Free Tool — No Sign-Up, No Email Required

How Much Does an Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost in Los Angeles?

A service panel upgrade is not a breaker box swap. It replaces the point where utility power enters your home, which means the meter socket, the service entrance conductors, the mast or lateral, the grounding electrode system and a code-required surge protective device all come into it — plus an LADBS Counter Plan Check permit and an LADWP disconnect window. This estimator prices every one of those pieces separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for, and flags the conditions that turn a routine upgrade into a bigger job.

Start the Estimator Call (818) 588-7819
C10 #1137497 Licensed & Bonded
LADBS Permits Filed & Handled
LADWP Coordination Included
Most Jobs Complete in One Day
Cost Estimator

Estimate Your Panel Upgrade

Every field updates the estimate instantly. Nothing is submitted and nothing is stored.

How this works: The estimator prices a permitted residential service upgrade including the panel, meter socket, service entrance conductors, grounding electrode system, a code-required surge protective device, the permit and LADWP coordination. It assumes reasonable access to the panel wall and a standard single family home. Structural work, asbestos or lead abatement, knob-and-tube remediation and full rewiring are quoted separately.
Your Existing Service
Read the number on the main breaker, or on the pull-out block if you still have a fuse box.
The manufacturer name is printed inside the panel door. This does not change the price, but it changes the urgency.
Overhead means a wire runs from a utility pole to a mast on your roof. Underground means power comes up from a buried lateral, with no visible drop.
The Upgrade
200A suits most homes.
Moving it costs more.
Count the breakers in your current panel. This drives how many AFCI and GFCI breakers the new panel needs under current code.
City of Los Angeles neighborhoods go through LADBS Counter Plan Check. Independent cities run their own departments.
Common Add-Ons

Your Estimated Cost

Updates as you change your answers

Estimated Project Total
—
Installed, permitted and inspected
Call (818) 588-7819 Email Jorge for a Firm Quote
This estimator gives a planning range, not a contract price. Jorge provides a written fixed-price quote after seeing the panel, the service entrance and the meter location. Permit fees are set by the issuing agency and are passed through at cost.
Real LA Pricing

What Each Part of the Job Actually Costs

These are the ranges behind the estimator, published so you can check any quote you receive — ours included.

Line Item Typical Range What Moves the Number
125 amp service upgrade, base equipment and labor $2,100 – $3,000 Smaller homes and condos that need modern equipment rather than more capacity. Rarely the right call if an EV or heat pump is in your future.
200 amp service upgrade, base equipment and labor $2,900 – $4,200 The standard residential upgrade. Includes the panel, main breaker, meter socket, service entrance conductors and load-side terminations.
400 amp service upgrade, base equipment and labor $6,000 – $6,600 Usually a 400A meter main feeding two 200A panels. Large homes, dual EV plus battery, or a main house sharing a service with an ADU.
Underground service, added cost $1,400 – $3,800 Pulling new conductors through an existing lateral, or replacing conduit that has collapsed. Length of the lateral and what sits above it drive this.
Overhead to underground conversion $6,500 – $14,000 Trenching from the pole, new conduit and conductors, a new point of attachment, and utility engineering. Priced per project after a site review.
Service mast or riser replacement $850 – $2,000 New mast pipe, weatherhead, roof flashing and point of attachment. Required when the mast is undersized, corroded or below clearance height.
Panel relocation to a new wall $1,900 – $5,000 Re-routing the service entrance and extending every branch circuit. Distance, wall construction and attic or crawlspace access set the price.
Subpanel installation $1,100 – $2,750 Feeder size, distance, and whether the run is interior, exterior in conduit, or trenched to a detached structure.
Grounding electrode system upgrade $425 – $1,000 Driven ground rods, water pipe bond, and a bonding jumper at the meter. Soil conditions occasionally require a second rod.
AFCI and GFCI breaker package $525 – $2,600 Current code requires arc-fault and ground-fault protection on most residential circuits. Cost scales directly with circuit count.
Surge protective device (code required) $325 – $700 NEC 230.67 requires an SPD on dwelling unit services. Included on every upgrade rather than sold as an upsell.
Stucco or drywall patching $450 – $1,400 Stucco patching, curing and texture matching costs more than drywall. Exact color matching on aged stucco is rarely possible.
Temporary power during the outage $400 – $1,100 Generator, fuel and a safe temporary feed. Worth it for medical equipment or a work-from-home day that cannot move.
Smart panel upgrade, added cost $3,200 – $6,800 Monitoring hardware and per-circuit control in place of conventional equipment. Most valuable alongside solar or battery storage.
LADBS permit and inspection $350 – $650 Counter Plan Check review, permit issuance and final inspection. Set by the agency and passed through at cost.
LADWP coordination Included Scheduling the disconnect, meeting the crew, and arranging the reconnect and meter reset. Not billed separately.

