Electrical panel upgrades for a home you’ll never have to think about again
Breakers that trip when the AC and oven run together. A box too full for an EV charger. We replace it with a modern panel sized to your home — 200A for most, up to 400A — permitted, inspected, and at a clear price you approve up front.
Complimentary on-site evaluation
The part of your home that fails quietly.
Built for a smaller life
A 100-amp panel or an old fuse box was sized for a 1960s house — not central AC through a Texas summer, an EV in the garage, an induction range, and a home office all at once. Every load you’ve added pushes it past what it was built to carry. That’s the tripping and the dimming.
The panels that don’t trip
Federal Pacific (FPE) and Zinsco panels sit in thousands of Austin homes and are known to fail silently — the breaker looks fine and simply never trips. A short keeps feeding heat into the wall instead of cutting power. If you have one, replacing it isn’t optional.
No room to grow
A full box means no EV charger, no hot tub, no addition, no backup power — not until the panel is upgraded. We size the new one for the home you’re building toward, so the next thing you add is a half-hour job, not another project.
Repair, replace, or upgrade — the right call for your home
Most panel calls start the same way: something feels off. A breaker won’t stay set. The lights dip when the dryer runs. You found rust inside the box, or a brand you later learned was recalled. The right first step isn’t a quote — it’s a proper look. We read the panel, the breakers, the service size, the grounding and bonding, and the load your home actually carries today, then tell you plainly whether a targeted repair will do or whether replacement is the smarter money.
| What you’re seeing | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| One bad breaker or a loose connection | Repair — a targeted fix, tested and documented |
| Recurring trips, heat, corrosion, a recalled brand | Replacement — the box itself is the problem |
| 100-amp service plus an EV, heat pump, or addition | Service upgrade — 200A for most, up to 400A |
| Out of breaker spaces | Subpanel — add capacity without a full swap |
The panels that fail quietly: Federal Pacific & Zinsco
Some panels don’t warn you at all. Federal Pacific (FPE) and Zinsco panels sit in thousands of older Austin homes and have a documented history of breakers that never trip — the one job a breaker exists to do. The breaker looks fine; a short keeps feeding heat into the wall instead of cutting power. If you have one, we treat replacing it as a safety priority, not a someday project.
Built for how Austin homes actually grow
A panel upgrade is a system decision, not a parts swap. We match the solution to your home’s safety, its capacity, and the plans you haven’t made yet — the pool, the casita, the second EV.
- 200A to 400A service upgrades for EV chargers, additions, and high-demand homes
- Full panel replacement, including recalled Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels
- Meter, mast, and service-entrance upgrades where the job calls for it
- Subpanel installation for garages, workshops, casitas, and ADUs
- Grounding, bonding, and surge protection brought up to current code
- SPAN smart-panel option when you want to see and control every circuit (see SPAN smart panel)
Permits and your utility, coordinated for you
When the work needs a permit, we pull it, file it, and schedule the city inspection. We coordinate the disconnect and reconnect with your utility — Austin Energy, Oncor, PEC, or Bluebonnet — so you don’t make a single call. And when we shut the power off, our No-Lost-Day promise means we set you up with a backup generator, so your home office keeps running and you don’t burn a vacation day.
Everything a panel upgrade should include — and usually doesn’t.
Some quotes cover the panel and leave you to chase the permit, the inspection, and the utility yourself. Ours doesn’t — one price, one crew, one company that owns the whole job from the first call to the final inspection.
More in the box than just a box
Generator-ready
A whole-house portable-generator connection, wired in at no added cost. (The generator itself isn’t included.)
Detectors updated
Smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors brought current — up to six — at no added cost.
GFCI brought current
Up to five GFCI outlets updated to today’s code, included with the upgrade.
Whole-home surge
Advanced surge protection across the panel, so one strike doesn’t take the house with it.
Permits handled
City permits and the utility disconnect (Austin Energy / Oncor / PEC / Bluebonnet), coordinated for you.
Financing available
Spread the cost through GoodLeap from $175/mo, with a quick soft-credit check. (More below.)
The things we stand for.
The people we send into your home
We believe our people are the friendliest and best trained in the business, and we put them first — because happy employees make happy customers.You’ll feel it the moment they arrive.
The right materials, every time
We believe low-quality equipment or poor workmanship are NEVER a good value.What goes into your walls today is still working in twenty years.
We spend the time to do it right
We believe in taking the time to learn exactly what you want, then finishing to the highest standard in the industry.Right the first time — and made right if it ever isn’t.
Three steps. One clear price.
No mystery, no pressure, no surprises pulled out of the wall halfway through.
Book your assessment
We inspect your panel, run a load calculation for how your home actually runs, and tell you exactly what it needs — and what it doesn’t.
Approve a flat price
One clear number, in writing. We pull the permits and coordinate the shut-off with your utility — Austin Energy, Oncor, PEC, or Bluebonnet — so you don’t make a single call.
Power, done in a day
Most upgrades finish in a single day — often the same day you approve. We label every circuit, clean up like we were never there, and walk you through it — then you go back to never thinking about it.
