Table of Contents
- What Is an Electrical Panel?
- Cost Breakdown by Part
- Factors That Determine the Cost to Replace an Electrical Panel
- DIY Electrical Panel Replacement vs. Hiring a Professional
- When Should You Repair or Replace Your Electrical Panel?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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The average cost to replace an electrical panel differs greatly based on how many amps you are upgrading. For the lowest 100-amp panels, the cost of an upgrade ranges from $400 to $800 (panel only), while upgrading to 400 amps could cost anywhere from $800 to $2,500. See below for the averages across all electric currents.
| Average Cost To Replace An Electrical Panel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Average Cost | $1,800 | |
| Highest Cost | $5,000 | |
| Lowest Cost | $300 | |
How Many Amps of Electricity Do I Need for My Home?
The amount of amps of electricity you need depends on the size of your home, your number of appliances and a few other factors. Here’s a general guide.
| Size of Electrical Panel in Amps | Best For |
|---|---|
| 100 or less | Smaller homes, older homes with little electricity usage, homes without large electrical appliances (like HVAC systems) |
| 150 | Homes in which multiple power strips are in use or multiple appliances are run simultaneously |
| 200 | New homes built in 2015 or later, homes larger than 1,800 square feet, or omes with new additions, garages, multiple appliances operating at once and high demands of energy |
| 300 | Very large homes and home businesses with commercial electrical equipment |
| 400 or more | Large, luxury homes or homes with specialty equipment or electronics |
If you’re unsure how many amps you need, ask your electrician and they can make a recommendation. If you’re downsizing into a smaller home, you could save by choosing an amperage of 200 or less. Note that the average size of a home in the U.S. is 2,500 square feet.
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What Is an Electrical Panel?
An electrical panel is part of your home’s electrical system that connects it to public utility systems. The panel allows your home to have power distributed throughout.
Cost Breakdown by Part
Sometimes, replacing your entire electrical panel isn’t necessary. In that case, you’ll want to know the cost of replacements for specific parts.
Meter Box
Meter boxes measure your home’s energy usage. If your meter box is old or damaged, or you are making an electrical service upgrade, you’ll want to upgrade your meter box, as well. The cost of a meter box averages anywhere from $100 to $500, not including installation. Note that your local electrical company will install your meter box, typically, not your electrician.
Circuit Breaker Switch
Replacing a circuit breaker switch costs around $100 to $200. Older fuses tend to be more expensive than newer switches.
Subpanels
Let’s say you added a new addition to your home or want to extend your electricity to your garage. If your main panel is in good shape and is less than 25 years old, it’s more affordable to add a subpanel rather than replace your entire panel. Expect to pay anywhere from $400 to $2,000 for a new subpanel, depending on its amperage.
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Factors That Determine the Cost to Replace an Electrical Panel
You can estimate the cost of replacing your electrical panel based on a few key factors.
Panel Location
If your panel needs to be relocated, not just replaced, it’ll drive up the cost. Moving an indoor panel outdoors, for example, can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,700.
Age and Condition of Existing Electrical Work
If your existing electrical work is newer, meaning it was installed under 25 years ago or is part of a historic home, you may be able to get away with adding a subpanel to your electrical panel and not replacing it entirely. We’ll further break down the costs below.
Materials Needed
Again, the age of your existing electrical panel will make a huge difference as to the cost of replacement. If you have wiring that’s worn out, circuits that are damaged or receptacles that are old, your electrician will need to replace these materials, driving up the overall cost of parts.
Amperage of the New Box
Panels range from 60 to 400 amps. The higher the amperage, the more expensive the panel, although the amperage has no effect on labor costs.
DIY Electrical Panel Replacement vs. Hiring a Professional
Whether you’re completely replacing your electrical panel or adding a subpanel, it’s best to hire an electrician, someone who is trained in electrical procedures and codes.
Working with your household electrical system is dangerous. In fact, each year from 2015 to 2019, fire departments across the U.S. responded to 46,7000 home fires involving electrical malfunctions and failures, according to the National Fire Protection Association. When it comes to your home’s electrical system, leave it to the professionals and hire an electrician. The cost to hire an electrician is $100 per hour on average.
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When Should You Repair or Replace Your Electrical Panel?
Here are some key signs that you should repair or replace your electrical panel:
- You have upgraded appliances and systems in your home, such as new additions, hot tubs, convection ovens and more
- You hear a sizzling, cracking or buzzing sound from your outlets
- You need to reset your circuit breakers frequently
- You need to unplug some appliances in order to use others
- You no longer meet local regulations or codes surrounding household electrical systems
- Your appliances use a lot of electricity and aren’t efficient
- Your devices are slow to charge
- Your electricity bills are high
- You rely heavily on power strips, as your home’s number of outlets is insufficient
- Your lights flicker, blink or dim frequently
- Your panel is hot to the touch
- Your panel is more than 25 to 40 years old
- Your panel is visibly damaged
- Your panel uses fuses, not circuit breakers
- Your panel was manufactured by Federal Pacific Electric Panel or Zinsco, which poses a serious risk of injury to consumers, according to an investigation from the U.S. Consumer
- Product Safety Commission
- Your panel’s amperage is 100 or lower
- You see black or brown marks around an outlet
- You see rust on your panel
- You smell something burning or see smoke
To arrive at the average costs in this article, editorial team members surveyed five electrical panel replacement providers on national and local levels. All averaged figures were correct at the time of publication and may be subject to change.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I repair my electrical panel or hire a pro?
You should hire a professional to replace your electrical panel. Working with home electrical systems is dangerous, and if you’re not properly trained in electrical codes, you could cause a home fire. Find the best electrical repair near you.
What is the most expensive part of replacing an electrical panel?
The most expensive part of replacing an electrical panel is replacing the panel itself, which requires installation. Upgrading to 400 amps, for example, would cost $3,000 to $4,000 for a new installation or for an upgrade, $1,800 to $2,500. If you have to rewire your entire home, costs will increase even more.
Is it worth upgrading an electrical panel?
It is worth upgrading to an electrical panel if your existing panel is old, damaged or not energy-efficient. Upgrading will make your home more energy-efficient, allowing you to save on electricity bills, protect your home against electrical fires and increase the resale value of your home. However, if your panel is new and efficient, then upgrading is not necessary.
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FAQs
What is the average price to replace a panel? ›
...
Table of Contents.
| Average Cost To Replace An Electrical Panel | |
|---|---|
| Average Cost | $1,800 |
| Highest Cost | $5,000 |
| Lowest Cost | $300 |
The price also varies from a main panel to a sub panel. However, one of the main reasons why an electrical panel upgrade is so costly is the actual panel itself. Today, most people upgrade because they require more power, therefore they need a panel with more amperage. The higher the amperage is, the higher the cost.
How much is a new electrical panel old wiring? ›The average cost of an electrical panel upgrade is $1,300–$3,000. The average cost to move an electrical panel is $800–$3,000. Rewiring an electrical panel typically costs $1,500–$10,000.
How much does it cost to upgrade an electrical panel to 200 amps? ›The average cost of upgrading an electrical panel to a 200 AMP service is $1,500 – 2,800. An electrical panel upgrade is often necessary when homeowners find that they can no longer add a new appliance or a device that uses electricity because their current electric panel does not have enough capacity.