Will your house take it
This is arithmetic, not an opinion. We add up what the house already draws against what the service can deliver, then see what is left for a charger. Sometimes the answer is that the panel has to come first, and sometimes the charger can be set to a lower output and fit the house as it is. Either answer is cheaper than finding out by tripping the main.
Where it goes matters more than people expect
Most of the labor is the run between the panel and the car, so a garage on the far side of the house is a different job from a wall the panel is already on. Walk the route with us before you settle on a spot. Moving the mount a few feet, or parking nose-in instead of nose-out, sometimes saves opening a wall.
Judging a charger quote
Ask what the load calculation said, what size circuit the charger is being wired to, and whether the permit is included. A quote with no calculation behind it is pricing a length of wire, not an installation. A charger wired to a smaller circuit than it can use will also charge slower for as long as you own it, which is a detail worth catching on paper.
How A Job Runs
- 01
We Look, And We Test
Not just at the thing you called about — at the panel, the load and how the house is fed. Most electrical problems are somewhere other than where you noticed them.
- 02
You Get A Fixed Price
In writing, before we start, including the permit. If the honest answer is that it can wait, we will say so and you can call us in a year.
- 03
Permit Pulled
We file it, and the work is scheduled around the inspection rather than hoping nobody asks. This is the part that matters when you sell.
- 04
Installed And Labelled
Conductors dressed, breakers labelled properly, and a panel schedule the next electrician can read.
- 05
Inspected And Signed Off
We meet the inspector, and you get the paperwork. A job with no record is a job you have to explain later.
EV Charger Installation: common questions
Do I need a panel upgrade before I can charge at home?
Not always. It depends on your service size, what else the house runs, and how fast you want to charge. Plenty of houses take a charger as they are, some need the panel first, and we tell you which one you have before you spend anything.
Can I just use the dryer outlet or a regular garage outlet?
A standard outlet will charge, very slowly, and it is not built for hours of steady load. Sharing a dryer circuit is usually a bad idea unless it is properly switched. Most people are happier on a dedicated circuit, and we will tell you what yours needs.
Which charger should I buy?
We would rather talk about it before you order. What matters is the output your circuit can support, the cable length for where you park, an outdoor rating if it is going outside, and whether you want it hardwired or on a plug. Buy it yourself or have us supply it — either way, check the output against the load calculation first.
Wiring homes throughout Washington County
Most of our work is in Washington County and the neighborhoods around it. Older housing stock is a large part of what we do, so if your house still has a fuse box or wiring nobody has looked at in forty years, that is a normal call and not an embarrassing one.