update 60 amp service to 100 amp

[atisman]

I'm considering to buy a condo in a 2 family house which was built in 1947.
It has currently 60 amp circuit breakers.
I'm wondering how much it will cost to update it to 100 amp service.
Someone says it would be simple and cost less than $2000 and others say it would require rewiring the entire house and cost a lot more.
Any ideas? I'd like to have more information on this before the inspection.

[HayZee518]

The house evidently already went through an upgrade if there is a 60 amp MAIN breaker. Houses built circa 1947 had 60 amp twin pullouts for the entrance mains. What you'll also find is a type of wiring called knob n tube. The branch circuits were protected by out in the open porcelain fuse blocks or they may be within a metal enclosure. As far as rewiring the house it's really your call. Upgrading from a 60 to a 100 will require an increase in the entrance cable, a new panelbox, a new ground a driven ground rod, bonding of the metal piping to the earth ground. If there are breakers now they might not fit the new panelbox - so yeah you could be looking at a $2000 cost, sometimes more.

[Speedy Petey]

The price of this work is VERY regional. So telling us where you are is a key factor.
IMO it would be rare for a 100 amp upgrade to run $2000, unless of course you are in California.
I also doubt you simply have 60 amps. This is a rare service size and many times folks think they have 60 when in fact they have 100.

Can you give us any more information or even some pics?

[autocad_junkie]

I just had my electrical service upgraded in my 50 year old home. I had an old Federal Pacific Box that was probably a 100 amp service. I was maxed out on breakers too. I paid just over $2,000 for a 200 amp service installed. They pulled the old wires from the old box up into the attic and installed junction boxes. Then they installed new wire from the junction boxes to the new box (the new service was installed in a different area). Now I have 14 open breaker slots. I live in Oklahoma and it was about $2,100 if that helps.

[Speedy Petey]

Yes, 200 amp upgrades are in the $2000 range in many places these days.
I hear some places in Cali are getting $3000+ for a simple 200 amp upgrade.

[HayZee518]

seems a little stiff for a service change - but I was an independent contractor and I charged a per hr rate. a typical 200 amp change cost the homeowner about 900 bucks. maybe I'm behind the times maybe not but this is just me.

[atisman]

Thank you for all your replies.
They helped a lot. I feel more confident with going to inspection.