Replacing your electrical panel: what drives the cost

What you pay for, item by item

A panel replacement is more than a new box. Here are the items in a quote, and what makes each one vary.

The five factors that make the price vary

1. The condition of the electrical service

The mast, the cable and the meter base age. If they are worn or too small for the capacity you want, they are redone with the panel: it is one of the factors that weigh the most.

2. The distance between the meter and the panel

The farther the panel is from the meter, the more cable and work. Moving the panel also changes the route.

3. The number of circuits to transfer

Each circuit is reconnected, checked and labelled in the new panel. A house with thirty circuits takes longer than one with fifteen, and damaged or short wires add work.

4. The circuits added

An EV charger, a heat pump, a hot tub or a workshop each add a dedicated circuit, and sometimes an upgrade to 200 A. The right time to plan them is the panel replacement: you avoid redoing the service twice.

5. Access to the panel

A panel recessed in a finished basement, a wall to open or a cluttered space add finishing work.

100 A or 200 A: the load calculation decides

The load calculation adds up what the house draws from the grid, according to the Code’s rules. There are three possible results:

1. It fits: you keep 100 A, and the new panel is enough.
2. It fits with help: a sub-panel for space, or load management that reduces the charger when the house is drawing a lot.
3. It doesn’t fit: an upgrade to 200 A, coordinated with your utility.

Cases we often see

What the Code requires, and what it doesn’t

According to the RBQ, when only a device is replaced (an outlet, a switch), a requirement aimed at the circuit, such as arc-fault or GFCI, doesn’t apply to the circuit as a result; if the circuit is modified or extended, the new part must be protected. Under the 2026 Code, when outlets are added to an existing circuit without arc-fault protection, an arc-fault outlet installed as the first added outlet is enough. What the Code requires for your circuits when the panel is replaced, we tell you in the quote. See also our guide on the 2026 Code.

Comparing two quotes

Two prices only compare if the quotes cover the same thing. According to the CMEQ, a written contract is your main protection: lump sum (the price is set in advance) or hourly (an agreed rate plus materials). Check:

• the scope: the panel only, or the service too;
• the number of circuits transferred and the circuits added;
• the protection included (arc-fault, GFCI);
• coordination with the utility, and what remains payable to the utility;
• testing and the declaration of work;
• the schedule, the rate for extra work and the payment terms;
• the contractor’s licence (subclass 16, CMEQ), to check in the CMEQ directory or the RBQ register.

Preparing for the estimate

With a few photos, the estimate goes quickly:

• the panel with the door open, without removing the inner cover;
• the main breaker label (100 A, 200 A);
• the meter and the mast, from outside;
• the list of large appliances and those you plan (charger, heat pump, hot tub);
• the insurer’s letter, if there is one.

With LTE Électrique

• Free estimate within 24 hours, often from your photos.
• Price announced in advance, fixed or hourly depending on the project; anything unexpected is done only with your approval.
• Quote signed online, and work usually starts less than a week after you approve, depending on the project.
• Siemens, Schneider (Square D) or Eaton panels.
• 2-year labour warranty, a clear invoice payable online, financing available through iFinance.