I am writing this off grid, using about 15kwh of batteries and a $1200 (6kw) inverter. My entire system puls panels and racking those panels, plus wiring some un-powered shacks was about $10k, though I did the work myself (which would probably hae been another 3-5k if I could have found someone to do it.
Yo. If you can find an electrician to stop by my house and turn a light switch off for less than 1000$, please inform me. I got a quote for 25k$ to install a system that size, and that price. City code has me by the balls: I can't modify my main panel without inspection, the inspector won't show up without a licensed electrician, and electrician wants the labor. I pointed out that we're talking 8 hours of labor — call it 2500$, lawyer money — and he was like "what's your choice". I'm in Texas.
In 2025 it was $1,100 to have an EVSE put in, including permit fees.
I'm in Pennsylvania.
Working with my township to get a permit / inspection was horrible -- they dragged their feet for months!
I have to believe that I am one of a few people in my township who have done this the "right way".
So you'd need to find an electrician who will let for you work them on the weekends, and if you work 8 hours every Saturday and every Sunday, then it will take you 500 weekends.
A residential wireman license only requires 4000 hours[2], but I'm not sure if that kind of license would be good enough for the inspection.
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[1] https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/jo...
[2] https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/wi...
From google's llm "..requiring 8,000 hours of on-the-job training (OJT) under a Master Electrician .."
so even if you could pass the test you still don't get to become licensed until you've paid your dues in terms of time.
But that doesn't really change my point, does it? Like, if they are installing $6k worth of equipment and materials, then that's what the up-thread points was about paying 10K more for tesla-branded equipment, right? I get that at a certain point the labor makes the cost of materials less of a deal, but my point was that my battery+inverter+panels+material is still less than the equipment they are describing.
