Serving Southeast Georgia Since 1972
Electrical Service Upgrade In Savannah, GA
Licensed electricians for service upgrades and panel replacements. We handle permits, Power Co coordination, and inspections – start to finish.
An electrical service upgrade increases your home’s electrical capacity, usually from 100 amps to 200 amps, allowing it to safely handle modern power demands. It often involves upgrading the meter, service wiring, and main panel.
- Service upgrade
- Code-compliant whole-home serge protection
- New meter base, riser & grounding
- Permits and final inspection handled for you
- Licensed in GA, SC & FL
- Locally Owned Since 1972
- Fully Insured
Quick Answer
What is an electrical service upgrade?
An electrical service upgrade increases the amount of power coming into your home from the utility — most commonly to 200 amps. The work includes replacing the meter base, service entrance cable, and main panel, along with bringing the grounding system and other components up to current National Electrical Code (NEC) standards. A service upgrade is typically required when adding major loads like an EV charger, standby generator, or addition, when the existing service can’t keep up with modern household demand, or when an insurance company flags an outdated service.
Symptoms to Watch For
Signs You Need A Service Upgrade
If you’re seeing any of these in your home, it’s time to have an electrician take a look:
- Breakers trip frequently , especially when the AC and dryer run together.
- Planning to add an EV charger, standby generator, or hot tub
- There's no room left in the panel to add a new circuit
- Your home still has 100-amp (or smaller) service and you're adding a big appliance
- You're building an addition, finishing a basement, or adding a workshop
- Lights flicker or dim when major appliances cycle on
- Insurance has flagged the service amperage or meter equipment
- A home inspection during sale or refinance noted insufficient service capacity
Not sure if these apply to your home? We do free on-site estimates
across Savannah, Pooler, Richmond Hill, and the surrounding area.
Know The Difference
Service Upgrade or Panel Upgrade?
This is the most common mix-up we hear from homeowners – and from a lot of contractors who quote them. The two jobs sound alike, but they solve different problems and the work involved is different.
SERVICE UPGRADE
- Increases the amperage coming into the home.
- Triggers: EV charger, generator, hot tub, addition, or insurance requirement.
- Requires power company disconnect and reconnect
- 1–3 days, plus power company lead time (1 week to 1–2 months)
PANEL UPGRADE
- Replaces the breaker box itself without changing service amperage.
- Triggers: damaged buss bar, scorch marks, recalled panel brands, fuse boxes, double-tapped breakers.
- Usually does not require power company to drop service.
- Faster turnaround — often 1 day.
Not sure which one you need?
Don’t try to diagnose this from a photo. Have one of our electricians come out, look at your service and panel, and tell you what your home actually needs. Free estimate, no obligation. Call (912) 236-1730.
Pricing & Transparency
How Much Does a Service Upgrade Cost in Savannah?
Most residential 100A-to-200A electrical service upgrades in Savannah, GA cost between $4,800 and $11,000. The lower end is a straightforward upgrade on a home in good shape. The higher end includes a new meter base, riser, grounding system, whole-home surge protection, and code-required smoke and CO detector upgrades.
What Affects The Price
- Amperage: Going from 100A to 200A is most common. 200A → 320/400A costs more.
- Meter base: Whether it's being replaced, relocated, or stays put.
- Service entrance run: Length from meter to interior panel.
- Existing wiring: Knob-and-tube, aluminum, or undersized wire may need replacement.
- Code upgrades: Whole-home surge, GFCI/AFCI breakers, smoke/CO detectors.
- Branch circuits: Number being moved or relabeled.
- Permits: We pull and pay these — included in the quote.
- GA Power: Sometimes meter relocation is required.
Real Pricing Scenarios
Light Upgrade
$4,800-$6,200
Straightforward 100A-to-200A service upgrade on a home in good condition. Existing wiring sound, meter base can stay, panel accessible. Includes new 200A panel, breakers, surge protector, smoke/CO compliance, permit, and Power company coordination.
