[jowanel]

Hi:
We need to get a larger electric panel. We now have a 150amp plus 2 sub panels with no space and need more breakers for our renovated bathrooms. Some of our current circuits are overloaded and the breakers trip. Our electrician suggests 400 amps.
How much is a permit and what is involved in changing the panel?
Thanks

[tkrussell]

Each city and town sets their permit rates, and they can vary greatly from town to town, state to state. Can be from $10 up to $100. If your city has a website, the permit rates are most likely published there.

Upgrading any service usually requires first checking with the utility company to confirm the service location is fine, some older services get relocated to meet new requirements of the utility. Each utility also has their own preferences for meter sockets.

Once the utility is consulted with and a permit is in place, the entire service can be replaced. This includes the conduit/cable riser up the outside of the building if the utility supply is overhead. If underground this may involve replacing the underground cable if a large enough size wire was not installed initially.

The meter, main disconnect, and main panel is replaced, along with all the heavy cables between each.

A 400 amp service give a bit more flexibility, since two 200 amp panels is the more practical than one 400 amp panel. Each panel can located strategically to help reduce the length of branch circuits.

Seems your aware as you mention that more circuits need to be added, just replacing the service is not going to fix any overloaded and tripping branch circuit breakers, just gives you the capacity for more branch circuits, or circuits with heavier loads.

Has the electrician perform the proper service sizing calculations, or is he just guessing that a 400 amp service is needed. I tell most people that think they want or need a 400 amp service that if you truly need a 400 amp service you most likely could not afford the monthly electric bill.

Not trying to talk you out of a 400 amp service, just that you may only need a 200 but with more circuit capacity to reduce the load on some circuits.The calcs are quick to do and help confirm what size service is needed. You may be surprised to find you need more than 400 amps!