200A panel upgrade vs subpanel: which you need and what it costs
By Our research team · Last verified · Methodology
Panel upgrade
Adding an EV charger, heat pump, hot tub or an addition to a 60–100A home
Subpanel
Out of breaker spaces, or power for a garage, shop or addition
Panel upgrade runs $1,500–$4,500 installed and subpanel runs $400–$1,750 installed in the US (November 2026). A 200A panel upgrade costs $1,500–$4,500, a subpanel $400–$1,750 and a smart panel $3,000–$9,500 installed. See prices for your city ↓
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 52+ American pricing sources · See methodology
Electrical panel jobs compared: cost and when you need each
The most common big job — a 100A to 200A panel upgrade — is $1,500–$4,500. A subpanel is $400–$1,750, a smart panel $3,000–$9,500 and a 400A service upgrade $4,000–$12,000.
| Panel job | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Panel upgrade, 100A → 200A | $1,500–$4,500 installed | Adding an EV charger, heat pump, hot tub or an addition to a 60–100A home |
| Add a subpanel | $400–$1,750 installed | Out of breaker spaces, or power for a garage, shop or addition |
| Smart panel (replaces the main panel) | $3,000–$9,500 installed | Circuit-by-circuit monitoring and control, often paired with solar, a battery or an EV |
| 400A service upgrade | $4,000–$12,000 installed | Large all-electric homes, two EV chargers plus heat pumps |
| Replace a fuse box with a breaker panel | $1,500–$4,500 installed | Older homes still on fuses — often raised by insurers and home inspectors |
| Replace a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel | $1,500–$4,000 installed | Panels that home inspectors and many insurers flag; never formally recalled, but widely replaced |
| Move the panel and meter | $1,000–$4,000 installed | Remodels, or a panel in a closet or bathroom that no longer meets code |
| Whole-home surge protector at the panel | $200–$800 installed | Any panel, and a must in lightning and storm country; required with a new panel or service where the 2020 or 2023 NEC is adopted |
| Generator interlock + inlet box | $400–$850 installed | Running a portable generator through the panel safely |
| Generator transfer switch | $400–$2,500 installed | Standby generators, or picking which circuits stay on in an outage |
| Add GFCI protection (outlet or breaker) | $90–$350 installed | Kitchens, baths, laundry, garages, basements and outdoor outlets, where code calls for it |
Most panel jobs need a permit and a utility meter pull, so a licensed electrician should do them. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels were never formally recalled, but home inspectors and many insurers flag them, and replacing one is usually the same job as a standard panel swap.
200A panel upgrade vs subpanel vs smart panel / load management
A 200A panel upgrade costs $1,500–$4,500, a subpanel $400–$1,750 and a smart panel $3,000–$9,500 installed. All three make room for an EV charger, heat pump or addition, but only the upgrade adds power from the utility; a load-management device ($400–$1,500) is the low-cost option when one new load is the problem.
| Factor | 200A panel upgrade | Subpanel | Smart panel / load management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | $1,500–$4,500 | $400–$1,750 | $3,000–$9,500 for a smart panel; $400–$1,500 for a load-management device |
| Adds power from the utility | Yes — more amps into the house | No — splits the power you already have | No — manages the power you already have |
| Utility involvement | Usually a meter pull; sometimes new service wires | None | A meter pull for a smart panel (it replaces the main panel); none for a device |
| Time on site | About a day, plus any utility wait | Half a day to a day | About a day for a smart panel; a few hours for a device |
| Fixes an old or flagged panel | Yes | No | A smart panel does; a device doesn't |
| Permit | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | 60–100A homes adding big loads, or any unsafe panel | A full panel with enough total capacity; garages and additions | Circuit-level control with solar or a battery, or one new load on a nearly full panel |
Start with a load calculation. If the house truly needs more power, upgrade the panel. If the panel is just out of spaces, a subpanel is cheaper. If one new load would push you over the line, a load-management device ($400–$1,500) can be the cheapest fix.
Panel upgrade vs subpanel: prices in the largest US cities
Local installed prices for each option, November 2026. Open a city for its full price list and a free quote.
| City | Panel upgrade | Subpanel |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $2,050–$5,350 installed | $560–$2,100 installed |
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,000–$5,250 installed | $545–$2,050 installed |
| Chicago, IL | $1,950–$5,200 installed | $530–$2,050 installed |
| Dallas, TX | $1,700–$4,800 installed | $460–$1,900 installed |
| Houston, TX | $1,500–$4,350 installed | $395–$1,700 installed |
| Washington, DC | $1,800–$4,950 installed | $485–$1,950 installed |
| Atlanta, GA | $1,500–$4,350 installed | $395–$1,700 installed |
| Philadelphia, PA | $1,700–$4,800 installed | $460–$1,900 installed |
| Miami, FL | $1,450–$4,050 installed | $380–$1,550 installed |
| Phoenix, AZ | $1,750–$4,900 installed | $470–$1,900 installed |
| Boston, MA | $1,900–$5,100 installed | $515–$2,000 installed |
| San Francisco, CA | $2,150–$5,500 installed | $590–$2,150 installed |
| Riverside, CA | $1,550–$4,600 installed | $415–$1,800 installed |
| Detroit, MI | $1,700–$4,800 installed | $460–$1,900 installed |
| Seattle, WA | $2,000–$5,250 installed | $545–$2,050 installed |
| Minneapolis, MN | $1,700–$4,800 installed | $460–$1,900 installed |
| San Diego, CA | $1,700–$4,800 installed | $460–$1,900 installed |
| Tampa, FL | $1,550–$4,600 installed | $415–$1,800 installed |
| Orange County, CA | $1,650–$4,750 installed | $445–$1,850 installed |
| Denver, CO | $1,550–$4,600 installed | $415–$1,800 installed |
| Oakland, CA | $1,800–$4,950 installed | $485–$1,950 installed |
| Charlotte, NC | $1,550–$4,600 installed | $415–$1,800 installed |
| Baltimore, MD | $1,600–$4,650 installed | $430–$1,800 installed |
| St. Louis, MO | $1,700–$4,800 installed | $460–$1,900 installed |
| Orlando, FL | $1,500–$4,500 installed | $400–$1,750 installed |
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- New York, NY →$90–$200/hr
- Los Angeles, CA →$95–$185/hr
- Chicago, IL →$90–$175/hr
- Dallas, TX →$75–$145/hr
- Houston, TX →$45–$120/hr
- Washington, DC →$85–$150/hr
- Atlanta, GA →$50–$120/hr
- Philadelphia, PA →$70–$150/hr
- Electrician cost: full US guide →