Colorado Electrical Contractor EC.3011842 · Master Electrician ME.0021964

Charge the car. Keep your panel.

Most Denver houses can add an EV charger without a $5,000 service upgrade. We do the load math first, then tell you what you actually need, even when the answer is the cheaper job.

Check your panel ↓Get a quote

A man plugging an EV charger into a white car in a bright garage

The panel check

Will it fit on your panel?

Pick your service size and what you’re adding. This is a rough version of the load calculation we do on site. It won’t replace ours, but it’ll tell you which conversation we’re about to have.

Estimated peak load

0 A of 100 A

Assumes a typical existing house load of about 45A on a 100A service, 55A on 150A and 65A on 200A at peak. The line marks 80%, the comfortable ceiling for continuous loads like car charging.

The panel schedule

Prices, labeled like breakers.

CktJobRatingInstalled

01–02Level 2 EV chargerHardwired or 14-50 outlet, up to 25 ft from the panel.48A / 2P$1,150

03–04Load manager for the chargerInstead of a service upgrade, when the math allows.–+$450

05–06200A panel replacementSame service size, new panel, every breaker labeled.200A$3,400

07–08100A to 200A service upgradeNew meter base and panel, Xcel coordination, permit.200A$5,800

09Recessed lights, per lightWafer LEDs, existing switch, plaster or drywall.15A$195

10Whole-home surge protectorAt the panel. Worth it with an EV and a heat pump.–$395

Permits included. Xcel Energy has offered Colorado customers up to $500 toward a Level 2 charger installation, and up to $2,300 for income-qualified households, through its Optimize Your Charge program. EV chargers in detail →

Denver houses

From knob-and-tube to last year’s build.

Denver has Victorians in Capitol Hill, bungalows in Washington Park, 1950s ranches in Harvey Park and new builds in Stapleton. Each has its own wiring story, and we’ve opened walls in all of them.

Antique ceramic fuses and switchgear on a rusted wall — Fuses, 1920s

New wiring coiled around an outlet box on an open stud wall — New circuit, old studs

A breaker panel with yellow-labeled circuits on a workbench — Every breaker labeled

Glowing globe pendant lights hanging from a curved ceiling — Lighting, finished

From customers

They talked us out of the upgrade.

Two companies quoted a 200-amp upgrade for our charger. Sam did a load calc, added a load manager, and saved us about four thousand dollars.

Elena & Mark · Park Hill

Our 1905 house had original knob-and-tube in the attic. Tess mapped every run before quoting and the rewire came in under the estimate.

J. Okafor · Capitol Hill

Charger in, permit pulled, Xcel rebate paperwork done for us. Two hours.

Chris T. · Highland

A Yeti Trades Co. portfolio site

The electrician’s site, built in seven days.

Sixteen pages: a working panel-load calculator, EV charger pricing with the Xcel rebate explained, an honest page on when you don’t need a service upgrade, and the license number on every screen.

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