Make-ready costs are the site-work half of a charging project: the service capacity, panel work, conduit, cabling and bases that bring power to the bay, before the charger itself is fitted. In a quote, those costs can appear as one lumped total, as an itemised section, or as a provisional line — and the presentation decides whether two quotes can be compared at all. Reading the make-ready half properly is most of quote comparison.
Key Takeaways
- Make-ready is the site-work half of the quote; its presentation — lumped, itemised or provisional — decides whether quotes compare.
- The utility-side line is legitimately provisional until the utility’s own offer lands.
- Compare scope before totals: exclusions and assumptions explain most of the gap between quotes.
- Keep make-ready invoiced separately from hardware for clean incentive records.
Three Ways the Same Costs Appear
| How the quote presents it | What you can see | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| One lumped project price | A single total for hardware and site work together | Ask for the split: which part is equipment, which is make-ready, and what scope the make-ready assumes |
| Itemised make-ready section | Line items for service, panel, runs, trenching and bases | Check each line against your site: distances, surfaces and capacity should match the survey |
| Charger price with make-ready “to be confirmed” | A firm hardware price and an open-ended site half | Treat the total as unknown until the site is surveyed and the utility has answered |
None of these formats is dishonest by itself. The risk is comparing them as if they were the same document: a low lumped price may assume a short run and spare panel capacity that your site does not have. The factors that move this half of the bill are listed in what affects EV charger installation cost.
The Provisional Utility Line
One part of make-ready is often quoted as an allowance rather than a firm price: the utility-side work. If the incoming supply must grow, the utility prices its own equipment and works, on its own timetable, and the installer cannot firm that up in advance. A quote that carries this line as provisional is being accurate, not evasive. Carry it as unsettled in your budget until the utility’s written offer lands — and be wary of any quote that prices another party’s work as fixed. Why installation costs what it does follows the same logic through the line items.
Exclusions to Hunt For
Before comparing totals, check whether each of these sits inside the number, inside an allowance, or outside the quote entirely:
- Trenching and surface reinstatement — digging is one line; putting a finished car park back is another.
- Panel and switchgear upgrades — the site-side capacity work the survey identifies.
- Utility fees and utility-side works — frequently provisional, sometimes excluded.
- Bases, bollards and bay markings — small lines that are easy to leave out and annoying to add later.
- Permit and inspection fees — charged by authorities, not by the installer.
The Hardware Half, for Scale
U.S. DOE-cited figures give the two halves their proportions: DC fast charging runs about $38,000–$90,000 in equipment and $20,000–$60,000 in installation per unit, and public Level 2 about $3,500 in equipment plus $2,500 in installation per connector. These are U.S. averages, not a quote for your site — but they show why the installation half, most of which is make-ready, deserves as much scrutiny as the charger. On the hardware side of the split, the items are catalogue products: a dual-connector AC station such as the EV-AC03201T, or compact DC such as the EV-RHDC30K-L. One practical step: keep make-ready invoiced separately from hardware, so the records are clean if an incentive programme will consider site preparation. Our commercial charging page sets out the hardware range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are make-ready costs part of installation cost?
Yes — they are the site-specific part of it. When a quote separates “installation” from “make-ready”, it is usually splitting the fitting work from the infrastructure work that comes first.
Why do two quotes differ so much on make-ready?
Because each assumes a scope: run lengths, panel capacity, ground conditions. Quotes built on different assumptions are not yet comparable — a survey that fixes the scope is what aligns them.
Should make-ready be invoiced separately from the chargers?
It is good practice. Some incentive programmes treat site preparation and hardware differently, and clean separation keeps either claim possible. Check the current programme listings in DSIRE before the project starts.
Related Reading
- What Affects EV Charger Installation Cost? 8 Factors to Check
- How Much Does It Cost to Install a Commercial EV Charging Station?
- Why Is EV Charger Installation So Expensive?
