Electrical Service Upgrades

We have completed dozens of service upgrades across the Fraser Valley, 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 probably has a 100-amp electrical panel, or perhaps even a 60-amp panel.

If your house was build after 1990, it may have a larger, 150-amp panel, but even this amount is usually not enough for a rental suite or electrical-vehicle charger.

If you add an air conditioner, hot tub, electric range, electric dryer, or other large appliances 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 has?

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?

In the past, upgrading to a 200-amp panel was usually about $2,000 to $3,000. With soaring copper prices (up 255% in past year!), limited supply of electrical panels, and high cost for aluminum service cables, the price can be anywhere from $3000 to $5000.

If you have a private power pole on your property, then BC Hydro will connect to that pole, but we need to run the cable from the private pole to your building (usually this portion is run underground). If you want more than 200 amps, the price is going to increase correspondingly.

Who upgrades your electrical panel?

Upgrading your electrical service and panel involves working with the utility company (BC Hydro), a licensed electrician (that’s us), and your local 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. First, you need to have an issued permit in place in order to schedule a work-with trip from BC Hydro.
2. On the morning of the upgrade, usually around 9AM, BC Hydro comes and cuts the power to your house by removing the meter and, if applicable, cutting power to the lines.
3. We then make all the needed updated 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 too while the power is off. If you are connecting anything new, such as an EV charger, we also connect that during this time.
4. Once we’re done our work, the building inspector must sign off on it before Hydro will reconnect. If all goes well, then Hydro will reconnect the outside power lines and put the meter back in, 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 want to add an addition or a rental suite for additional income
4. 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 80% of your panel’s ampacity 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.