Medium Upgrade
$6,500-$8,800
Service upgrade plus new meter base and riser. Common when existing meter equipment is aging or needs relocation for code clearance. Includes everything in the standard upgrade plus new exterior service equipment.
Full Rebuild
$9,000-$12,000+
Full rebuild after fire damage, insurance-mandated upgrade, or major rewiring to pass inspection. Includes everything above plus extensive interior work and possibly drywall opening for circuit re-runs.
Every quote we write is custom to your needs. Free on-site estimates for homeowners and business owners.
About Joyner Electric and Security
Joyner Electric & Security has been doing electrical work in Savannah since 1972. Three generations. Over 50 years of code changes, panel brand recalls, and Georgia Power policy shifts — all of which we’ve worked through. We’re licensed in Georgia (EN211003) and South Carolina (M95098), fully insured, and we’re the company other Savannah contractors call when they’re in over their head on a service upgrade.
Every service we install is built to current NEC code. That isn’t a marketing line — it means whole-home surge protection, interconnected smoke and CO detectors, properly grounded service, and the right wire gauge for every breaker. We won’t leave a job until it passes inspection, and the inspector knows that when they see our name on the permit.
We pull the permits, coordinate the disconnect with Georgia Power or other power company, schedule inspections with county or city inspectors, and clean up after ourselves. You don’t sit on hold or chase down appointments — that’s our job.
Service area: Savannah · Pooler · Richmond Hill · Port Wentworth · Garden City · Hinesville · Bloomingdale · Guyton · Thunderbolt · Tybee Island · Wilmington Island · Effingham · Bryan · Liberty Counties
50+
Years in Business
3
States Licensed
100%
NEC Code Compliant
10+
Cities Served
how it works
Our Service Upgrade Process
From your first call to power-on — here’s exactly what to expect.
1
Step 1:
Free On-Site Estimate
We come out, assess your existing panel, count circuits, and ask what loads you’re planning to add. You get a written, custom quote — no obligation.
2
Step 2:
Permits & Power Co.
We pull the permit with your municipality and submit the disconnect request to Georgia Power. Power company lead time depends on location, weather, and other factors.
3
Step 3:
Installation Day(s)
Most residential upgrades take 1–3 days, with 2 being typical. You’re without power for part of one day during the disconnect, panel swap, and reconnect.
4
Step 4:
Inspection & Power-On
We schedule the final inspection. The inspector sends the release to GA Power who will then reconnect power, we test for proper voltage and circuit function, walk you through your new panel labeling, and you’re done.
During hurricane season — if a named storm has hit Savannah and your service equipment was damaged, GA Power has historically allowed emergency repairs without a permit if the work is done within 72 hours. This can change at any time without notice.
Real Jobs
What This Work Actually Looks Like
Two recent jobs that show what real service-upgrade work involves – and why the details matter.
Fire Damage Rebuild
Garden City, GA · 1984 single-family home
Fire-Damaged Service: Full 200A Rebuild
A fire in the exterior service equipment destroyed the meter combo, riser, and interior panel. We coordinated GA Power and city permits, then rebuilt the entire service from the meter to the breakers — bringing the home up to a full 200-amp service.
What was Involved
Meter relocated for 3+ ft gas clearance, new 2-inch steel riser and 4/0 URD service. Fresh grounding system with two ground rods. Pulled 4/0 SER from meter through the attic, reconnected every branch circuit. Whole-home surge protector and code-required smoke/CO detectors included.
HIdden Hazard Found
Savannah, GA · Sub-panel rewire
Why It Pays To Have Licensed Electricians
A homeowner called us in for a burned-out sub-panel that needed to be rewired into the main panel. While we had it open, we found the sub-panel had no ground at all — a previous installer had skipped it entirely.
What We Fixed
Rewired the failed sub-panel into the main panel, properly grounded the system, replaced burnt feeder insulation, and verified wire sizing matched every breaker. The kind of work that doesn’t get caught until somebody opens the panel — or until something goes wrong.
