Electrical Panel & Service Upgrades, 100 to 200 Amps
More capacity for the way your household actually uses power today: EV charging, heat pumps, induction ranges, hot tubs and home offices.
Why Denver-area homes are outgrowing their panels
A 100-amp service was generous when much of the Front Range was built. Those homes had a gas furnace, a gas range, one television and no air conditioning. Today the same panel is asked to carry central air, a heat pump, an induction range, a hot tub, a home office and a car that needs 40 amps overnight.
A panel upgrade raises the ceiling. It replaces the panel, and usually the meter main and service conductors, with equipment rated for the load your household actually draws, and it gives you the physical breaker spaces to add circuits without stacking tandems into a full box.
- Breakers that trip when two large appliances run together
- A full panel with no open spaces left
- Adding an EV charger, hot tub, heat pump or air conditioning
- Planning solar or battery storage in the next few years
- An insurance carrier or buyer's inspector flagging the service size
What an upgrade actually involves
An amperage upgrade is not just a bigger box. The service conductors from the meter, the meter socket itself, the grounding electrode system and often the service mast all have to be rated for the new capacity. We replace what needs replacing and tell you honestly what doesn't.
Because the utility has to pull the meter to de-energize the service, we schedule that in advance with Xcel Energy so your outage is a planned window rather than an all-day guess.
- New 200-amp panel and main breaker
- Meter socket or meter main combination replacement as required
- Service entrance conductors upsized to match
- Grounding and bonding brought to current code
- Existing circuits transferred, tested and relabeled
Upgrading with solar, battery or EV in mind
If solar, a battery or an EV charger is anywhere in your plans, tell us at the estimate. Panel choice, busbar rating and breaker placement all change when a future interconnection is on the table, and the right panel now avoids paying for a second upgrade when the solar contractor arrives.
We regularly set homes up so a solar installer or EV charger crew can land their equipment without any additional service work.
Our process
How an EPO panel upgrades job runs
- 01
Free in-home assessment
We inspect the panel, meter, mast and grounding, then take a load calculation based on how your household actually lives.
- 02
Straightforward written quote
One number, itemized. No surprise change orders on the day of the job.
- 03
Permit and Xcel scheduling
We pull the permit and book the utility disconnect and reconnect so the outage window is predictable.
- 04
Upgrade day
Panel, meter equipment and grounding are replaced, circuits are transferred and labeled, and everything is tested before we energize.
- 05
Inspection and sign-off
We meet the inspector, close the permit, and leave you with photos, the directory and the warranty in writing.
Pricing
What moves the price on this job
We quote after seeing the equipment, because these details change the number more than anything else.
- Existing service size and how much of it can be reused
- Whether the meter main and mast need replacement
- Overhead versus underground service
- Panel location and any relocation requested
- Aluminum branch wiring or other legacy conditions
- Permit and utility fees in your jurisdiction
Monthly payments available through Hearth
Prequalifying takes about a minute and uses a soft credit check, so seeing your options does not affect your credit score.
FAQ
Common questions
Is a 200-amp panel enough for an EV and a heat pump?
For most Denver-area homes, yes. A properly designed 200-amp service comfortably carries a heat pump, an EV charger on a load-managed circuit and normal household loads. We confirm it with a load calculation rather than a rule of thumb.
How much does a panel upgrade cost in Denver?
Typical Denver-metro 100-to-200-amp upgrades land in a broad range depending on the meter equipment, mast and grounding work required. We quote a fixed number after seeing the equipment, not a phone estimate.
Do I have to be home?
Yes, someone 18 or older should be on site so we can access the panel and confirm circuit labeling at the end.
Will you have to open my walls?
Rarely. Most upgrades happen at the existing panel and meter locations. If any drywall work is unavoidable, we tell you before we start.
How do I know if I need a 100 to 200 amp upgrade?
The usual tells are a full panel with no open spaces, double-tapped breakers, a service that trips when the AC and dryer run together, or a planned EV charger or heat pump. A load calculation settles it instead of guessing.
How long does a service upgrade take?
For most homes the changeover happens in one stretch of work. Power is off for roughly four to six hours while the panel, meter equipment and grounding are changed out, and you know that window before the truck arrives. Homes that need service-entrance or grounding repairs can run longer, and we tell you that at the estimate.
Does a panel upgrade require a permit and inspection?
Yes, in every jurisdiction we serve, from Denver and Aurora to Erie, Morrison and Monument. We pull the permit, meet the inspector and close it out.
Will my mast or service entrance cable need replacing?
Often on older homes. A 100-amp mast and cable are not rated for 200 amps, so the overhead or underground service entrance gets upgraded with the panel. We check it at the estimate.
Do I need to upgrade if I am adding an EV charger?
Not always. Load management or a properly calculated circuit lets many 100-amp homes add a charger. We run the calculation first and tell you plainly which way it lands.
Can I pay for a service upgrade monthly?
Yes. Hearth financing covers upgrades, and prequalifying takes about a minute without touching your credit score.
Still deciding?
The fastest way to get a real answer for your home is to have a tech open the panel. The on-site estimate is free, and you leave with a written price for panel upgrades.
Want the long version first? Read What Does an Electrical Panel Upgrade Cost in Denver?.
Where we work
Electrical Panel & Service Upgrades across the Front Range
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