Your old 100A or 125A service was never built to run a heat pump, an induction range, and a Level 2 EV charger at the same time. We replace it — properly, on permit, under license #1062166.
Most west Contra Costa homes are still running on the same 100-amp panel they were built with — sometimes 60 or 70 years old. That panel was designed for a 1960s load, not heat pumps, induction ranges, and EV chargers.
A panel upgrade replaces the meter base, disconnect, bus, breakers, and grounding. We coordinate PG&E, pull the permit, and meet the inspector — all under CSLB #1062166.
We come out, look at your existing panel, your meter, your service drop, and any planned future loads (EV charger, heat pump, ADU). We do an actual NEC 220 load calculation, not a guess.
You get a line-item quote covering panel, meter, permit, PG&E coordination, and any incidental work (relocating the panel, new ground rod, sub-panel feeders). No deposit to see the bid.
We submit the electrical permit with your city or county building department. Approval typically takes 2 to 3 weeks in west Contra Costa, depending on the plan-check queue.
Once the permit is approved we submit the disconnect request to PG&E. This is the real bottleneck. On a responsive city the wait is a few weeks. On a slow jurisdiction it can be months — we have seen it run as long as 8 months on the outer edge.
On site at 8am. PG&E pulls the meter, we replace the panel, meter base, grounding, and re-terminate every branch circuit. Power is back on by mid-afternoon.
City inspector comes out within a few days. We meet them on site, walk the work, and they sign off the permit. You get the paperwork.
Every tier includes the permit, new grounding, a new meter base, and PG&E coordination. Siemens or Square D breakers only — no off-brand discount hardware. The biggest price driver is distance from the utility drop, not the brand of panel we install.
Siemens or Square D breakers only. No off-brand hardware.
For most modern west Contra Costa homes — especially anything built before 1990 with plans for an EV, heat pump, or kitchen renovation — yes. 200A is the current default for residential new construction and most upgrades. We run the load calculation per NEC 220 to confirm before we quote.
About 6–8 hours on cut-over day. PG&E pulls the meter in the morning, we do the work, PG&E re-energizes that afternoon. You are back on before dinner. The longer timeline is waiting for PG&E to schedule the cut-over itself — on a slow jurisdiction that wait can run into months.
Yes. We submit the disconnect/reconnect request to PG&E and schedule the appointment. You do not need to call them.
Sometimes. If your meter is being relocated to meet current code (outdoor, accessible, away from windows) the service drop needs to follow. We coordinate that with PG&E as part of the same job.
Always. Every panel upgrade we perform is on a pulled permit and signed off by the city inspector. You receive the closed permit paperwork at the end.
Free walk-through. Written line-item quote the same day. Every job on permit under CSLB #1062166.
