Electrical Service Upgrades

Every year we successfully complete dozens of service upgrades across the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland, and we can take care of all the details for you so you have complete peace of mind.

Depending on when it was built or last rewired, your house may only have a 100-amp electrical panel, or perhaps even a 60-amp panel.

If your house is newer, it may have a larger 125-amp panel.  But even this amount is usually not enough for a rental suite or electrical-vehicle charger.

If your panel is undersized and you want to add an air conditioner, heat pump, hot tub, electric furnace, or other large appliance into the mix, your panel won’t be able to handle the additional load and it will trip your main breaker when too much power is in use.

How can you tell how many amps your panel is capable of?

Just look at the main breaker. It should say a number on each switch. If it says 100, then you have a 100-amp panel. 

What does it mean to upgrade your electrical service?

Upgrading your electrical service means upgrading the size of the power cables coming into your house, and the size of the panel that connects that power to the rest of the building.

What does it cost to get a 200-amp panel?

The price can be anywhere from $4000 to $8000, depending on a many factors –  ease of access, overhead vs underground, existing BC Hydro infrastructure, etc 

If you have a private power pole(s) on your property, then BC Hydro will connect to the first pole.  We will need to run the cable from the first private pole to your building (usually this portion is run underground). If you need more than 200 amps, the price is going to increase correspondingly.  We can install 400amp and even 600amp services to your home if required.

Who upgrades your electrical panel?

Upgrading your electrical service and panel involves working with the BC Hydro, a licensed electrician (that’s us), and your municipal or provincial permitting and inspection services (e.g. Technical Safety BC or your municipal permitting body).

What does the Service-Upgrade process look like?

1. We arrange to have permit pulled in place in order to schedule a work-with trip from BC Hydro.
2. We contact BC Hydro with all the details, and send you (the homeowner) the request # to approve.
3. Once the permit is pulled and the request is approved, Hydro will contact us with available dates to do the work, which we will coordinate with you.
4. On the morning of the upgrade, usually around 8-10AM, BC Hydro comes and cuts the power to your house by removing the meter and the existing cables feeding your home.
5. We then make all the needed updates inside the house while the power is cut. This includes disconnecting all the current circuits, replacing the panel itself, and then reconnecting all of the circuits according to the current code. If we need to make any changes to the meter base (where they stick the Hydro meter on your house), we do this while the power is off. If you are connecting anything new, such as an EV charger, we also connect that during this time.
6. Once we’re done our work, the electrical inspector must sign off before Hydro will reconnect.  Once approved, then Hydro will replace the exterior power lines and put the meter back in.
7. We perform our voltage tests at the main panel and throughout the house ensuring everything is connected properly and functioning.  And then you’re done!

When do you need to think about upgrading your service panel?

1. If you want to install an electric vehicle charger in your home sometime in the future
2. If you are planning to add a hot tub or pool
3. If you need to replace your natural gas furnace with electric
4. If you are installing an air conditioning unit or heat pump
5. If you want to add an addition or a rental suite for additional income
6. If you’re currently near capacity on spaces for new circuit breakers on your panel or you are frequently tripping breakers due to overload from increased electrical usage

What is involved in an Electrical Service Upgrade?

A service upgrade involves a number of considerations, but we take care of all of it for you.

On your end, upgrading your service looks like approving a quote from Copper Mountain, approving BC Hydro charges that are sent to you (not included in our quote), and then sitting back and letting the pros take care of everything.

On our end, it looks like at least the following:

• BC Hydro is responsible for the electrical utility connection part of the job, so we work alongside Hydro to ensure a smooth and seamless transition with minimal downtime for your home’s power
• We take care of all the paperwork when it comes to municipal or provincial permits, inspection scheduling and liaising, connection requests, scheduling with BC Hydro, and everything else that’s needed to get your new service installed and operating perfectly
• We make all the electrical panel or sub-panel upgrade changes within your house, so it’s ready to go when Hydro gets there
• We make any needed alterations to or replacement of the service mast and weather head (the pole that sticks up from your house where the power lines enter in), to make sure your new service connection is protected from the elements for a lifetime
• We take care of any conduit installation or replacement (including digging trenches for underground services).
• We install a new meter base or retrofit your existing meter base to bring it up to code

Do I need to upgrade my electrical service to install an EV charger?

Every home is unique, and so it’s hard to issue a blanket answer to this question. However, you should know that EV chargers, especially level 2 chargers, can draw anywhere from 15 to 80 amps at a time. If you have a 100-amp panel, that means up to 80% of your panel’s capacity is potentially taken up by your charger!

Can you ever foresee plugging in two vehicles at once? Then you may want to consider providing yourself with the breathing room you may need one day so you don’t have to upgrade your service a second time.

If it seems unlikely now, just remember that Canada is seeking to eliminate new sales of gas-powered vehicles in only the next decade or two.

Can you install a private power pole on my property? 

The short answer is, Yes! 

When you want to install a private pole, or if you have a more complex service change in mind, BC Hydro requires accurate drawings to be submitted with proposed changes for review.

We can take care of this entire process, and we’ve worked with Hydro on complex residential, agricultural, and commercial/industrial upgrades, so we have the experience you need to ensure the job is done right and doesn’t hold up the schedule.

Have questions?

If you have any questions about upgrading your electrical service in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, don’t hesitate to reach out and talk with us. Have questions specific to your home? We have the answers, so call us at 778-855-0408.