What is the cost to run a 200-amp electrical panel to a detached garage in Fredericton?

Running a full 200-amp electrical panel to a detached garage in Fredericton typically costs $5,000 to $12,000, depending on the distance from the house, the method of cable routing, and whether your existing home service can support the additional load. This is a major electrical project that requires a licensed electrician, permits, and inspections — but it gives you virtually unlimited capacity for a serious workshop, vehicle lift, welding shop, EV charging, heating, and any future electrical needs.

The first thing to understand is that a 200-amp sub-panel in the garage requires a 200-amp main service at the house that has enough spare capacity to feed it — or more likely, a service upgrade at the house. Most Fredericton homes built before the 2000s have 100-amp or 200-amp main service. If your home already has 200 amps, your electrician can typically feed a 100-amp sub-panel to the garage from the existing panel. But if you truly want a full 200-amp panel in the garage, you may need to upgrade the home to 400-amp service or install a separate meter and service entrance at the garage itself. A separate service entrance means the garage gets its own 200-amp meter from NB Power — this is often the most practical approach for large detached garages and costs $3,000 to $6,000 for the meter base, panel, and NB Power connection, plus the cost of the overhead or underground service line.

The underground feeder cable is the single largest cost component for most detached garage electrical projects. In Fredericton, the trench must be dug below the frost line — a minimum of 4 feet deep — and the cable is typically run in PVC conduit for protection. For a 200-amp feed, the wire size is substantial: #3/0 copper or 250 MCM aluminum conductors, which cost $8 to $15 per foot for the cable alone. A 50-foot run from the house to the garage requires $400 to $750 in wire, while a 100-foot run doubles that. Trenching in Fredericton soil — which ranges from clay to river valley sediment — runs $15 to $30 per linear foot when done by machine, more if roots, rock, or existing utilities complicate the dig.

Here is a realistic cost breakdown for a 200-amp sub-panel feed to a detached garage 50 feet from the house in Fredericton: trenching and conduit installation at $1,500 to $2,500, feeder cable (aluminum, 50-foot run) at $800 to $1,500, 200-amp sub-panel with breakers at $800 to $1,500, interior garage wiring (6 to 10 circuits, lighting, receptacles) at $1,500 to $3,000, permits and inspections at $200 to $400, and electrician labour at $1,200 to $3,000. The total ranges from roughly $6,000 to $12,000 for the complete installation. For garages located 100 feet or more from the house, add $1,500 to $3,000 for the longer cable run and trench.

Most Fredericton homeowners building a standard two-car garage workshop will find that a 100-amp sub-panel meets their needs at roughly 30 to 40 percent less cost than a full 200-amp installation. A 100-amp panel supports a full complement of power tools, an EV charger, electric heat, and lighting without issue. The 200-amp option makes sense if you plan to run a vehicle lift (which requires a dedicated 30 to 50-amp 240V circuit), a commercial-grade welder or plasma cutter, a full spray booth with ventilation, or if you are essentially building a commercial shop in a residential setting.

All electrical work on this scale requires an electrical permit from the City of Fredericton, and the installation must pass inspection before NB Power will energize the service. Your electrician will handle the permit application, but make sure they pull the permit before starting work — not after. Underground cable routing may also require a locate request through the Atlantic Click Before You Dig service to identify any existing underground utilities on your property. Get matched with a qualified electrician for your garage project through the New Brunswick Construction Network at newbrunswickconstructionnetwork.com.