Woodland Hills Single-Family Home – 200 A Underground Service Upgrade & EV Charger Install
Project Snapshot
- Location: Woodland Hills, CA (Los Angeles)
- Property Type: One-story single-family residence
- Scope: Replace aging 100 A underground service with new 200 A Siemens load center, upgrade grounding, add 60 A branch circuit to Level-2 EV charger in garage
- Utilities & AHJs: LADWP (service planning & meter set) · LADBS (inspection)
- Duration: Five streamlined steps from permit to meter set (see timeline)
Client Goals & Challenges
The homeowners were renovating the entire house and adding high-demand appliances, including an electric vehicle. Their original 100 A panel was maxed out, lacked modern grounding, and tied into an existing underground lateral that needed a service-equipment upgrade. They required:
- Additional amperage headroom for future HVAC, kitchen appliances, and EV charging
- Code-compliant grounding/bonding
- No disruption to the existing underground service conductors
Our Solution
- Site Assessment & Panel Selection ▶︎ Confirmed existing 100 A service inadequacy and specified a Siemens 40-space 200 A main-breaker panel compatible with the underground feed.
- Utility Coordination ▶︎ Submitted service-planning paperwork to LADWP; obtained approved meter spot referencing the existing lateral conduit.
- Permitting ▶︎ Pulled a single comprehensive electrical permit with LADBS covering the panel upgrade and EV branch circuit.
- Installation ▶︎
- Safely de-energized and removed the legacy 100 A meter/main.
- Mounted the Siemens 200 A panel, reconnecting to the existing underground conduit and conductors supplied by LADWP.
- Drove (2) 5⁄8″ × 8′ copper ground rods 6′ apart; bonded #4 AWG CU grounding electrode conductor (GEC) to rods and main cold-water pipe.
- Ran #6 AWG CU in ¾” EMT to garage; installed Level-2 EV charger on a dedicated breaker.
- Inspection & Meter Set ▶︎ Passed LADBS green-tag inspection; LADWP crew installed and energized the new smart meter the same afternoon.
Step-by-Step Timeline
| Phase | Key Tasks |
|---|---|
| 1 · Assessment | Site walk, utility records check |
| 2 · Planning | LADWP meter-spot approval (existing lateral) |
| 3 · Permitting | LADBS permit issuance & homeowner notice |
| 4 · Installation | Panel swap, grounding, EV circuit |
| 5 · Inspection + Energize | Pass LADBS, LADWP meter set |
Results & Benefits
- 100 A → 200 A Capacity: Doubled available amperage for future loads.
- Level-2 EV Ready: Homeowner now charges at 11 kW—full battery overnight.
- Code-Compliant Grounding: Dual electrodes + water-pipe bond lowered ground resistance to 18 Ω.
- Clean Aesthetics: New panel color-matched to stucco; no yard excavation needed.
Client Feedback
“We hired Branover when our usual electrician was not available. Michael was wonderful from the start, giving us the bid price that we had turned down and making recommendations that were helpful as well. Branover installed an upgraded electrical panel and an EV hookup in our garage. The work was done fast, accurately and neatly. They then came back to help us with electrical connections for our new dishwasher.
Sorry, former electrician. We are Branover customers from here on out!”
— Amy C., Woodland Hills
