Cost to Run Power to a Shed, Garage or Outbuilding
Running power to a detached shed or garage typically costs $1,500 – $4,500, with trenching at $10 – $25 per foot and a 60A subpanel adding $700 – $2,000. A simple 20A circuit to a nearby shed can land at $800 – $1,500, while a fully wired garage with its own subpanel sits at the upper end. Distance from the house and how the cable is buried drive the number.
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| Scenario | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single 20A circuit, nearby shed | $800 – $1,500 | Lights and a few outlets, short run |
| Detached shed with subpanel | $1,500 – $3,500 | 30–60A subpanel, moderate trench |
| Detached garage, fully wired | $2,500 – $4,500 | 60–100A subpanel, multiple circuits |
| Long run (over 100 ft) | $3,500 – $7,000+ | Trench length and wire upsizing dominate |
| Overhead run instead of buried | $800 – $2,500 | Where allowed, avoids trenching cost |
| Line item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trenching | $10 – $25 per ft | Soil, rock, and obstacles drive this |
| Conduit and wire | $3 – $12 per ft | Gauge sized to amperage and distance |
| 60A subpanel installed | $700 – $2,000 | Panel, breakers, grounding at the outbuilding |
| New breaker in main panel | $100 – $300 | Feeding the new circuit or feeder |
| Permit and inspection | $100 – $400 | Buried feeder work is typically inspected |
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What drives the cost: distance and the trench
The single biggest variable is how far the outbuilding sits from the house panel, because the run is priced largely by the foot. Trenching alone is $10 – $25 per foot, and that range swings on soil: easy turf trenches fast, while rocky ground, tree roots, and crossing a driveway or patio push the high end or require boring under the obstacle.
Distance also forces wire upsizing. Long runs lose voltage, so the electrician steps up the conductor gauge to compensate, and heavier copper or aluminum costs more per foot. A 30-foot run to a backyard shed and a 150-foot run to a back-lot garage are different projects even at the same amperage. If the main panel feeding the run is already full, a panel upgrade may need to come first.
Burial depth and conduit rules
Code sets minimum burial depths that the electrician must meet, and the method changes the cost. Direct-burial cable (UF) in a trench can go deeper, often around 24 inches, while wire in rigid or PVC conduit can sit shallower, around 18 inches, because the conduit protects it. GFCI protection is required on the circuit, and the depth under a driveway is greater than under a lawn.
Conduit costs more in parts than direct burial but adds protection and makes future wire pulls or upgrades possible without re-trenching. Many electricians run conduit for that reason, and some jurisdictions effectively require it for the supply to a detached structure. The shallower allowed depth for conduit can also reduce trenching labor.
When you need a subpanel
A single 20A circuit covers a shed used for lights, a charger, and a couple of outlets, and it is the lower-cost path at $800 – $1,500 for a nearby structure. But once you want multiple circuits, a workshop with power tools, a heater, or an EV charger, a subpanel in the outbuilding is the right call.
A 60A subpanel installed runs $700 – $2,000 and gives the structure its own breakers, so you can branch circuits locally instead of running many separate cables from the house. Code also has specific rules for feeding a detached building, including a grounding electrode (a ground rod) at the outbuilding and proper separation of the neutral and ground in that subpanel. Those requirements are part of why a subpanel feed is inspected.
Buried vs overhead, and permits
Where local rules allow it, an overhead run on a messenger cable between the house and the structure avoids trenching entirely and can drop the cost to $800 – $2,500. The trade-off is appearance, clearance requirements over driveways and walkways, and exposure to weather and falling limbs. Many homeowners prefer buried for a clean look, accepting the trench cost.
Either way, running a feeder to a detached structure is permitted, inspected work in nearly every jurisdiction. The permit and inspection ($100 – $400) protect you on resale and insurance, and the inspection confirms burial depth, grounding, and GFCI protection were done correctly. This is not a job to leave unpermitted.
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