Santa Clara County
Electrical Panel Upgrades in Los Gatos, CA
What drives most of the panel upgrades we do in Los Gatos is the gap between when these homes were wired and how they're lived in now.
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Serving homes and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Cruz.
(650) 550-0719Fox Electric is the marketing name of Fox Global Holdings LLC. CSLB #1145945, C-10.
Electrical Panel Upgrades for Los Gatos Properties
What drives most of the panel upgrades we do in Los Gatos is the gap between when these homes were wired and how they're lived in now. The Almond Grove and Downtown Victorians and Craftsmans, built between the 1890s and 1920s, were never meant to carry more than lights and a few outlets, and plenty still run on an original fuse box or a 100-amp service. The Belwood and Blossom Manor ranch homes from the mid-century were sized for the appliances of their day, not for an EV in the garage, a heat pump, and an induction range all pulling at once. And the custom estates up in Shannon Hills, Kennedy Meadows, and the Los Gatos Mountains have their own twist: the panel often sits at the end of a long conduit run from the meter, and homeowners want headroom for backup generators, well pumps, and outbuildings. Fox Electric upgrades these services to a modern 200-amp panel sized with a real load calculation, so whatever you add next has room. On the older downtown homes we also look behind the panel, because a 1910 Victorian hiding knob-and-tube is a different conversation than a clean 1965 ranch. We size the service for the house you actually have and the loads you're actually planning.
In Los Gatos, a panel upgrade runs through PG&E for the service disconnect and reconnect, and the permit comes from the Town of Los Gatos building department, or from Santa Clara County if the home sits in an unincorporated hillside area like parts of the Los Gatos Mountains. Hillside estates frequently have long conduit runs between the meter and the panel, which affects how the upgrade is staged. Downtown's Almond Grove homes are old enough that the panel swap often surfaces knob-and-tube behind it, and exterior changes near the historic core can draw extra scrutiny.
Electrical project resources for Los Gatos
Los Gatos lists certain residential electrical service panels in its online permit tools, but eligibility also depends on town jurisdiction and the actual scope. A mailing address alone does not settle the permit authority. Public permit history is available online for more recent records, while older work may require a Building Division records request before planning a panel or rewire project.
Use the town's linked decision tool to establish the correct permit type and check whether the parcel is in town jurisdiction.
Prepare the permit number, address, inspection type, and contact details needed to schedule an inspection.
Official source checked September 12, 2026.
Why Fox Electric
Match the Scope to the Property
A house, condominium, and small commercial space can have different access, ownership, and approval requirements.
Permit coordination for Los Gatos
We confirm the project address, proposed work, and current local instructions before identifying the applicable permit and inspection steps. Utility participation is scoped separately when the project requires it.
Licensed C-10 Electrical Contractor
Fox Electric · Fox Global Holdings LLC · CSLB #1145945
Los Gatos FAQ
Does a Los Gatos panel upgrade go through PG&E or the town?
Both, in different roles. PG&E handles the actual service disconnect and reconnect at the meter, while the permit and electrical inspection come from the Town of Los Gatos building department. If your home is in an unincorporated hillside area, Santa Clara County issues the permit instead. We coordinate all of it and schedule the PG&E window in advance.
My downtown Los Gatos home still has a fuse box. Can it just be upgraded to 200 amps?
Usually yes, but on the 1890s-1920s Almond Grove and downtown homes we check what's behind that fuse box first. Many still have knob-and-tube or cloth-insulated branch wiring, and swapping the panel without addressing unsafe wiring just puts a modern box on an old system. We assess it during the load walkthrough and tell you honestly whether the panel stands alone or whether some wiring deserves attention at the same time.
Will a hillside home in Shannon Hills or Kennedy Meadows cost more to upgrade?
It can, mainly because of the runs involved. Hillside estates often have a long conduit run between the meter and the panel, and PG&E coordination on a remote property takes more planning. We factor the actual conduit length and access into the quote rather than guessing, and describe those access requirements in the proposed scope.
I'm adding an EV charger and a backup generator. Do I need a bigger panel?
Often, but we confirm it with a load calculation before recommending an upgrade. A backup generator and an EV charger together push the math toward 200 amps on many Los Gatos homes, but sometimes a load-management device gets you there without a full upgrade. We size the service for the loads you're actually planning, including generator transfer if that's part of the project.
How long will my power be off for a panel upgrade?
The outage window depends on the approved work, PG&E scheduling and the required Los Gatos inspections. Confirm the disconnect and reconnect arrangements before the installation date, including what happens if work or inspection takes longer than planned.
Does the Town count a 100 to 200 amp upgrade as an online permit?
Yes. The online Electrical Service Panel Permit covers replacing or installing a service panel of 200 amps or lower, which includes an upgrade to 200 amps. Panels above 200 amps, and any panel tied to photovoltaic or energy storage work, use the standard building permit application instead.
Is a hillside panel in southern Los Gatos priced differently?
Ask the Town to identify the fee category for a stand-alone service change or a larger hillside project. On the property, access, service routing and PG&E requirements can affect the work even when the permit category is the same.
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Electrical Panel Upgrades in Los Gatos
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Ask about the scope and fee for an assessment, diagnosis, or inspection before booking.
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