Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost in San Francisco

A panel upgrade's price isn't a flat number — it's driven by the amperage you're moving up to, how your home connects to the utility, where the panel lives, and what the old wiring reveals once it's opened. Here's what actually changes the cost, and how to get a firm one.

What a panel upgrade is

Your electrical panel (the breaker box) distributes power to every circuit in the house. An upgrade replaces an old or undersized panel — often a fuse box or a 60–100 amp service in older SF homes — with a modern, higher-capacity panel (commonly 200 amp) so your home can safely handle today's loads.

When you need one

• You're adding a big load — a heat pump, EV charger, induction range, or heat-pump water heater.
• You still have a fuse box or a low-amperage service.
• You're replacing knob-and-tube wiring (the two often go together).
• Breakers trip often, lights flicker, or an inspection/insurer flagged the panel.

What changes the price

• Target amperage. Moving to 200 amp (or higher) vs. a smaller bump.
• Utility coordination. Service-entrance, meter, and mast work, and scheduling the utility disconnect/reconnect.
• Panel location & access. An easy garage wall vs. a buried, awkward, or relocated panel.
• What's discovered. Old wiring, grounding issues, or hazards revealed during the work.
• Sub-panels & circuits. Whether new sub-panels or circuit work are part of the scope.
• Permits & inspection. Required — and part of doing it safely and to code.

Because of those variables, a precise figure quoted sight-unseen is a guess. Typical SF panel-upgrade ranges depend on the factors above, so we price it after assessing your specific service.

What we see in San Francisco homes

Many older SF homes were built for a fraction of today's electrical demand, so panel upgrades come up constantly as homeowners electrify. In our experience the two biggest cost swings are utility coordination and what the old wiring reveals once the panel is opened. We scope both upfront and put the whole job into one quoted price — the price we quote is the price you pay.

How to get your number

An in-home assessment of your service and the loads you're planning to add is the fastest path to a firm quote. If you're upgrading to support an EV charger, our EV charger cost guide covers how the two connect.