Base rows cover equipment and labor only. The breaker package, surge protective device and permit are listed as their own lines and apply to every upgrade, so a typical all-in 200A job lands around $4,475 to $7,250. Ranges reflect permitted residential work in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Commercial services, multi-family buildings and properties requiring utility engineering are quoted individually.

Sizing Your Service

100A, 200A or 400A — What Do You Actually Need?

Service size should come from a load calculation, not a guess. This table shows what each service realistically supports in a Los Angeles home.

Service Size Realistically Supports Where It Falls Short
60A fuse box Lighting, receptacles and a gas range in a small pre-war home. Nothing else. Everything modern. No central air, no EV charging, no electric dryer. Usually uninsurable and effectively obsolete.
100A A modest home on gas heat, gas water heating and a gas range, with window or small central AC. Adding an EV charger, a heat pump, an electric range or a second AC unit generally exceeds the calculated load.
125A to 150A A typical home with central air and one or two major electric appliances. Often takes a 32A or 40A EV charger after a load calculation. Full gas-to-electric conversions, dual EV charging, or adding a pool heater and a heat pump at the same time.
200A Central air, electric range, heat pump water heater, electric dryer and a Level 2 EV charger together. The right answer for most LA homes. Two EV chargers plus battery storage plus a large all-electric home, or a main house and ADU sharing one service.
400A Large square footage homes, dual EV charging, battery storage, pool equipment, and a main house plus ADU on one service. Rarely falls short residentially. More often it is simply more service than the property will ever draw.

Run your own numbers with the free home electrical load calculator before committing to a service size.

Before You Get Quotes

The Six Things That Actually Change Your Price

Two identical-looking homes can be $3,000 apart on the same 200A upgrade. Here is why.

Overhead versus underground

An overhead service is the least expensive path: the mast, weatherhead and drop are all accessible from a ladder. An underground lateral means working with buried conduit that may be collapsed, undersized or full of water, and nobody knows which until it is opened. This single factor swings the price more than any other.

Whether the panel moves

Keeping the panel in place means the service entrance geometry stays the same and branch circuits land where they always did. Moving it means re-routing the service entrance and extending every circuit to the new position. Sometimes it is optional. When NEC 110.26 working clearances are not met, it is not.

The condition of the mast

On older overhead services the mast is frequently the hidden cost. Undersized pipe, corrosion at the roof penetration, or a point of attachment that no longer meets clearance over a driveway all force a replacement. It is not visible from the ground, which is why phone quotes on panel upgrades are unreliable.

How many circuits you have

Every circuit that lands in the new panel needs the protection current code requires, and arc-fault and ground-fault breakers cost several times what a standard breaker costs. A 40-circuit house therefore carries a materially larger breaker package than a 14-circuit house, on otherwise identical work.

What the wall is made of

A panel recessed into drywall comes out cleanly. A panel set into stucco, brick or plaster and lath leaves an opening that has to be patched, cured and textured, and on aged stucco an exact color match is rarely achievable. Older San Fernando Valley homes hit this constantly.

What is behind the panel

Cloth-insulated wiring, knob-and-tube remnants, aluminum branch circuits, or splices buried in the wall all surface once the old panel comes off. None of it is optional to address once discovered. An honest estimate names these as possibilities up front rather than presenting them as surprises mid-job.

The Process

What Actually Happens, Step by Step

From first call to signed-off permit, a typical Los Angeles panel upgrade runs two to four weeks. Most of that is paperwork and scheduling, not work at your house.

Step 1

On-site assessment

Jorge inspects the panel, the meter, the mast or lateral and the grounding, then performs an NEC Article 220 load calculation to confirm the correct service size. You get a written fixed-price quote, not a range.

Step 2

Permit submittal

Because a panel upgrade modifies the service entrance, LADBS requires Counter Plan Check review rather than an online express permit. Plans and documentation are submitted on your behalf. Review typically takes one to five business days.

Step 3

Utility scheduling

Once the permit is issued, the LADWP disconnect and reconnect window is booked. Install day is set to match that window so power is off for the shortest time possible.

