Electrical Panel Upgrades in Everett, WA

A lot of Everett homes are still running on a 100-amp panel built back when “high draw” meant the toaster and the TV.

Then life happened. Heat pump. Electric range. A car that plugs in. A garage full of tools. That old panel is now doing a job it was never sized for — and it feels it. Breakers that trip on laundry day aren’t being dramatic. They’re telling you something.

The standard for a new or replaced panel in Washington is 200-amp service now. It gives you room — for what you run today, and for whatever you bolt on next. (Planning an EV charger? A 200-amp service is usually the price of admission. More on that below.)

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So how do you know it’s time?

We get asked this a lot. A few honest tells:

• Breakers that trip under normal load, or just won’t reset
• A house built before the early ’90s that’s never been upgraded
• A Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or Pushmatic panel (keep reading — these matter)
• Scorching, rust, or a warm smell around the panel
• You’re adding an EV charger, hot tub, or heat pump
• You’re running the house on power strips because you’re out of slots

Even one of these is worth a look. Two or more and we’d really like to come out.

What actually happens during an upgrade

Here’s the short version. We pull the old panel, set a new main breaker panel sized right for the house, and loop in Snohomish County PUD when the utility side needs upgrading too. Older setups often need a new meter base while we’re at it. It’s permitted through Everett or the county, and the inspector signs off before the panel goes hot. We run that whole sequence — permit, utility, install, inspection — so you’re not chasing it.

Most 100→200-amp upgrades around Everett land between $2,500 and $5,000, depending on meter and mast work and how cooperative your panel’s location is. You get a written number after we look, not a guess over the phone.

About those Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels

This one’s worth slowing down for.

Federal Pacific Stab-Lok panels have a nasty habit — the breakers often don’t trip when they should. A circuit overloads, the breaker just… sits there, the wire keeps heating, and that’s how fires start. The Consumer Product Safety Commission documented the pattern years ago, and these days plenty of home insurers flag the panel during underwriting. Zinsco panels have their own version of the same problem.

So if you’ve got one of these on the wall, we don’t call it an upgrade. We call it a fix.

The smaller stuff too — breakers and surge protection

Not every problem is a whole panel. We swap individual breakers, add dedicated circuits for a new dryer or shop, and sort out double-tapped messes a previous owner left behind. We’ll tell you straight when a panel’s too far gone to keep adding to, and when it isn’t.

While we’re in there, ask about a whole-home surge protector. It mounts right at the panel and takes the hit so your HVAC board, appliances, and everything plugged into them don’t. Cheap insurance against a lightning strike or a utility spike — and the easiest add-on during an upgrade.

A few questions we hear

How much does a panel upgrade cost in Everett? Most 100→200-amp upgrades run $2,500–$5,000, depending on meter/mast work, panel location, and PUD coordination. You’ll get an exact written quote after a licensed evaluation.

Can I upgrade the panel without rewiring the whole house? Usually, yes. We replace the panel (and often the meter base) and reconnect your existing circuits. Full rewiring only comes up if the wiring itself is unsafe — and we’d flag that before touching anything.

How long does it take? Most are a one-day job, plus the inspection and any PUD scheduling. We handle that timeline for you.

Do I need a permit? Yes, and an inspection before the panel’s energized. We file it. That’s on us.

Why does an EV charger need a 200-amp panel? A Level 2 charger adds a big, steady load a 100-amp panel often can’t carry on top of everything else. The upgrade makes room for it safely. See our EV charger installation page.

Let’s get it sorted

Permitted, inspected, and done right — part of the full range of electrical services we run across Everett, and it protects your house and its resale value at the same time.

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