Panel replacement
A new panel on the same wall
For a panel that is full, failing or too small for what you are adding.
We replace the panel, label every circuit and arrange the utility's disconnect and reconnect. We pull the permit, and the inspector looks at the work before the power comes back on.
When you need it
Six signs a panel needs a look
If you smell burning or see sparks or scorching, turn off the breaker if it is safe, and call 911 for fire.
Breakers that trip or won't reset
A breaker that trips again and again is telling you the circuit or the panel is struggling.
A Federal Pacific or Zinsco label
These brands have a history of breakers that don't trip when they should.
Scorch marks or a warm cover
Heat at the panel is a reason to call, not to wait.
No room for another breaker
A full panel is why the new circuit never got added.
An original panel in a house from before 1960
A panel that old was sized for far less than a house uses now.
A heat pump, EV charger or induction range on the way
New big loads are the most common reason a panel is replaced.
What the visit and the job include
- 01
Step 1: Survey
We look at the panel, meter base, grounding and the wiring you can see.
- 02
Step 2: Estimate
A written quote with each line itemized.
- 03
Step 3: Permit
We apply with your city or town.
- 04
Step 4: Work
The utility cuts power, we swap the panel and relabel the circuits.
- 05
Step 5: Inspection
The inspector looks at the work, and the utility reconnects after it passes.
- 06
Step 6: Clean-up
The old panel leaves with us, and we leave the room as we found it.
Pricing
What a panel replacement includes
Load check and quote visit
We measure what your house draws, open the panel, check the meter base and grounding, and write the quote. Book the work within 30 days and the visit fee comes off.
- Load calculation for your whole house
- Panel, meter base and grounding inspected
- Written quote with permit and utility steps
- Repairs on the day
- Term:
- Credited to the job
Panel replacement, 200 amp, same spot
A new 200 amp panel on the same wall, for a house whose service wire and meter base can already carry it.
- New panel and breakers
- Permit and inspection fees
- Utility disconnect and reconnect arranged
- Every circuit labeled
- Old panel hauled away
- Drywall repair and paint
- Moving the panel
- A new meter base or mast
- Term:
- Installed
Goes up when the panel has to move, a finished wall has to open, or old wiring has to be corrected before it is connected.
Priced for a standard house, before sales tax. The written quote after the visit is the number.
Panel replacement, answered
Does my panel need replacing?
Not always. A panel that is full, shows scorch marks, carries a brand with a history of breakers that fail to trip, such as Federal Pacific or Zinsco, or can't take a new heat pump or EV charger is a candidate. The load check settles it: we measure what the house draws, open the cover and photograph what is inside before we recommend anything.
Do I need a permit, and who pulls it?
Panel and service work needs a permit from your city or town and an inspection before the power goes back on. We apply for it, and its fee is a separate line on your quote. Rules differ from one city to the next, so we tell you what yours asks for.
How long does a panel replacement take, and will the power be off?
Plan for the power to be off for part of one working day on a standard swap. Your quote gives the window. A new meter base or service upgrade involves the utility, which sets its own schedule for the disconnect and reconnect.
What isn't in the price?
Drywall repair and paint, trenching, equipment you supply, and sales tax where it applies. If we find a wiring problem behind the cover, we stop, show you and quote it before we go on.
Send a photo of the panel
A photo of the meter and the panel door is enough for us to tell you what to expect from the visit.