Not sure which one you need?
Don’t try to diagnose this from a photo. Have one of our electricians come out, look at your service and panel, and tell you what your home actually needs. Free estimate, no obligation. Call (912) 236-1730.
Customer Reviews
What Savannah Homeowners Say
★★★★★
“Mr. Joyner answered the phone on a Sunday. We had an electrical fire in the panel outside the house. He had me send pics, had his guy here Monday morning, ordered the inspection, put in the GA Power request — and we were back on by lunchtime.”
L. D'Angelo
Savannah, GA
★★★★★
“Rewired my old burned-out sub panel and grounded it. I didn’t know it wasn’t grounded — yikes. Daniel and ‘Circuit’ took the time to make the job not only right, but look good. Electrical work is expensive, but checking other contractors’ hasty work made it more palatable.”
Renovation Matters
Savannah, GA
★★★★★
“Joyner Electric handled everything from the GA Power coordination to the new panel install after our fire. They moved the meter, ran new service, rebuilt the panel, and got us inspected and back online.”
B. Padgett
Garden City, GA
Get Your Free Estimate
Tell us about your project. We’ll call you within one business day.
- Free on-site estimate
- Licensed in GA, SC & FL
- Code-compliant work — guaranteed
Frequently Asked
Common Questions About Service Upgrade
Most residential service upgrades in Savannah cost between $4,800 and $12,000+. The lower end is a straightforward upgrade on a home in good condition; the higher end includes a new meter base, riser, grounding system, whole-home surge protection, and code upgrades. We provide free, itemized written quotes before any work begins.
A service upgrade increases the amperage coming into your home, while a panel upgrade replaces the breaker box itself. They sound similar but solve different problems and require different work. Most homeowners adding an EV charger, generator, or addition need a service upgrade — not just a panel upgrade.
Most residential service upgrades take 1 to 3 days, with 2 days being typical. You’ll be without power for part of one day while Georgia Power disconnects service for the meter base swap and reconnects after inspection. The full project timeline depends mostly on GA Power’s lead time, which can range from 1 week to 1–2 months.
Yes, we pull all required permits and coordinate the final inspection. This includes Chatham County, City of Savannah, Pooler, Bryan County, and surrounding municipalities. Most permits now use online portals, though Chatham County and Port Wentworth still require in-person filing — which we handle for you.
Often, yes. A Level 2 EV charger needs a dedicated 40–60 amp circuit, and most homes with 100A or 150A service can’t accommodate that without exceeding capacity. If your panel is already 80% loaded, a service upgrade to 200A is typically required before the charger can be installed safely.
Possibly, depending on your generator size and existing service capacity. Most whole-home standby generators need a 200A service and a transfer switch sized for the connected load. We can evaluate your service during the generator estimate and quote both jobs together if needed.
Yes, every residential service upgrade we install includes a whole-home surge protector. Current NEC code requires it on new and upgraded services in dwelling units. We also bring smoke and carbon monoxide detectors up to code (interconnected smoke detectors in bedrooms, combination smoke/CO detectors in hallways) when the upgrade triggers that requirement.
Frequent tripping is a sign your service is overloaded, not necessarily an emergency. However, if you also notice a buzzing sound, warm panel cover, scorch marks, or a burning smell, treat that as urgent — turn off as much load as you safely can and call (912) 236-1730 immediately. We’ve answered after-hours and weekend calls for service-equipment fires before.
Ready to Upgrade Your Service?
Don’t wait until a tripping breaker, EV install, or insurance non-renewal forces your hand. Get a free estimate from Savannah’s licensed electricians.
Serving Savannah · Pooler · Richmond Hill · Port Wentworth · Garden City · Hinesville · Bloomingdale · Guyton · Thunderbolt · Tybee Island · Wilmington Island · Effingham County · Bryan County · Liberty County
- Licensed in GA, SC & FL
- Locally Owned Since 1972
- Fully Insured