Not sure what’s behind your panel cover? Book the assessment and we’ll tell you straight.
Why homeowners trust us with their home.
BBB A+ Rated
Accredited and in good standing with the Better Business Bureau.
Angi Award Winner
Recognized for service quality every year, 2018–2025.
Manufacturer-Certified
Tesla, SPAN, and the panel makers we trust certify who installs their equipment — and they don’t certify lightly.
Five-Star Rated, Over and Over
Five stars on Google, Yelp, and Angi — earned the hard way, one job at a time.
Warrantied & Honored
We honor our warranties — no loophole-hunting, no nonsense exclusions. If we install it, we own it.
Permits & Inspections Handled
Fully licensed and insured. When a job needs permits, we manage all of it — nothing for you to chase.
Austin homeowners, in their words
I purchased a 1951 home with multiple electrical issues on the inspection. Every deficiency was addressed — and they told me which components did not need updating. A storm rolled in while I was away and the techs closed all my windows. I came home to a dry house.
They showed up right on time and worked nonstop in the heat, provided a generator, answered every question, explained everything, and cleaned up. I’ll definitely use them again.
Two layers of warranty, both honored
Two layers. The top-tier equipment we install carries a manufacturer’s lifetime parts warranty. On top of that, our own work — the installation itself — is backed by a 10-year DC Electric workmanship warranty. If something we did isn’t right, we come back and make it right.
Peace-of-mind panel upgrade financing.
- No payments and no interest for 3 months on installs $1,000+, paid in full during the intro
- Or keep payments low with long-term financing through GoodLeap
- Complimentary on-site evaluation — no pressure, no obligation
- Panel upgrade options sized to your home and how you actually use power
No payments and no interest for the first 3 months if paid in full, then low monthly payments, as low as $175/mo over the term. On installs $1,000+, through GoodLeap.
*Financing provided by GoodLeap, LLC, subject to credit approval; minimum purchase $1,000. The promotional plan has no payments and no interest for the first 3 months — no interest if the balance is paid in full within the promotional period. If it is not paid in full, interest is charged from the funding date and the balance converts to a fixed-rate loan of up to 120 months at 11.49%–15.49% APR with Autopay. Payment examples are estimates; actual terms depend on the amount financed and creditworthiness. Not all applicants qualify. See financing details.
Real jobs, real homes.
A growing library of completed work across Greater Austin — and the badges we've earned along the way.
What an electrical panel upgrade in Austin includes
Panel replacement and a complete service upgrade are different projects. Replacing damaged equipment can leave the existing service capacity unchanged. Increasing capacity can also involve meter equipment, service conductors, grounding, utility coordination, and other work identified during the evaluation. Your written scope should explain which project your home needs.
Does your home need 200-amp or 400-amp service?
The choice comes from an evaluation of the home's electrical demand and planned additions. An EV charger, electric heating, a workshop, or other large loads can change that calculation. Empty breaker spaces alone do not establish available capacity. We assess the equipment and loads before recommending a service size.
Permits, utility coordination, and the power interruption
The address determines the permitting authority and utility. Austin Energy and neighboring providers have their own coordination requirements. We confirm the applicable permit, inspection, and disconnect/reconnect steps as part of the project. If an interruption is needed, our office coordinates the schedule with you; utility and inspection availability can affect timing.
Panel replacement cost versus a complete service upgrade
DC Electric's typical project range starts around $3,000 for panel replacement and reaches $10,000 for a complete service upgrade. Additional scope can exceed that range. Access, equipment condition and location, capacity, and optional additions affect the price. The onsite evaluation leads to a written price for your specific home.
Panel upgrades carry a 10-year workmanship warranty. Equipment coverage follows the manufacturer's applicable warranty. Read the scope and warranty terms provided for your installation.
Read our guide to Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels or learn why a breaker keeps tripping before choosing a repair or replacement.
Call 512.954.4782 to arrange an evaluation with our office, or use the booking button to choose an appointment.
Answers before you book
Does adding an EV charger or new HVAC require a panel upgrade?
Do I need a full replacement, or just a repair?
What affects the price of a panel upgrade?
Are permits and inspections included?
How long does it take — and will I lose power all day?
What size panel do I need — do you install 400-amp service?
Are Federal Pacific (FPE) and Zinsco panels really that dangerous?
What’s covered by your warranty?
Plain-English answers to common questions
Tell us what you need.
Tell us what you need and our office will get back to you to set a time. A licensed electrician handles the visit.
Request your appointment.
Our office calls to set a time that works. A licensed electrician then handles the visit — and walks you through clear options and pricing.
- A licensed electrician on site
- Clear options and pricing, explained
- Workmanship warranty, in writing
Got it — we'll be in touch.
Our office will call you to schedule your appointment.
Office
3906 N Lamar Blvd, Suite 204 AB
Austin, TX 78756
Phone
Hours
Open 24/7 · Weekend service for existing customers
Service Area
Austin is home — the surrounding towns are family. Serving all of Greater Austin.