Step 4

Installation day

Power is disconnected in the morning. The old panel and meter socket come out, new equipment goes in, circuits are landed and labeled, grounding is brought to code, and the surge device is installed. Power is typically off six to eight hours.

Step 5

Inspection

The city inspector reviews the completed service. Jorge meets the inspector on site. You do not need to be present or to visit any counter at any point in the process.

Step 6

Sign-off and records

You receive the permit number and the final inspection documentation. Keep both with your home records — insurers and buyers ask for them.

Step 7

Labeling and walkthrough

Every circuit is mapped and labeled legibly, not with faded pencil marks. Jorge walks you through the new panel, the main disconnect and what each breaker controls.

Step 8

What comes next

With capacity in hand, an EV charger, heat pump or battery becomes a straightforward branch circuit rather than another service project. Plan the sequence once and pay for the service entrance once.

In Depth

Code, Permits and the LADWP Process

Why a panel upgrade is a service upgrade

The phrase "panel upgrade" undersells what the job is. Replacing the breakers inside an existing panel is maintenance. Upgrading the service means changing the capacity of the electrical service itself — the point where utility power crosses onto your property and into the building. That distinction is why the price is what it is and why the permitting is more involved.

A complete residential service upgrade normally includes the service entrance conductors, the meter socket, the main service disconnect, the panel and busbar, the grounding electrode system and main bonding jumper, a surge protective device, and either the overhead mast assembly or the underground lateral. Each of those is a separately inspected element. Miss one and the service does not pass.

The code requirements that shape the job

California adopts the National Electrical Code as the California Electrical Code, with amendments. Several provisions have a direct effect on what a panel upgrade costs and how it has to be built.

LADBS requires Counter Plan Check, not an Express Permit

Electrical work in the City of Los Angeles runs on two permit tracks. Smaller work — a new branch circuit, an EV charger outlet, a garage subpanel — qualifies for an Express Permit through the online portal, often issued the same day. A panel upgrade does not, because it modifies the service entrance. It requires Counter Plan Check review by an LADBS electrical plan checker at the Development Services Center at 201 N. Figueroa Street. Turnaround for a straightforward residential upgrade is typically one to five business days. This is why the calendar timeline runs weeks even though the work itself is one day, and why a contractor who promises a same-day permit on a service upgrade is describing a job they have not correctly identified.

How LADWP coordination works

Every service upgrade inside LADWP territory requires the utility to physically disconnect power at the drop or the lateral before the old equipment can be removed, and to reconnect and reset the meter afterward. That window is scheduled, not on demand, and it has to line up with the permit and the installation date. Coordinating those three calendars is a large part of what makes the overall timeline two to four weeks.

Properties outside LADWP territory follow the same shape with a different utility. Burbank Water and Power, Glendale Water and Power, Pasadena Water and Power and Southern California Edison each have their own scheduling processes and lead times. Knowing which one applies to your address, and what their current lead time actually is, is part of the estimate rather than a surprise later.

Plan for a day without power

Expect roughly six to eight hours with the service disconnected. Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed and they will hold. Make other arrangements for anything medically critical, for a work day that cannot move, and for aquariums or reptile enclosures that depend on heat. If none of that is workable, temporary generator power can be built into the job for an additional cost — say so during the estimate rather than on the morning of the install.

Federal Pacific, Zinsco and Challenger panels

Los Angeles housing stock is full of these, and they are a different conversation from capacity. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels have long-documented histories of breakers that fail to trip under fault conditions. A breaker that does not trip is not protection; it is a piece of metal that looks like protection. Challenger panels carry related concerns around bus and breaker connections.

The practical consequences show up before any electrical failure does. Insurers increasingly decline to write or renew policies on homes with these panels. They surface as a defect in escrow inspections and become a negotiating point or a condition of sale. Replacement breakers are effectively unavailable, so even routine repairs become difficult. If you have one of these panels, the case for replacing it does not depend on whether you also need more amperage.

Sequencing a panel upgrade with everything else

If a panel upgrade is on your list alongside an EV charger, solar, a battery, an ADU or a heat pump conversion, the order matters and can save real money. The service entrance work is the expensive, disruptive part, and doing it once is far cheaper than doing it twice.

What to require from any quote

A service upgrade is a large enough job that vague quotes cost people money. Whoever you hire, ask for these in writing before signing.

