A useful 200A service upgrade quote explains the complete path from the existing supply to the finished installation. “Install a 200-amp panel” is not enough to establish that every part of a service upgrade is included. Before comparing totals, confirm what is changing, what stays and which conditions still need verification.
This checklist is for homeowners planning work in Delta and the Lower Mainland. It explains quotation questions rather than designing an electrical installation.
Start with the reason for the upgrade
Tell the electrician about the loads you want to add: an EV charger, heat pump, induction range, suite or renovation. Ask how the proposed service size was assessed and whether the quote includes that assessment. A new panel with more spaces does not automatically increase the electrical capacity available to the home.
When the scope is unclear, compare a sub-panel with a service upgrade. If 400A is being discussed, read our 200A versus 400A planning guide before assuming the larger option is necessary.
Identify the equipment and work included
Panel: location, proposed equipment, circuit capacity and what happens to the existing panel.
Existing circuits: which circuits are transferred, what breaker work is included and how unsuitable existing conditions will be addressed.
Meter and service equipment: specify what is replaced, relocated, reused or still subject to assessment.
Conductors, grounding and bonding: ask which related upgrades are included in the proposed scope.
New circuits: identify whether the charger, heat pump or suite wiring is included or quoted separately.
Finishing: clarify labelling, cleanup, removal of replaced equipment and any wall repairs.
The correct equipment and installation requirements depend on the property. A quote should make those responsibilities understandable without expecting the homeowner to choose conductor sizes or design the service.
Separate overhead and underground assumptions
For an overhead supply, ask what work is allowed for at the service entrance and whether its location or supporting equipment needs to change. For an underground supply, ask whether the price assumes the existing route and duct can be reused and how that assumption will be confirmed.
Where excavation or a new route may be needed, identify who handles locating services, trenching, duct work, backfill and restoration of paving or landscaping. Do not assume those items are included in an electrical-only price.
BC Hydro’s connection requirements apply to new and modified service connections. The quote should distinguish the contractor’s work from utility work and any separately billed charges. Our overhead-versus-underground guide explains the planning differences.
Confirm permits, coordination and the shutdown
Ask who applies for the electrical permit, which authority issues it for the address, and whether permit fees are included. Technical Safety BC explains that licensed contractors typically obtain permits for their contracted work; some municipalities issue electrical permits in their own jurisdictions. See TSBC’s installation-permit guidance.
Clarify responsibility for utility applications, disconnection and reconnection arrangements, required declarations or inspections, and readiness for the scheduled work. A requested date is not the same as a confirmed utility appointment. Ask about the expected outage and what could affect reconnection, especially if anyone relies on powered equipment.
Example: similar headings, different quotations
Quotation A describes replacing a panel and transferring existing circuits, with service capacity unchanged.
Quotation B describes a full 100A-to-200A upgrade, including specified meter and service equipment, coordination and permit arrangements.
These illustrative quotations do not describe the same work. Neither total can be judged fairly until the scope is aligned. Ask each contractor to identify the actual service capacity after completion and the remaining exclusions.
A real Hundel project to compare with your plans
Our 100A-to-200A underground service upgrade project documents a Siemens panel, meter base and service conductors, along with load-calculation, permit and BC Hydro coordination work. It is an example of a documented project, not a promise that another property will need the same equipment or scope.
Before accepting the quote
Confirm the total and taxes, separate fees, unresolved site assumptions, payment stages, schedule dependencies and written workmanship terms. Ask how additional work or credits will be approved. Use the general quote checklist to record the answers beside each proposal.
For electrical service upgrades, send the property location, planned new loads and safely accessible panel and meter photos. Do not remove covers. Call Hundel Electric at (604) 358-5549 or request a quote to discuss the scope directly with an electrician.