Panel upgrades that make room for what comes next.
A panel upgrade is rarely about the panel. It is about the EV charger, the induction range, the heat pump, or the addition that the existing service cannot carry. We size the upgrade around the plan, not around a catalog number.
Signs the service has run out of room.
- A 100A service being asked to carry EV charging plus modern appliances
- A full panel with no open breaker spaces and no room for tandems
- Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or Challenger equipment still in service
- Rust, heat discoloration, or burned insulation inside the enclosure
- A remodel or ADU that adds circuits the panel schedule cannot absorb
- Repeated nuisance trips that are load-related rather than fault-related
Not every situation needs a full service change. Sometimes the answer is a subpanel, a load calculation that proves the existing service is adequate, or a load-management device for an EV circuit. The evaluation comes first, and if the cheaper answer is the right one, that is the one you get in writing.
What a panel upgrade covers.
- Load calculation for the current and planned loads
- New service panel, main breaker, and grounding/bonding updates
- Utility coordination for the disconnect and reconnect
- Permit application and inspection scheduling
- Circuit transfer with a legible, labeled panel directory
- Photo documentation of the finished installation
Meter socket, mast, and utility-side work vary by property and are called out separately on the estimate.
What the appointment looks like.
Most residential service changes are a single-day power interruption, coordinated with the utility ahead of time.
Confirm
Utility disconnect scheduled, materials staged, and the shutdown window confirmed with you.
Change out
Old equipment removed, new panel set, feeders and grounding brought up to current code.
Transfer
Circuits landed, identified, and labeled against a written directory.
Inspect
Inspection completed and power restored, with the sign-off recorded for your files.
Panel upgrade questions we get weekly.
How long will the power be off?
Plan on a working day for a standard residential service change. The exact window depends on utility scheduling and how much circuit rework the old panel needs, and we tell you the expected window before the date is booked.
Do I need 200A?
Only if the load calculation says so. Plenty of homes adding a single EV charger are fine on the existing service with a properly sized circuit or a load-management device. We would rather prove that than sell an upgrade you do not need.
Is a permit required?
Yes — service changes are permitted work in every Orange County jurisdiction we serve. The permit and inspection are handled as part of the job.
Can you do the EV charger at the same time?
That is the efficient way to do it. One shutdown, one permit package where the jurisdiction allows, and the charger circuit lands in a panel that was sized for it. See EV charger installation.
Send a photo of your panel.
A picture of the open panel and the meter is usually enough to start the conversation properly.