  1. The C10 license number, verifiable at the CSLB.
  2. The service size, stated as the result of a load calculation rather than an assumption.
  3. The permit type and issuing agency named explicitly — for City of LA work, Counter Plan Check.
  4. Whether the mast, grounding electrode system and surge device are included or excluded.
  5. Who patches the wall, and to what finish.
  6. What happens to the price if conditions inside the wall differ from what was visible.
  7. The expected outage duration and the utility coordination plan.

A quote that omits the permit is not cheaper. Unpermitted service work complicates insurance claims, surfaces during escrow as an unpermitted improvement, and eventually forces a retroactive permit on far worse terms than the original one.

What LED Guys includes on every panel upgrade

Jorge does the work himself — no subcontractors, no dispatcher, no rotating crew. See the full panel upgrade service page for equipment details and project photos, or the LADBS permit walkthrough if you want to understand the paperwork side yourself.

Do You Need One?

Signs Your Panel Needs Replacing

Some of these are urgent. Some are simply capacity. The difference matters.

What You Notice Urgency What It Usually Means
Burning smell, scorch marks or a warm panel cover Call now Loose or overheating connections. Stop using the panel and get it looked at the same day. This is not a scheduling conversation.
Buzzing, crackling or sizzling from the panel Call now Arcing inside the enclosure. Same-day attention, regardless of whether anything has tripped.
Federal Pacific, Zinsco or Challenger panel High Documented failure-to-trip history. An insurance and safety issue independent of capacity.
Fuse box rather than breakers High Typically a 60A service with no realistic path to modern loads, and usually a barrier to insurance.
Breakers that trip repeatedly on the same circuit Medium Either a genuine overload or a fault on the circuit. Repeated resetting without diagnosis is the wrong response.
Lights dim when the AC or a large appliance starts Medium Voltage drop under load. Sometimes a service capacity problem, sometimes a loose connection worth finding early.
Panel is completely full, no open spaces Medium Nothing new can be added. If an EV charger, ADU or heat pump is planned, this is the constraint to solve first.
Rust, corrosion or water staining in the enclosure Medium Moisture intrusion degrades bus connections over time. Find the water source as well as replacing the equipment.
Adding an EV charger, solar, a battery or an ADU Planning A capacity question, not a safety one. A load calculation gives the real answer and sometimes the answer is that no upgrade is needed.
Panel is 40 or more years old Planning Age alone is not a defect, but it is a good reason to have the service assessed rather than waiting for a symptom.

If you have a burning smell, scorch marks or audible arcing, call (818) 588-7819 rather than scheduling an estimate online.

