No room left in your breaker box?
An EV charger, a hot tub, a heat pump or a finished garage all land on the same panel. If it is full, the new circuit has nowhere to go.
Why it is never just the one circuit
Almost everyone arrives here the same way. You wanted one thing added, and the electrician said the panel was full.
That sounds like an upsell. It is worth understanding why it usually is not.
Adding a circuit is not just about physical space for a breaker. The permit is issued against a load calculation, which is a formal sum of everything the service is being asked to carry. If the calculation exceeds what the service can supply, the inspector does not sign it off. That is not the electrician’s preference, it is the condition of the permit.
And the permit is not optional in the way people sometimes hope. Unpermitted panel work voids homeowner’s insurance coverage and reliably surfaces during a sale.
Typical range for a 100-amp to 200-amp upgrade in San Diego County, including the permit, the new meter socket, grounding and SDG&E’s coordinated disconnect and reconnect. Larger 400-amp services for big homes or an ADU run higher. Four things move the number: distance from meter to panel, overhead versus underground service, whether sub-panels are involved, and the condition of what is being replaced.
Get your panel quote
Send us what you have and what you are adding. We come back with a written price that includes the permit and the utility coordination.
Most 200-amp upgrades here land between $2,800 and $4,200.
Request your written quote
Licensed and insured. Permits and inspection handled.
Rather send the details?
What the price includes
Panel, meter socket and grounding
The full service replacement, not just the breaker box, with a grounding electrode brought to current code.
Permit and SDG&E coordination
We pull the permit and arrange the utility disconnect and reconnect. Expect the power off for four to six hours on the day.
Load calculation first
Done before we quote, so the size we recommend is the size the inspection will pass.
Final inspection
We meet the inspector and see it through to sign-off, so your paperwork is clean if you sell or refinance.
Find out what yours would cost.
Written price before any work starts. Financing available on approved credit.
Common questions
How long does it take?
Most upgrades are a one-day job. The power is off for roughly four to six hours while SDG&E disconnects and reconnects the service.
Do I really need a permit?
Yes, and it matters more than people expect. Unpermitted panel work can void your homeowner’s insurance and it routinely blocks a sale when it surfaces during inspection.
Can I just add a sub-panel instead?
Sometimes, and it is cheaper when it works. A sub-panel solves a shortage of breaker slots but not a shortage of service capacity. The load calculation tells us which problem you actually have.
My panel is an old brand. Is that a problem?
Some older panels and discontinued brands cannot be upgraded in place and have to be replaced entirely. We will tell you which situation you are in before quoting.
Is financing available?
Yes, on approved credit.
Get it priced properly.
Load calculation, written quote, permit included. No work starts until you have the number.