If your home was built before about 1995, there's a good chance you have a 100-amp electrical service. For a 1960s three-bedroom with gas everything, that was plenty. For a 2026 household with a heat pump, an EV charger, an induction cooktop, and a tankless water heater — not so much. Here's the honest take on when a 100A panel is fine, when it isn't, and what "enough" actually looks like.
What the Amperage Number Actually Means
Amperage on your main breaker is the maximum current your home can draw from the utility at any one moment. 100 amps at 240 volts is 24,000 watts. 200 amps is 48,000 watts. It's not just "bigger = better" — it's about whether your peak simultaneous load ever gets close to that ceiling.
Signs 100 Amps Is Still Fine
- Gas heat, gas water heater, gas range
- No EV
- One central AC unit (3 tons or less)
- Standard electric dryer
- Panel has open slots for future circuits
- Breakers are not tripping
We leave a lot of 100A panels in place every year. If the wiring is sound, the panel brand is safe (not Federal Pacific, not Zinsco, not Pushmatic), and the loads are reasonable, spending $4,000+ on an upgrade is wasted money.
Signs You Need to Upgrade to 200 Amps
- You're planning an EV charger install
- You're going electric on heat (heat pump or electric furnace)
- You're adding a second AC or zone
- You have or are planning solar with battery backup
- You have an induction cooktop plus electric oven plus electric dryer
- Main breaker trips occasionally under normal use
- Your panel is full and you need more circuits
- Your panel is Federal Pacific, Zinsco, Pushmatic, Bulldog, or FPE — upgrade regardless of size
Running the Load Calc
Before we quote any upgrade, we do a NEC Article 220 load calculation using your actual appliances and square footage. About 30% of homeowners who think they need an upgrade actually don't — they just need a subpanel or a dedicated circuit. The other 70% are already above their 100A service's safe operating range and don't realize it.
What a 200A Upgrade Includes
A proper 200-amp panel upgrade includes a new meter main, new service entrance conductors, a new panel (Square D QO, Siemens, or Eaton — we don't install anything else), a new grounding electrode system, permit, LADWP or SCE coordination for the power cut, and a final inspection. Typical timeline: 1 day of work, 1–2 weeks including permit and utility coordination.
What About 225A or 400A?
For most LA homes, 200A is the sweet spot. 225A costs marginally more and gives you headroom for future solar + battery + two EVs. 400A service is rare — we only install it for large estates, custom homes with pools and workshops, or homes going fully electric with multiple EVs. If you're not sure, we'll tell you straight up whether 200A is enough.
What It Costs in LA
Pricing varies based on meter location, utility coordination, and whether trenching is needed, but in the LA/SFV market a typical 100A-to-200A upgrade on an overhead service runs in the $3,500–$5,500 range all-in with permits. Underground services or relocations run higher. We quote flat-rate, never hourly.
Upgrading in Neighborhoods We Know Well
A lot of the homes we upgrade are 1950s–1970s builds in Reseda, Van Nuys, Granada Hills, and Burbank. Those homes almost always have 100A service and often have a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel. The older the neighborhood, the more likely the panel is overdue.
Ready for an honest assessment? The owner does every panel walk-through. Call 818-852-4910.
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