Electrical panel upgrades in Portland, OR

Panel upgrade pricing, no surprises

You should know the cost before anyone shows up at your door. So here it is. Most panel upgrades in the Portland area fall between $2,500 and $7,500, depending on your home's size, your current panel, and what it takes to bring everything up to code. Prices include the permit, utility notification, and inspection coordination, and we confirm the final number in writing before any work begins. For a full breakdown of what moves that number, read our complete Portland panel upgrade cost guide.

You do not need an in-person visit to get started. Text us a photo of your panel and we can often give you a ballpark the same day at no cost. For complex jobs we schedule a $95 on-site visit and give you a firm number in writing. If you are also planning an EV charger, heat pump, or central AC, combining that work with your panel upgrade is usually the most cost-effective approach.

Signs your panel needs upgrading

Your panel was sized for a house with one TV and an electric range. If your home was built before 2000, or you're adding an EV charger, heat pump, or AC, it may be running out of headroom. Here's what that looks like:

• Breakers trip frequently, a sign the panel is overloaded and cannot handle modern demand.
• Lights dim or flicker, a sign of insufficient capacity or an aging panel.
• You are adding an EV charger or heat pump, which need dedicated 50–60A circuits.
• You have a Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel, brands with known safety defects.
• An inspector or insurance company flagged your panel as a condition of coverage.
• You notice a burning smell or buzzing from the panel. That is a serious safety issue, so call us today.

How a panel upgrade works with Smiley Electric

We keep the process simple and communicate at every step. First we quote by phone, photo, or on-site visit. Then we pull the permit and notify your utility, PGE or Pacific Power depending on your address, so you do not have to make a single call.

On installation day we coordinate the temporary power shutoff, install the new panel, label every circuit, and restore power before we leave. Most panel upgrades are completed in one day. We then schedule and attend the inspection, and once it passes, your panel is fully code-compliant and documented. We send you the paperwork for your records, your insurer, and any future home sale.

Panel upgrades across the Portland metro

We serve homeowners throughout the region. In Portland, older housing stock in neighborhoods like Kenton, St. Johns, Woodstock, and Sellwood frequently needs upgrades, and we pull permits through the city and coordinate with PGE. We are also active across Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Gresham, and Milwaukie, each with its own permitting office that we file through directly.

Older homes often have 100-amp panels or fuse boxes that cannot support today's loads. Upgrading to a modern 200-amp service makes room for everything from a generator to a hot tub, and it is frequently the first step before any other major electrical work.