Many Houston homes — especially the ranch houses built across Oak Forest, Spring Branch, and Meyerland in the 1950s and 60s — still run on electrical panels sized for a very different era. Add a modern HVAC system, an induction range, and an EV charger, and a 100-amp panel simply runs out of room.
What a panel upgrade involves
A panel upgrade replaces the existing breaker panel with higher-capacity equipment, often moving a home from 100 to 200 amps. In Houston, this work typically requires a permit through the Houston Permitting Center and coordination with CenterPoint Energy for the service connection. The provider you work with handles both.
When Houston homeowners usually need one
Common triggers: breakers that trip under normal use, a fuse box that can no longer support modern loads, plans for an EV charger or standby generator, a renovation or addition, or an insurer asking for updated equipment. If any of these sound familiar, a capacity evaluation is the right first step.
How our referral process works
Call us, describe your home and what is driving the upgrade, and we connect you with an independent electrical service provider covering your part of Houston. They inspect the existing service, determine the right capacity, pull the permit, and give you an estimate directly. All pricing, scheduling, and workmanship are handled between you and the provider.
Load management as an alternative
Not every capacity problem requires a new panel. Load-management devices monitor the home’s draw and temporarily pause large flexible loads — like an EV charger — when the total approaches the limit. For some homes this lets an existing panel support new equipment without a full service upgrade. The provider calculates whether this is legitimate for your loads or a shortcut that will not hold.
Good to know
Code has moved on since your panel was installed
Since the 2020 edition, the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) requires whole-home surge protection on dwelling-unit services, and the 2023 edition extends that requirement to panel replacements. A modern upgrade usually brings grounding, AFCI and GFCI protection up to current standards at the same time — the provider walks you through what applies to your home.
Typical breaker sizes in a Houston home
Typical residential breaker sizes. Bar length is relative to a 60-amp circuit; the provider sizes each circuit to the actual load and wire gauge.
Before you call — have this ready
- The brand of your current panel and the amperage printed on the main breaker
- What you plan to add — EV charger, induction range, pool equipment, workshop tools
- Whether lights dim or flicker when the A/C or another large appliance starts
- Any letters from your insurer about the panel brand or age
Permits and code in Houston
This type of work generally requires an electrical permit in Houston, and Texas law requires it to be performed by a licensed electrician. You can verify any license through the TDLR license search and confirm permit requirements with the Houston Permitting Center. The provider you hire should pull the permit — be cautious of anyone who asks you to pull it as the homeowner.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. In Houston, panel replacements and service upgrades generally require a permit through the Houston Permitting Center. The licensed contractor performing the work pulls the permit and schedules the inspection — if a provider suggests skipping it, treat that as a red flag.
It depends on your actual loads: HVAC, water heater, range, EV charger, pool equipment. A provider performs a load calculation on your home before recommending anything. Most modern single-family projects land on 200 amps, but the calculation — not a rule of thumb — decides.
A straightforward panel swap is typically a single workday once permits and the CenterPoint service coordination are scheduled. The total timeline from estimate to finished job depends on permitting and utility scheduling, which the provider manages and communicates directly.
Yes, for part of the workday — the service has to be de-energized while the panel is replaced. The provider will tell you the expected window and restore power the same day in a typical project.