CAA Habitation recommendedHome › Guides › Electrical panels
Electrical work cost: what changes the price
Panel, service entrance, EV charger, generator: what pushes the bill up or down, what others bill for, and how the quote works.
In short
At STM-Électrique, no price for work is given in advance: it depends on your installation and you get it in the written quote, free of charge.
- The quote usually arrives within 24 to 48 business hours.
- No deposit is asked at the quote stage.
- What changes the price depends on the job: distance, condition of the service entrance, number of circuits, access to the panel.
- Some fees are billed by others, such as Hydro-Québec.
- Rebates exist for some work, almost never for replacing a house’s panel.
Jump to a section9
Why no price is given in advance
Two houses with the same panel don’t have the same installation around it: the distance to the meter, the condition of the service entrance and the number of circuits change from one address to the next. That’s why the price comes after seeing the installation, in a written quote, free of charge.
A photo of the open panel is often enough to tell you the next steps; the price itself comes in the quote.
What changes the price of a panel
The distance to the meter, the condition of the service entrance, the number of circuits and access to the panel change the bill.
A sub panel costs considerably less than replacing the main panel, because it requires neither a Hydro-Québec disconnection nor redoing the service entrance.
The details, from the visit to the reconnection: electrical panel upgrade, cost and how the day goes. Plan for about five hours without power on the day of the work.
What changes the price of a service entrance
The distance between the meter and the panel, an underground rather than overhead service, the condition of the wall and the number of circuits change the price.
The service entrance and the panel are often redone together; plan for about six hours without electricity. The details are in our guide to the 200 amp service upgrade.
What changes the price of an EV charger
Room in the panel and the distance to the charger matter most. A panel upgrade, a detached garage or a long cable run are extra.
The full process: Level 2 charger installation.
What changes the price of a generator
The distance between the panel and the generator’s location, the circuits to move to the backed-up panel, the condition and room of the panel, and the municipal permit change the installation. The generator, its base and the fuel are extra to the hookup.
The details: generator installation, cost and steps.
What others bill for
Hydro-Québec’s fees are billed by Hydro-Québec. For an underground service, the private pole and the excavation are extra.
For a generator, the gas goes to a gas company and the base, depending on the case, to another trade; our part is the electrical hookup.
Rebates, by type of work
For a home charger, Écorecharge pays $600 toward the price of the charger, not the installation.
Rénoclimat can pay up to $1,000 toward the fees of the master electrician who connects a backup source, and up to $4,000 toward the equipment of a fixed battery.
To replace a house’s panel, almost no rebate exists, except RénoRégion in the regions; for an apartment building, one program pays half. It’s all in our guide to the electrical panel rebate.
Prefer to pay in instalments?
Financing through Financeit and its conditions are on our financing page.
See financingHow the quote works
A master electrician looks at the installation, then you receive a written, line-by-line quote, usually within 24 to 48 business hours. It’s free, and no deposit is asked at that stage.
The Hydro-Québec steps, the permit and the declaration of work, when they apply, are our job.
Frequently asked questions
Can you give me a price over the phone?
No: the price depends on your installation, and you get it in the written quote, free of charge.
Is the quote free?
Yes, it’s written and free, and no deposit is asked at that stage.
How fast do I get the quote?
Usually within 24 to 48 business hours.
How long will I be without power?
About five hours for a panel replacement, about six hours for a service entrance redone.
Is there a rebate to replace my panel?
For a house, almost never, except RénoRégion in the regions. For an apartment building, an Écorecharge component pays half of the electrical upgrade for chargers.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, through Financeit: the conditions are on our financing page.
Your price, in writing
A master electrician looks at your installation, and the price is in the written quote, free of charge.
4.9 from 469 Google reviews · RBQ licence 5815-0137-01 · CMEQ members · Free detailed quote