What a 100A to 200A Panel Upgrade Costs in Kelowna (2026)
Panel upgrades have become one of the most common electrical jobs in Kelowna, and the reason is straightforward: a house built in 1985 was wired for a stove, a dryer and a television. It was not wired for an EV charger, a heat pump, a hot tub and a suite. This guide covers what a 100 amp to 200 amp upgrade costs in Kelowna in 2026, the permit and utility steps involved, and how to tell whether you actually need one.
Kelowna panel upgrade pricing in 2026
Panel change only, same 100A service, new panel and breakers: roughly $1,800 to $3,500. This is a swap of an old or obsolete panel where the service size stays the same. Common on homes with a panel brand that insurers now flag.
100A to 200A service upgrade, overhead service: roughly $3,500 to $6,500. New 200A panel, new meter base, new service mast and conductors, grounding brought up to current code, permit, inspection and coordination with BC Hydro.
100A to 200A service upgrade, underground service: roughly $5,000 to $12,000. Underground is where costs climb, because it may involve trenching from the transformer or kiosk to the house, new conduit and conductor, and restoring driveway or landscaping.
Adding a subpanel rather than upgrading the whole service: roughly $1,200 to $2,800. Often the right answer when the existing 200A service has capacity but no physical space for more breakers.
Common extras:
- Grounding and bonding brought to current code: frequently required and sometimes not obvious until the panel is opened. Roughly $300 to $1,000, including a new ground rod or water bonding.
- Aluminum branch wiring remediation. Kelowna homes from roughly 1965 to 1978 may have aluminum branch circuits. Pigtailing every device with approved connectors is typically $2,000 to $6,000 depending on device count. Insurers increasingly ask about this.
- Knob and tube remediation in the oldest homes: costed per circuit and often substantial.
- Drywall repair and painting after the work: usually not included in an electrical quote.
- Temporary generator or hotel if the outage window is long: rarely needed, since most upgrades are done inside a single day.
Do you actually need 200 amps?
Not everyone does. Before you spend, it is worth having an electrician do an actual load calculation rather than guessing. The calculation considers your home's square footage, heating type, range, dryer, hot tub, air conditioning, EV charger and any suite.
You very likely need an upgrade if:
- You are installing a Level 2 EV charger and already have electric heat or air conditioning.
- You are adding a heat pump to a home with 100A service and an electric range and dryer.
- You are creating a secondary suite. This is a major driver in Kelowna given the demand for suites, and it usually pushes a 100A home over.
- You are adding a hot tub, particularly alongside any of the above.
- Your panel is physically full with no space for a new double pole breaker, and there is no room for tandems.
You may not need one if:
- Your home has gas heat, a gas range and a gas dryer. Those three appliances alone free up an enormous amount of the calculation, and plenty of Kelowna homes on 100A service comfortably support an EV charger in that configuration.
- Your issue is simply a full panel, in which case a subpanel may solve it far more cheaply.
- Your issue is one or two overloaded circuits, in which case adding a dedicated circuit is the fix.
There is also a middle option worth asking about: an EV charger with load management, which monitors total household draw and throttles the charger when the rest of the house is busy. On many Kelowna homes this turns a $5,000 service upgrade into a much smaller job.
Signs your panel needs attention regardless of capacity
- Breakers that trip repeatedly on the same circuit.
- A panel that is warm to the touch, hums, or smells of hot plastic. Call an electrician the same day.
- Scorching or discolouration around breakers.
- Fuses rather than breakers.
- Certain older panel brands that have been the subject of insurance and safety concerns. If your insurer has asked about your panel brand, that is worth acting on.
- Lights dimming noticeably when a large appliance starts.
The permit and BC Hydro process in Kelowna
This is a permitted job with a specific sequence, and it is worth knowing so the timeline does not surprise you.
1. The licensed electrical contractor pulls the permit through Technical Safety BC. In BC, electrical permits for this work are pulled by the contractor, who must hold a licence and have a Field Safety Representative. A homeowner cannot pull a permit for work done by someone else.
2. The contractor notifies BC Hydro and arranges the disconnect. On a service upgrade, the utility has to disconnect the service so the meter base and conductors can be replaced.
3. The work is done. Most residential upgrades are a single day with the power off for a good part of it.
4. Inspection. Technical Safety BC inspects, either before or after reconnection depending on the situation.
5. BC Hydro reconnects.
Coordination between the contractor, the inspector and the utility is the reason the calendar time is longer than the work time. From signing to completion, plan on two to six weeks depending on scheduling, and expect the power to be off for most of one working day.
Ask your contractor directly whether their quote includes the permit fee, the BC Hydro coordination and the inspection. All three should be in there.
How to compare quotes
- Confirm the panel size and brand being installed, and the number of breaker spaces. A 40 space panel and a 24 space panel are not the same product.
- Confirm the service size and whether the meter base and mast are included.
- Confirm the permit and inspection are included.
- Ask whether grounding and bonding upgrades are included or extra. This is the most common change order on the job.
- Ask who repairs the drywall and finishes, and whether that is your responsibility.
- Verify the basics: a City of Kelowna business licence, an electrical contractor licence, WorkSafeBC clearance looked up by you on the free online tool, and liability insurance.
Never accept unpermitted electrical work at a discount. It is a safety issue, it is a problem at resale when a buyer's inspector or lawyer asks, and it can affect an insurance claim.
Frequently asked questions
How long will my power be off?
Typically six to eight hours on the day of the change. Plan for the fridge and freezer, and work from somewhere else if you need power.
Will an upgrade lower my BC Hydro bill?
No. Service size is capacity, not consumption. You pay for the electricity you use, not the size of the pipe.
Can I do any of it myself?
No. Service and panel work is licensed contractor work in BC.
Does a panel upgrade add value to my home?
Not in a way a buyer pays a premium for, but an obsolete panel or aluminum wiring absolutely comes up in inspections and insurance and can cost you a sale. Think of it as removing an objection rather than adding value.
What if I am adding a suite?
Bring the electrician in at the design stage. Suite requirements affect panel sizing, and in many cases separate metering or a dedicated subpanel, and it is far cheaper to plan for it than to retrofit.
Getting a Kelowna quote
View CKLM Electrical Contracting on the Okanagan Trade Directory
CKLM Electrical Contracting is a family owned Kelowna electrical company founded in 2016 by Cameron Myers, an FSR and Red Seal Journeyman Electrician. Located at 1515 Renfrew Rd on Kelowna's east side, CKLM works across residential, commercial and industrial electrical projects, from panel and service upgrades to EV charger installs, generator transfer switches, hot tub and welding receptacles, networking, and full renovation and new construction wiring. It holds a 5.0 star Google rating across 8 reviews.