Electrical panel replacement in Laval

In Laval, replacing a 200 A electrical panel takes one day and leaves you without power for about 5 hours; the price is in the written quote, free of charge. The City of Laval requires no permit for this work — but only a master electrician who is a CMEQ member may do it.

Why are so many panels running out of steam in Laval?

Laval is the post-war suburb par excellence, and its 169,785 private dwellings show it. The 2021 census counts 55,530 dwellings built between 1961 and 1980 and 24,055 from 1960 or earlier. That makes 79,585 dwellings — 47% of the island — built before 1981.

That’s almost half of a city of 440,000 people wired before electric heating, the dishwasher and the dryer became the norm. In Chomedey, Pont-Viau and Laval-des-Rapides, we still come across fuse boxes in service. In Sainte-Rose, Fabreville and Sainte-Dorothée, it’s mostly full 100 amp panels.

And Laval is also where we install the most EV chargers in our areas. That’s almost always when the panel question comes up.

Chomedey and Laval-des-Rapides

Chomedey was born on April 1, 1961, from the merger of L’Abord-à-Plouffe, Renaud and Saint-Martin. Its residential and industrial development came quickly: from 1962 to 1964, a new industry moved in every month on average. It was a municipality for only four years: on August 6, 1965, it joined Laval with the other municipalities of Île Jésus.

Its territory is irregular: it stretches roughly from Highway 15 to Highway 13, and from Highway 440 to the Rivière des Prairies. Laval-des-Rapides is its neighbour to the south, along the same river.

Laval-des-Rapides has been a town for longer: on April 3, 1912, the village of Parc-Laval became the town of Laval des Rapides, then a city on July 6, 1962. Its housing development sped up after the Second World War: landowners subdivided their land to have houses built, usually bungalows. When Laval was created, it was the second most populous municipality on Île Jésus, after Chomedey.

For a panel replacement, both neighbourhoods follow the same municipal rules and the same process as the rest of Laval. If you still have a fuse box or an original 60 amp panel, our guides on fuse box replacement and the 60 amp panel explain what to do.

Which amperage for which house?

Fuses, breakers, and the panels to watch

With housing this mixed, four cases come up more than the others.

How does it go, in practice?

One working day, including about five hours without power. That’s the real answer to the question everyone asks first.

We file the request with Hydro-Québec, which comes to disconnect the service. The old panel comes out, the new one goes in, every circuit is identified again one by one — that’s the longest part, and the one that will serve you for twenty years. Hydro-Québec reconnects, and the installation is tested before we leave.

We’re based in Mirabel, and Laval is the area where we work the most: allow about two weeks before the work, with the Hydro-Québec steps handled by us.

What does it cost in Laval?

The price depends on your installation, for example when the service entrance is redone at the same time: you get it in the written quote, free of charge. The real price depends on the target amperage, the condition of the service entrance and the mast, and the number of circuits to redo. A sub panel costs considerably less.

A photo of your open panel is often enough to tell you the next steps, without a visit.

Do you need a permit in Laval?

No. In its official table of interior residential renovation work, the City of Laval lists the replacement of an electrical panel in the “No permit” column. Changing the wiring inside walls and ceilings is listed there too.

Who is allowed to replace a panel in Québec?

The question comes up all the time, and the answer surprises people: it isn’t a matter of skill, it’s a matter of law.

“No one may perform electrical work of any kind, in their residence or elsewhere for others, unless they are an electrical contractor.” (translated from French)

“A person who contravenes the Master Electricians Act and the Building Act is liable to a fine of $5,000 to $200,888.” (translated from French)

Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec

In other words: even at home, even if you know how. STM Électrique inc. is a CMEQ member and holds RBQ licence 5815-0137-01.

Frequently asked questions