Bought a house recently that had the fuse box replaced with a panel that appears to be rated at 60 amps. Was planning to remodel the kitchen and add heat lamps to the baths, and as a result I need to upgrade to a higher amp service. An electrician looked at things and said he would have to update the panel and a lot of wiring to the tune of $ 4500-5000.00 which is not in the budget. As a work-around for replacing the existing panel & wiring, I'm thinking I could add a 2-circuit disconnect after the meter, and use one circuit to feed the existing panel in the basement, and use the second circuit to feed a new panel that would be located in a storage area next to the kitchen. This approach would save money and allow me to address the somewhat overloaded existing panel (ie electric stove, clothes dryer, central air and lights & outlets on a 60 amp service) and shorten the new cabling lines by putting the new panel by the kitchen.
Is there any problem(s) or issues in using this approach?

I do not know what your zoning laws require in your location but 60 amp service has not been code for years. Many years. 100 amp service was the norm for years but since the late 70's, here in NY, 200 amp service has always been required.
A complete upgrade to 200 amp service would actually be your best investment . $5 or $6 thousand dollars is not out of line and you should never have problems of not having enough service available. Personally, if it were me, I would opt for new service at 200 amps. Should you ever decide to sell the home, it is a selling point.

BY just adding a sub panel, you are not decreasing your demand. You would have the same overload on the same 60 amp service. I wonder,, the electrician was not able to determine whether it was 60 or 100 amp service. Hmmmmm.

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Originally Posted by Handyman2007

I do not know what your zoning laws require in your location but 60 amp service has not been code for years. Many years. 100 amp service was the norm for years but since the late 70's, here in NY, 200 amp service has always been required.
A complete upgrade to 200 amp service would actually be your best investment . $5 or $6 thousand dollars is not out of line and you should never have problems of not having enough service available. Personally, if it were me, I would opt for new service at 200 amps. Should you ever decide to sell the home, it is a selling point.

BY just adding a sub panel, you are not decreasing your demand. You would have the same overload on the same 60 amp service. I wonder,,,,the electrician was not able to determine whether it was 60 or 100 amp service. Hmmmmm.

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Update:
House was built in late 50's. Appears that panel has no main disconnect, but a 60 amp dbl-pole cb is installed in with the other cb's and labeled as main breaker. The approach would be to move some of the load on the existing 60 amp panel, to the second, separate 60 or 100 amp panel, fed from the new 2-cb disconnect added between the meter and the 2-panels.

I know upgrading to a new single panel w/ new wiring would be ideal, but the cost appears to be significantly higher than I believe this approach would be; the question is in regard to safety / functionality, as well as price

You still only have 60 amps. It is not enough service for the additions you plan. You would only be distributing the 60 amps over two service boxes. You will not gain anything and won't be a safer alternative. Sorry I can't offer any other advice but the facts.

I'm surprised that you obtained home owners insurance with your electrical service. I know of RE sales where the financing is contingent on upgrading. Get a couple of bids. Just an upgrade of your service with a new panel (and not all the new stuff like heat lamps) in my area would be substantially less.

The minimum size of a Dwelling electrical service is 100 ampere in accordance with the National Electrical Code which has been adopted by the State of New York.

Definitely get at "least" three proposals and prices...