Breakers that trip when the AC and oven run together. A box too full for an EV charger. We replace it with a modern panel sized to your home — 200A for most, up to 400A — permitted, inspected, and at a clear price you approve up front.
A 100-amp panel or an old fuse box was sized for a 1960s house — not central AC through a Texas summer, an EV in the garage, an induction range, and a home office all at once. Every load you’ve added pushes it past what it was built to carry. That’s the tripping and the dimming.
Federal Pacific (FPE) and Zinsco panels sit in thousands of Austin homes and are known to fail silently — the breaker looks fine and simply never trips. A short keeps feeding heat into the wall instead of cutting power. If you have one, replacing it isn’t optional.
A full box means no EV charger, no hot tub, no addition, no backup power — not until the panel is upgraded. We size the new one for the home you’re building toward, so the next thing you add is a half-hour job, not another project.
Most panel calls start the same way: something feels off. A breaker won’t stay set. The lights dip when the dryer runs. You found rust inside the box, or a brand you later learned has documented trip-failure hazards. The right first step isn’t a quote — it’s a proper look. We read the panel, the breakers, the service size, the grounding and bonding, and the load your home actually carries today, then tell you plainly whether a targeted repair will do or whether replacement is the smarter money.
| What you’re seeing | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| One bad breaker or a loose connection | Repair — a targeted fix, tested and documented |
| Recurring trips, heat, corrosion, a high-failure brand | Replacement — the box itself is the problem |
| 100-amp service plus an EV, heat pump, or addition | Service upgrade — 200A for most, up to 400A |
| Out of breaker spaces | Subpanel — add capacity without a full swap |
Some panels don’t warn you at all. Federal Pacific (FPE) and Zinsco panels sit in thousands of older Austin homes and have a documented history of breakers that never trip — the one job a breaker exists to do. The breaker looks fine; a short keeps feeding heat into the wall instead of cutting power. If you have one, we treat replacing it as a safety priority, not a someday project.
A panel upgrade is a system decision, not a parts swap. We match the solution to your home’s safety, its capacity, and the plans you haven’t made yet — the pool, the casita, the second EV.
When the work needs a permit, we pull it, file it, and schedule the city inspection. We coordinate the disconnect and reconnect with your utility — Austin Energy, Oncor, PEC, or Bluebonnet — so you don’t make a single call. And when we shut the power off, our No-Lost-Day promise means we set you up with a backup generator, so your home office keeps running and you don’t burn a vacation day.
Some quotes cover the panel and leave you to chase the permit, the inspection, and the utility yourself. Ours doesn’t — one price, one crew, one company that owns the whole job from the first call to the final inspection.
A whole-house portable-generator connection, wired in at no added cost. (The generator itself isn’t included.)
Smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors brought current — up to six — at no added cost.
Up to five GFCI outlets updated to today’s code, included with the upgrade.
Advanced surge protection across the panel, so one strike doesn’t take the house with it.
City permits and the utility disconnect (Austin Energy / Oncor / PEC / Bluebonnet), coordinated for you.
Spread the cost through GoodLeap from $175/mo, with a quick soft-credit check. (More below.)
We believe our people are the friendliest and best trained in the business, and we put them first — because happy employees make happy customers.You’ll feel it the moment they arrive.
We believe low-quality equipment or poor workmanship are NEVER a good value.What goes into your walls today is still working in twenty years.
We believe in taking the time to learn exactly what you want, then finishing to the highest standard in the industry.Right the first time — and made right if it ever isn’t.
No mystery, no pressure, no surprises pulled out of the wall halfway through.
We inspect your panel, run a load calculation for how your home actually runs, and tell you exactly what it needs — and what it doesn’t.
One clear number, in writing. We pull the permits and coordinate the shut-off with your utility — Austin Energy, Oncor, PEC, or Bluebonnet — so you don’t make a single call.
