Our builder built 42 homes - and we were the only ones who upgraded the electrical to 200 amps (it's a 3 bed/3.5 bath 3 story house and we knew we would need more for renovations later - kitchen appliances, landscaping lighting, etc.). They clearly didn't have a plan for this - even though they offered it as an add-on. They put this 4' x 4' box (with big ugly barn doors over it) at the entrance to the house from the garage. You have to pass through this area to pass between the main floor (kitchen, dining, living rooms) and the at grade basement walk-out and family room. Not exactly what we had in mind and our guests always ask "what's that?!" to which we respond by opening it. Usually gets good laugh but we're tired of the joke.

To the left (2'-6', depending on which part of this box you're talking about) of this monstrosity is the back or outside of the utility room - and on the other side of that wall are a couple of electrical conduits threaded through the wall supports (wood) and empty space. (We recently removed the HRV in favour of a Plusaire to our joy and delight - no more worries about back-drafting when we run our new (coming) 1200 cfm range hood - so we have a lot more empty space from floor to ceiling.) There is a tankless water heater on the outside wall (just as this box is on the outside wall) of the utility room about 18" to the left of the utility room wall. That is, the distance from the right side of the water heater to the right side of the pretty box pictured here is about 3'6".

Can our electrical panel be moved either into the utility room - or - onto and flush with the utility room wall - or - made flush with the wall it's currently on? The box comes out about 4" from the wall and has made it impossible to even put a bench for taking one's shoes on before going out into the garage. (We end up sitting on the stairs which would be at the photographer's back.)

There's also an internet/cable connection in this box and an untidy mess of unused (yet attached) wire. The drywall wasn't cut - just ripped and torn. There's insulation stuffed in around the pvc bringing in the electric cables. I don't even think this would be safe if there were children regularly in the house.

While I see no way to get around doing this, I'd rather spend money on other things (wouldn't we all?!). Any ballpark figures for Toronto? $2500? $5000? $10,000? We'll be having an electrician in to do a lot of other work at the same time - installing lighting and roughing out new electrical for the back yard and kitchen, if that would make any difference.

Thanks

Tina