Licensed Electrician in San Francisco, California
Panel upgrades, EV chargers, solar and battery storage for San Francisco homes — permitted through DBI and installed by one licensed C-10 crew
Last updated: September 2026
Often paired with: Solar · Battery storage · EV chargers · Panel upgrades
Further reading: How to hire an electrician in Santa Clara County · What solar costs in the Bay Area (2026) · Solar payback under NEM 3.0
Pacific Edge Electric and Solar brings its Silicon Valley crew to San Francisco for the projects the city’s housing is hardest on: replacing century-old panels and knob-and-tube wiring in Victorian and Edwardian flats, fitting EV chargers into tight garages and shared driveways, and putting solar and battery storage on the flat and low-slope roofs of the Sunset, Richmond and Bernal Heights. We are a licensed C-10 contractor (CA License #1143455), bonded and insured, and every San Francisco job is permitted through the Department of Building Inspection.
We are honest about geography. Our shop is in Los Gatos, so San Francisco work is scheduled project work — panel and service upgrades, EV charging, solar, batteries and rewiring — rather than 30-minute emergency dispatch. What you get in exchange is a crew that does the electrical, the solar and the storage under one license, fixed pricing published in advance, and a contractor that is still going to be around to service the system in ten years.
Electrical Services for San Francisco Properties
Residential Electrical
- Panel Upgrades - 100A to 200A+ service
- EV Charger Installation - Tesla and universal chargers
- Solar Installation - Rooftop solar systems
- Battery Storage - Tesla Powerwall, FranklinWH, Enphase
- Whole-House Rewiring - Modernize older homes
- Kitchen & ADU Electrical - Remodels and additions
- GFCI & AFCI - Safety code compliance
- Lighting & Ceiling Fans - Fixture installation
- Heat Pump & Induction Circuits - All-electric readiness
- Hot Tub & Outdoor Wiring - Exterior electrical
Multifamily, Flats & Small Commercial
- Multifamily Service Upgrades - Shared meter banks and house panels for 2–6 unit buildings
- Garage EV Charging - Load-managed chargers for shared and tandem garages
- Restaurant & Café Wiring - Commercial kitchen circuits and hoods
- Retail Electrical - Storefront tenant improvements
- LED Lighting Retrofits - Title 24 lighting and controls
- Condo & HOA EV Readiness - Building-wide charging plans
- Small Office Electrical - Dedicated circuits and distribution
- Commercial Solar - Flat-roof ballasted and attached arrays
- Sub-Metering - Separate metering for in-law and ADU units
- Code Compliance - DBI corrections and sign-off
Get Your Free San Francisco Electrical Estimate
Licensed, bonded & insured Bay Area electricians. Upfront pricing and same-day estimates available.
CA Lic #1143455 · Tesla Certified Installer · Enphase · Bonded & Insured
✓ 10-year workmanship warranty · ✓ Our own licensed C-10 crew — no subcontractors · ✓ Upfront, no-pressure pricing
Get a Free Quote ☎ (650) 451-8464Why San Francisco Customers Choose Pacific Edge
Old-Building Experience
Knob-and-tube, cloth-insulated wiring, fuse boxes, 60A and 100A services, shared meter banks, and panels tucked under stairs are normal in San Francisco. We have rewired and upgraded all of them and plan the work so tenants and flats stay powered as much as possible.
DBI Permitting Handled
Every San Francisco electrical, solar and battery project runs through the Department of Building Inspection. We pull the permits, prepare the load calculation, schedule the inspection and close it out.
Licensed & Insured
California C-10 Contractor License #1143455, bonded and insured.
EV Charging Specialists
Tesla Certified Installer; Wall Connector, ChargePoint and universal Level 2 installs. In garages with 100A service or a shared house panel we frequently use EV load management rather than a full upgrade.
Solar Built for SF Roofs
Flat and low-slope roofs, parapets, and fog on the west side change how an array is designed and mounted. We size for self-consumption under NEM 3.0 and pair storage where the payback supports it.
Transparent Pricing
Fixed, itemized quotes before work starts. Our published price ranges apply in San Francisco, with any access or scaffolding costs stated up front.
Common Electrical Projects in San Francisco
Panel and Service Upgrades
A 60A or 100A service feeding a Sunset or Excelsior house, or a house panel shared by three flats in the Mission, is the single most common reason a San Francisco homeowner calls us. We upgrade to 200A (and to 400A for multi-unit buildings), relocate meters to meet PG&E requirements, and coordinate the PG&E service work and the DBI inspection. Where a full service upgrade is blocked by the building, we design around it with sub-panels and load management.
EV Charger Installation
Charging at home in San Francisco means solving for the garage you have. A typical install includes:
- NEC load calculation for the new 40–60A circuit
- Dedicated 240V circuit, often with a long run to a rear or tandem garage
- DBI electrical permit and inspection
- Tesla Wall Connector, ChargePoint or universal Level 2 with app setup
- Load management (EVEMS) for shared panels and 100A services
Solar and Battery for San Francisco Homes
San Francisco is PG&E-served for delivery, with most households buying generation through CleanPowerSF. Under NEM 3.0 the systems that pay back are sized to the home’s usage and paired with a battery for the evening peak and for outage backup. We design for flat and low-slope roofs, file the PG&E interconnection, and explain how CleanPowerSF credits appear on the bill.