Most upgrades finish in a single day — often the same day you approve. We label every circuit, clean up like we were never there, and walk you through it — then you go back to never thinking about it.
Not sure what’s behind your panel cover? Book the assessment and we’ll tell you straight.
Accredited and in good standing with the Better Business Bureau.
Recognized for service quality every year, 2018–2025.
Tesla, SPAN, and the panel makers we trust certify who installs their equipment — and they don’t certify lightly.
Five stars on Google, Yelp, and Angi — earned the hard way, one job at a time.
We honor our warranties — no loophole-hunting, no nonsense exclusions. If we install it, we own it.
Fully licensed and insured. When a job needs permits, we manage all of it — nothing for you to chase.
Being invited into your home is a privilege we never take for granted. Every story below comes straight from a Greater Austin homeowner we’ve served — with the work we did and the DC Electric crew who showed up.
“The DC Electric team was phenomenal! They came out and replaced a tricky inset panel in one day. Rodney, Anthony, Andrew, Rico were professional, quick, and filled us with confidence that they could get the job done. They worked with Austin Energy to get permits approved and finish the inspection in record time. We are beyond impressed with their excellent work! This was no easy job.”
“I needed to replace my panel, and add outlets to the bathroom and garage. Pete was helpful in getting my estimate. Max and Rico did a great job with the installation. Everyone was very friendly. The pricing was straightforward and fair. They had me scheduled fairly quickly and finished the job quickly.”
“They showed up right on time and worked nonstop in the heat, provided a generator so we had power while they worked, answered every question, explained everything, and cleaned up before leaving. I’ll definitely use them again.”
“Big thank you to Rodney, Max and Pete from DC Electric who helped us install new recessed lights in our kitchen. They were on time, super helpful working out what would work best, did a good quality install and clean up and were very friendly and easy to work with. Will definitely use again!”
“Nick came out for the quote — kind and thorough, and helped me think through all the work. Install day was flawless: the crew put in a car charger, 16 can lights, and two new circuits, and insisted on making it perfect. They are not the cheapest electricians in town, but you absolutely get what you pay for.”
“I purchased a 1951 home with multiple electrical issues on the inspection. Every deficiency was addressed — and they told me which components did not need updating. A storm rolled in while I was away and the techs closed all my windows. I came home to a dry house.”
“We got multiple bids to restore power to our garage unit, and the team at DC were the easy choice. Scheduling was easy, communication was consistent, and most importantly, they took care of everything thoroughly — complete on time, with no surprises.”
“Fast, efficient, clean, and extremely knowledgeable about the hardware and setup. Ed and the crew walked me through the whole system and I’ve spent hours playing with my new SPAN setup!”
“Andrew and Jonathan did an amazing job installing our EV charger. They walked us through the setup, stayed true to the quote, and left the garage cleaner than they found it.”
“Rico, Rodney and Nathan were professionals with my charger install. Explained every step of the process to me, informed me of every step during the install, and walked me through final install and operation. Left a clean work space, and their final work looked very clean. Highly recommend!”
Two layers. The top-tier equipment we install carries a manufacturer’s lifetime parts warranty. On top of that, our own work — the installation itself — is backed by a 10-year DC Electric workmanship warranty. If something we did isn’t right, we come back and make it right.
No payments and no interest for the first 3 months if paid in full, then low monthly payments, as low as $175/mo over the term. On installs $1,000+, through GoodLeap.
*Financing provided by GoodLeap, LLC, subject to credit approval; minimum purchase $1,000. The promotional plan has no payments and no interest for the first 3 months — no interest if the balance is paid in full within the promotional period. If it is not paid in full, interest is charged from the funding date and the balance converts to a fixed-rate loan of up to 120 months at 11.49%–15.49% APR with Autopay. Payment examples are estimates; actual terms depend on the amount financed and creditworthiness. Not all applicants qualify. See financing details.
The equipment has to fit the home you live in today and the electrical work you are planning next.
