I've hired an electrician to replace our fuse box with a new panel and upgrade our electrical service to 200 amps. We live in a small town in Ontario where a small hydro company supplies power. The electrician mentioned that the hydro company is charging $900 to assist with this upgrade—apparently, just cutting off the power for the panel upgrade costs $400. I'm wondering if this price seems excessively high. We're first-time homeowners, and I'm trying to gauge if I'm being unreasonable about these costs.
5 Answers
I got quoted over $10,000 just to go from 100 amps to 200 amps in suburban Chicago, so your figure doesn't sound too out of line to me! That’s what I would call price inflation!
That amount sounds about right; service upgrades usually fall between $3,000 and $5,000 based on where you are and the panel involved. Your electrician definitely knows what they're doing!
I did something similar last year in the Pacific Northwest and my total came to about $2,800, which I was told was a good deal. Your quote seems reasonable considering what it involves, like replacing the panel and dealing with the hydro company.
In my opinion, $900 isn’t unreasonable at all. Just replacing the panel involves a lot of careful work—rewiring all the breakers and making sure it’s all done right, often in just one day. If they’re properly trenching or running a new line, that might be why your costs are where they are. Honestly, it might even be a bit low considering the work involved!
Keep in mind that upgrading to 200 amps often requires replacing the entire line to your meter. This involves significant labor, plus the use of a bucket truck, which can escalate costs. I had a similar upgrade done in Edmonton, and it was definitely more than double $900!
Exactly! The requirements for a 200 amp drop are different from those for 100 amps. It could be that your meter needs to be replaced too, and depending on the distance to the new installation, various upgrades might be necessary to meet the current standards. Honestly, $900 seems quite reasonable.
I've noticed prices can vary a lot. I’m also looking into this and have seen quotes ranging from $3,000 to $5,000!