- Right-sized array for self-consumption
- Tesla Powerwall 3, FranklinWH or Enphase IQ Battery backup
- DBI solar permit and PG&E net-billing application
- Optional SPAN panel for circuit-level backup control
Serving All San Francisco Neighborhoods
- Sunset & Parkside - Flat-roof solar, panel upgrades
- Richmond District - Edwardian flats, rewiring
- Noe Valley & Glen Park - Victorian rewiring, EV and battery
- Bernal Heights - Service upgrades and solar
- Mission & Potrero Hill - Multi-unit service upgrades
- Excelsior & Outer Mission - 100A to 200A upgrades, EV charging
- Bayview & Portola - Residential electrical and solar
- Marina & Pacific Heights - Garage EV charging, panel work
San Francisco Code Compliance
All electrical work complies with:
- San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) electrical permit and inspection requirements
- PG&E service and interconnection standards; CleanPowerSF net-billing enrollment
- San Francisco Fire Code and roof-access requirements for rooftop solar
- National Electrical Code (NEC 2023, as adopted by the 2025 California Electrical Code, Title 24 Part 3)
- California Title 24 energy standards
| Service | Typical range | What moves the price | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 2 EV charger | $900 – $2,500 | Panel capacity, distance from panel, trenching | 1 day on site; permit 1–2 wks |
| Panel upgrade (100A → 200A+) | $4,500 – $14,000 | Amperage, meter/service relocation, access | 1–2 days; PG&E coordination 2–6 wks |
| Home battery (installed) | $9,000 – $20,000 | Battery brand, unit count, backup scope | 1–2 days; permit + utility 2–6 wks |
| Residential solar | $20,000 – $50,000 before incentives | ~$2.50–$3.80/W; roof complexity, battery add-on | 1–3 days; 6–12 wks end to end |
Ranges are before incentives, in standard conditions. Full detail, benchmarks, and our Fixed-Price Guarantee on the pricing page.
FAQs — San Francisco Electrician
How much does an electrical panel upgrade cost in San Francisco?
Most single-family San Francisco panel upgrades run $4,500 to $14,000; multi-unit buildings with shared meter banks cost more and are quoted individually. Price depends on the target amperage, whether the meter has to be relocated to meet PG&E requirements, the length of the service run through the building, and any grounding or feeder work the DBI inspector requires. We give a fixed, itemized quote after a free site visit.
How long does a panel upgrade take with DBI and PG&E?
The swap itself is one to two days. The schedule is set by the DBI electrical permit and by PG&E's appointment to disconnect and reconnect service. Plan on three to six weeks from signed quote to final inspection in San Francisco; we handle every step.
Who provides my electricity in San Francisco, and does that affect solar?
PG&E delivers it; most households buy generation through CleanPowerSF. Solar interconnection is still filed with PG&E, while net-billing export credits appear on the CleanPowerSF portion of the bill. We explain how the bill will read before you sign.
Do I need a DBI permit for an EV charger in San Francisco?
Yes. A hardwired Level 2 charger requires an electrical permit from the Department of Building Inspection, and we pull it and schedule the inspection. As a Tesla Certified Installer and C-10 contractor (CA #1143455) we also prepare the load calculation.
What does an EV charger install cost in San Francisco?
With spare capacity on the panel, $900 to $2,500 is typical. Long conduit runs to a rear or tandem garage, exterior routing and sub-panels raise the price. On a shared house panel or 100A service we often price an EV energy management system next to a full upgrade so you can choose.
Can an old San Francisco panel handle an EV charger plus solar?
Usually not without help. Many Sunset, Richmond and Excelsior homes are on 60A or 100A service and many flats share a house panel. We run a real NEC Article 220 load calculation, then recommend an upgrade, a sub-panel, or load management. Try our free load calculator first.
Are you a licensed and insured electrician serving San Francisco?
Yes. Pacific Edge Electric and Solar holds California C-10 Contractor License #1143455 and is bonded and insured. We are a Tesla Certified Installer and Enphase, SPAN and FranklinWH certified, with more than 1,000 Bay Area projects since 2014.
Do you give a fixed price or bill hourly?
Fixed. San Francisco projects are quoted as a total you approve before work starts, including any access, parking or scaffolding costs, and any scope change is agreed in writing first.
How much does it cost to rewire a Victorian or Edwardian in San Francisco?
Whole-house rewiring in San Francisco typically runs $8,000 to $20,000 per unit and more for full buildings, driven by square footage, the number of circuits, plaster walls, and how much knob-and-tube or cloth-insulated wiring is being removed. We plan it room by room and phase the work so the home stays livable.
Do you offer emergency electrical service in San Francisco?
We serve San Francisco for scheduled project work: panel and service upgrades, EV charging, solar, batteries and rewiring. Our shop is in Los Gatos, so we are not a 30-minute emergency dispatch in the city; for a same-day emergency please call a local emergency electrician, then call us for the permanent fix.
Do you install solar and battery storage as well as electrical work?
Yes. One C-10 crew handles the panel, the EV charger, the rooftop array and the battery under one DBI permit set. We install Tesla Powerwall, FranklinWH and Enphase storage and handle the PG&E interconnection.
Request Your Free Quote
Licensed, bonded & insured Bay Area electricians. Upfront pricing and same-day estimates available.
CA Lic #1143455 · Tesla Certified Installer · Enphase · Bonded & Insured
✓ 10-year workmanship warranty · ✓ Our own licensed C-10 crew — no subcontractors · ✓ Upfront, no-pressure pricing
Get a Free Quote ☎ (650) 451-8464