Do I need a panel upgrade to add an EV charger?

It depends on your existing panel's capacity and what else is already on it. Many San Francisco homes still have 100-amp service, which is often insufficient once you add a 40-60 amp EV circuit alongside existing loads — an electrician can calculate your actual available capacity.

Is it cheaper to add EV charging during a remodel or as a separate project later?

During a remodel, in almost every case. If walls, the panel, or the garage are already being worked on, adding EV conduit and a circuit is incremental. Retrofitting it later as a standalone project means a new mobilization, a new permit, and often opening finished surfaces you'd otherwise leave alone.

SOLID BAY

CONSTRUCTION · SAN FRANCISCO · EST. 2016

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Electrical Guide · San Francisco

EV Charger Installation During a San Francisco Home Remodel

By Solid Bay Construction SF | Updated 2026

If you're already opening up walls or upgrading your electrical panel for a remodel, adding EV charging infrastructure at the same time is one of the cheapest upgrades you'll ever make — versus retrofitting it as a standalone project later.

Level 1 vs. Level 2 Charging

Level 1: Uses a standard 120V outlet — works, but adds roughly 3-5 miles of range per hour, too slow for most daily-driving households
Level 2: Requires a dedicated 240V circuit, typically 40–60 amps — adds 20–30+ miles of range per hour and is what most homeowners actually want

What a Level 2 Installation Actually Requires

A dedicated 240V circuit run from your panel to the charging location (garage, driveway, or curbside parking)
Panel capacity to support the added load — many older SF homes have 100-amp panels that are already near capacity, making a panel upgrade to 200 amps part of the project
A properly rated circuit breaker and, depending on the charger, either a hardwired connection or a NEMA 14-50 outlet
Permit and inspection through SF DBI's electrical permit process — this is a permitted electrical alteration, not a DIY project

Why Timing It With a Remodel Saves Money

If you're already upgrading your panel, opening walls for other electrical work, or building a new garage or carport as part of an addition, running EV conduit and circuit capacity at the same time avoids a second mobilization, a second permit, and re-opening finished walls. Retrofitting EV charging into a home after the fact — especially where the panel is on the opposite side of the house from parking — is often 2-3x the cost of adding it during other work.

SF Row-House and Garage Considerations

Many San Francisco homes have a single-car garage on the ground floor with the electrical panel on a different floor entirely. Running conduit through a finished basement or garage ceiling is far easier during a remodel (when those areas are already open) than as a standalone retrofit. If you're doing a garage conversion or foundation/structural work, ask your contractor to rough in EV conduit even if you're not installing the charger itself yet — it's a small incremental cost during construction versus a full re-opening later.

Remodeling and want to add EV charging?

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