Common Questions

Panel Upgrade Cost Questions

A straightforward 200 amp service upgrade, replacing the panel in its existing location on an overhead service, runs about $4,475 to $7,250 including the LADBS permit. Underground services, panel relocations, mast replacement and subpanels each add to that. A 400 amp upgrade typically runs $7,575 to $9,650 in the same base scenario. The two largest variables are whether the service is overhead or underground, and whether the panel stays where it is.
Because it is a service upgrade, not an equipment swap. It modifies the service entrance where utility power enters the building, which brings in the meter socket, the service entrance conductors, the mast or lateral, the grounding electrode system, the main bonding jumper and a code-required surge protective device. It requires LADBS Counter Plan Check review rather than an express permit, and it requires the utility to disconnect and reconnect power. Replacing only the breakers inside an existing service is a much smaller job.
Yes, and practically speaking no. Because a panel upgrade modifies the service entrance, LADBS requires Counter Plan Check review by an electrical plan checker at the Development Services Center at 201 N. Figueroa Street rather than an online Express Permit. Review typically takes one to five business days. California allows an owner-builder permit in limited circumstances, but the utility disconnect coordination and the inspection expectations make this impractical for almost every homeowner. LED Guys files the submittal and meets the inspector, so you never visit the counter.
The installation is usually a single day, with power off roughly six to eight hours. The full timeline from first call to final sign-off is typically two to four weeks, because it includes LADBS plan check turnaround of one to five business days plus scheduling the utility disconnect and reconnect window. Panel relocations and overhead-to-underground conversions can push the on-site work into a second day.
For most single family homes in Los Angeles, 200 amps is right and 400 amps is more service than the house will ever draw. A 200 amp service comfortably supports central air, an electric range, a heat pump water heater and a Level 2 EV charger together. A 400 amp service earns its cost on large square footage homes, properties running two EV chargers plus battery storage, homes converting fully off gas, or a main house plus an ADU on one service. The honest answer comes from an NEC Article 220 load calculation rather than square footage.
In practice, yes. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels have well documented histories of breakers failing to trip under fault conditions, which defeats the purpose of having a breaker at all. Challenger panels carry similar concerns. Insurers increasingly refuse to write or renew policies on homes with them, they routinely surface as a defect during escrow, and replacement parts are effectively unavailable. If you have one, replacement is a safety matter independent of whether you need more capacity.
Yes, for most of the working day. The utility disconnects the service in the morning and reconnects once work is complete and released, typically a six to eight hour window. Keep the refrigerator and freezer closed and they will hold fine. Arrange alternatives for anything medically critical, for aquariums and reptile enclosures, and for a work day that cannot move. Temporary generator power can be included in the job when a household genuinely cannot go without.
Yes. NEC 230.67, carried into the California Electrical Code, requires a surge protective device on services supplying dwelling units, and the requirement applies when a service is replaced. A Type 1 or Type 2 SPD at the panel is part of a code-compliant residential service upgrade rather than an optional add-on, and inspectors check for it. Any quote that leaves it out is either out of date or planning to add it later.
Often yes, and sometimes it is required. NEC 110.26 mandates clear working space in front of the panel of at least 30 inches wide, 36 inches deep and 6 feet 6 inches high, which rules out panels buried behind shelving, inside small closets or above a laundry sink. Relocating means re-routing the service entrance and extending every branch circuit, so it adds real cost. It is worth doing when the current location is non-compliant or inaccessible, or when it sits on the wrong side of the house for a future EV charger or battery.
Both, usually in your favor. A permitted upgrade with a signed final inspection is documentation you can hand to an insurer or a buyer's inspector, and replacing a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel removes a known obstacle to coverage. Unpermitted electrical work does the opposite: it can complicate a claim, appear during escrow as an unpermitted improvement, and force a retroactive permit at the worst possible time. Keep the permit number and final inspection card with your home records.
Frequently yes, though the ownership line matters. In many buildings the panel inside the unit is the owner's responsibility while the meter bank, service conductors and main disconnect are common area controlled by the HOA. That changes who approves the work and sometimes what is possible. Describe the building and where the meters are and we will tell you honestly whether it is straightforward before anyone comes out.
You hear about it before anything is done, with a price attached. Cloth-insulated conductors, knob-and-tube remnants, aluminum branch circuits and buried splices all turn up in older Los Angeles homes once the panel comes off, and none of them are safe to simply reconnect. The estimate names these as possibilities up front rather than presenting them as mid-job surprises, and no additional work proceeds without your approval.
Client Testimonials

5.0 Stars — Verified Google Reviews

★★★★★

“I recently hired Jorge to install LED strip lights for my custom cabinets, and I couldn't be happier. Professional, punctual, and incredibly skilled. The wiring was neatly hidden and the setup works seamlessly. Highly recommend for anyone looking for top-notch electrical work.”

AAdesign Firm
★★★★★

“Very knowledgeable and punctual. Easy to work with and reasonably priced. I will definitely use them in the future for all my lighting and electrical needs.”

Yacoub Kawaja
★★★★★

“Jorge is the man for any electrical work. He completed lighting installations for my shop and did an excellent job. Professional, efficient, highly satisfied. I highly recommend Jorge for any electrical issues or projects.”

Zubair Kohbandi · Local Guide
★★★★★

“You can't ask for a better electrician than George. He's reliable, communicative, on time, reasonably priced and a pleasure to work with. I've called George for multiple projects, including panel upgrades, recess lighting and even technical issues and he has performed like a champion every time.”

Paul H
★★★★★

“I've worked with many electricians over the years, and he's by far the best. His prices are great, he's always on time, reliable, and gets the job done without any issues. If you need an electrician you can truly count on, reach out to him — you won't be disappointed.”

Bardia Danesh
★★★★★

“LED Guys were awesome! They replaced and repaired my open sub panel quickly and made the whole process super easy. Friendly, professional, and explained everything in a way that made sense. Great to have peace of mind knowing the job was done right.”

Ryan Schneider
Read All Reviews on Google
BuildZoom.comGeneral Contractors in Van Nuys
Written Quote

Want the Real Number for Your House?

Send a photo of your panel, your meter and the outside of the wall it sits on, and Jorge will come back with a fixed price. Estimates are free, written, and include the permit and the utility coordination. Same-day appointments are usually available across the San Fernando Valley and greater Los Angeles.

Call (818) 588-7819 Email Jorge@ledguyservice.com