Adding an EV means planning for a new daily electrical load. This panel replacement was sized with an EV in mind, with the exterior panel, meter and conduit shown here.
For your home, our evaluation establishes the existing electrical capacity, the loads you want to add and the work required. We explain the recommended scope, equipment, utility coordination and any required permits before you decide.
Panel upgrades include our 10-year workmanship warranty. Your proposal identifies the work and coverage that apply to your project.
Plan my panel evaluation →A growing library of completed work across Greater Austin — and the badges we've earned along the way.
Breaker box replacement and a complete 200-amp electrical service upgrade are different projects. Replacing a worn or high-failure breaker panel can leave the existing service capacity unchanged, while a 200-amp or 400-amp service upgrade also includes new meter equipment, service entrance conductors, whole-home grounding, utility disconnect/reconnect coordination, and city inspection. Your written scope explains exactly which project your home needs.
The choice comes from a NEC load calculation of your home's electrical demand and planned additions. Level 2 EV chargers, heat pumps, electric ranges, pool equipment, or remodel additions frequently push older 100A, 125A, or 150A panels past capacity. Empty breaker spaces alone do not establish available amperage. We evaluate your service equipment and loads before recommending a 200A or 400A upgrade.
Your address determines the permitting authority and electric utility. Austin Energy, Oncor, and Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) each have specific meter-spot, disconnect, and inspection requirements. We pull the city permit, schedule the inspection, and coordinate the utility disconnect and reconnect as part of the job.
DC Electric's typical project range starts around $3,000 for a breaker box replacement and reaches $10,000 for a complete 200A–400A service upgrade. Access, meter and mast replacement, trenching, city code upgrades (whole-home surge protection, AFCI/GFCI breakers, grounding electrodes), and optional smart panels affect the price. Our onsite evaluation gives you a firm, upfront written price before work begins.
Over the last 6 months, DC Electric completed 61 permitted residential panel upgrades and breaker box replacements across Greater Austin (TECL #38552). In two recent October 2026 North Central Austin upgrades (ZIPs 78758 and 78752, Austin Energy territory), our crew replaced capacity-limited legacy equipment with a 200-amp copper-bus main breaker panel, upgraded the exterior Austin Energy meter base and service conductors after an NEC Article 220 load calculation, drove dual copper grounding electrodes with full water/gas bonding, installed NEC 230.67 Type 2 whole-home surge protection, and completed same-day utility reconnect and municipal permit sign-off. Planning a hazard-panel swap or smart load control? Explore our dedicated Federal Pacific & Zinsco panel replacement service and Certified SPAN Smart Panel installations.
Every panel upgrade carries our 10-year workmanship warranty alongside the manufacturer's lifetime parts warranty.
Read our 200-amp panel upgrade cost guide, our guide to Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels, or learn why a breaker keeps tripping before choosing a repair or replacement.
Call 512.954.4782 to arrange an evaluation with our office, or use the booking button to choose an appointment.
Select your electric utility, current breaker panel size, and what you’re adding to see the typical NEC code-compliant path, 2026 Greater Austin investment range, and utility permit or rebate rules.
Most modern 200-amp panels can support a dedicated 60A hardwired Level 2 charger directly. If all-electric appliances push your NEC Article 220 load calculation near 80%, dynamic EV power management lets you charge at full speed without upgrading to 400A service.
Ballpark planning ranges only — every home receives an in-person NEC load calculation by a licensed DC Electric electrician and an exact written flat-rate price before any work begins.
Tell us what you need and our office will set a clear window. A licensed DC Electric electrician near you in Greater Austin evaluates your panel in person and gives you one exact flat-rate price.
Our office calls to set a time that works. A licensed electrician then handles the visit — and walks you through clear options and pricing.
Our office will call you to schedule your appointment.
3906 N Lamar Blvd, Suite 204 AB
Austin, TX 78756
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Austin is home — the surrounding towns are family. Serving all of Greater Austin.