contact the power company and let them know I was removing the seal, open the thing, run some new screws in to hold it to the wall and close it back up. The power company would put a new seal on it the next time they read the meter.

If I was a homeowner, I would do the same thing but since I am a trained electrician, I have the knowledge of how to do this without frying myself. If you are not of similar knowledge, you should hire an electrician to do this for you.

Unless you live in an extremely expensive area, it should be less than $100 including the service call, labor, and parts.

Speedy Petey · 03-12-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nap

from what I can see, a piece of cake. In my area, this is completely within the liability of the homeowner to remedy (in some areas I guess it is different). As an electrician, I would contact the power company and let them know I was removing the seal, open the thing, run some new screws in to hold it to the wall and close it back up. The power company would put a new seal on it the next time they read the meter.

If I was a homeowner, I would do the same thing but since I am a trained electrician, I have the knowledge of how to do this without frying myself. If you are not of similar knowledge, you should hire an electrician to do this for you.

Unless you live in an extremely expensive area, it should be less than $100 including the service call, labor, and parts.

I fully agree. In my area a service call alone is over a $100 bucks, but that is a regional thing.

frenchelectrican · 03-12-2011, 09:49 PM

The best answer is call the electrician to come out and have them fix real quick to keep it stable and the cost is not that expensive I know in my area { in France } for my service call it is 80-100 Euros.

Merci.
Marc

**beenthere** · 03-12-2011, 10:12 PM

The OP would like helpfull replies to his question. Lets keep the thread to that.

I removed a few post, lets keep it civil, and not use name calling.

nap · 03-12-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beenthere

The OP would like helpfull replies to his question. Lets keep the thread to that.

I removed a few post, lets keep it civil, and not use name calling.

If I don't resort to name calling, how will anybody know if I am referring to something ****** posted or if it was *******?

Geesh. You're tough.

Speedy Petey · 03-12-2011, 10:37 PM

Truth hurts for some I guess.

devexityspace, if you are "....NOT a DIYer by any means." as you state just call your power company. They will steer you in the right direction.
This is NOT an "easy fix" if you have no clue what you are doing. You could get yourself very killed if you mess around in a meter pan.

03-12-2011, 07:19 PM	#1
devexityspace Newbie Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1	Outside Box Damage I am soon to close on a house that I am in contract for on the 31st of this month. However on my inspection I noticed something on the outside of the house where the electric box is. It has detached from the house almost entirely. It looks as if water underneath froze/set/melted and caused the entire thing to sink in the ground. I can't seem to budge it myself to simply put back up and screw back into the house. How much am I looking to spend on this? I am NOT a DIYer by any means. I just wanted input from professionals who may have done something similar to this before. Pictures are below (links). http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/1999/img0273ici.jpg http://img859.imageshack.us/img859/4421/img0274.jpg http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/646/img0275t.jpg http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1359/img0276ku.jpg http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7365/img0277z.jpg http://img858.imageshack.us/img858/650/img0278h.jpg http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5307/img0279cq.jpg http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/6084/img0280sg.jpg http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/9716/img0281x.jpg http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/7343/img0282h.jpg http://img858.imageshack.us/img858/3668/img0283w.jpg http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4394/img0284rz.jpg Any idea of what an electrician or the Electric company would have to do to fix this problem will be a huge help. I need to make sure this isn't a HUGE cost or not because this is a SOLD AS IS house and there are no warranties and the bank isn't going to pay for anything.

03-12-2011, 08:47 PM	#2
killadelphia Newbie Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 23	Outside Box Damage Easy fix if u have very stable hands. All ya gotta do is get tha elec. Com. 2 take tha barrel lock off tha meter, then insert 2 or 4(how many have 2 b replaced) screws. If yer scared 2 diy im sure if u offer tha elec. Co. $50 bucks theyll do it.

03-12-2011, 09:15 PM	#3
n0c7 Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Canada Posts: 688	Outside Box Damage Depending on your area, the meter might even be the responsibility of the electric company. They don't like their customers touching high amperage lines.

03-12-2011, 09:24 PM	#4
nap You talking to me? Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: sw mi Posts: 5,407	Outside Box Damage from what I can see, a piece of cake. In my area, this is completely within the liability of the homeowner to remedy (in some areas I guess it is different). As an electrician, I would contact the power company and let them know I was removing the seal, open the thing, run some new screws in to hold it to the wall and close it back up. The power company would put a new seal on it the next time they read the meter. If I was a homeowner, I would do the same thing but since I am a trained electrician, I have the knowledge of how to do this without frying myself. If you are not of similar knowledge, you should hire an electrician to do this for you. Unless you live in an extremely expensive area, it should be less than $100 including the service call, labor, and parts.

03-12-2011, 09:49 PM	#6
frenchelectrican " Euro " electrician Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: WI & France { in France for now } Posts: 5,100	Outside Box Damage The best answer is call the electrician to come out and have them fix real quick to keep it stable and the cost is not that expensive I know in my area { in France } for my service call it is 80-100 Euros. Merci. Marc __________________ The answer will be based on NEC ( National Electrical code ) or CEC ( Cananda Electrical code ) or ECF ( Electrique Code France )

Outside Box Damage