Panel replacement, 200-amp & 400-amp service upgrades, fuse box conversions, breaker and sub-panel work — done safely and to code by licensed Master Electricians. For homes and businesses across the Austin area since 1997.
Your electrical panel — the breaker box or load center — is the heart of your home's wiring. It splits incoming power into the circuits that run your lights, HVAC, appliances, and outlets, and its breakers are what shut power off before a fault becomes a fire. When a panel is undersized, overloaded, damaged, or simply old, it can't do that job reliably. Breakers that trip constantly, a warm or buzzing panel, flickering lights, a lingering burning smell, or a home still running on a fuse box are all signs it's time for an upgrade.
An electrical panel upgrade — also called a panel replacement, breaker box replacement, or service upgrade — swaps that aging equipment for a modern, right-sized panel and, when needed, increases your home's total capacity from 100-amp to 200-amp, or up to 320/400-amp service for larger homes. It's what makes room for today's loads: EV chargers, heat pumps, additions, pools, shops, and ADUs. We also replace old fuse boxes, swap out unsafe panel brands (Federal Pacific, Zinsco, and Challenger), repair and replace failing circuit breakers, and add sub-panels where you need more circuits.
Searching for an electrical panel upgrade near you in the Austin area? Simms Electrical Services handles panel and service upgrades for both homes and businesses. We're family-owned — not a national franchise — with 39 years of experience in the trade and a licensed Master Electrician on every job. We do a proper load calculation so the panel is sized right, pull the permit, coordinate the utility disconnect and reconnect, verify grounding and bonding, and give you honest, upfront pricing before we start.
From a single breaker replacement to a full 400-amp service upgrade — for homes and businesses.
We handle both residential and commercial panel and service upgrades — here's recent work from our licensed Master Electricians.
We run a real load calculation so your new panel and service fit your actual and future loads — no guesswork.
Not apprentices — licensed Master Electricians, every time.
Kurt and Mary Simms are local — this is their community too.
We pull the permit, coordinate the utility, and meet the 2023 NEC — including the required emergency disconnect and surge protection.
Clear, itemized estimates and no surprises — you know the cost before we start.
Texas TDLR licensed — you're protected on every job.
Don't take our word for it — here's what businesses and homeowners across the Austin area are saying.
"We had two exceptional experiences with Simms Electrical Services. A breaker failed and was replaced in record time, and they later replaced our entire fuse box. Reliable, knowledgeable, friendly. We've recommended them to everyone we know."
"I highly recommend Simms Electrical Services. They scheduled timely service with a master electrician who quickly resolved a complex set of high- and low-voltage issues, with all the supplies on the truck. Impressive service."
"75% of our business is from returning customers — and we're proud of that. It means we're doing something right."
See all 200+ reviews on Google.
Based in Lakeway, we upgrade panels and service for homes and businesses across the Austin metro — from Lake Travis-area homes to offices, retail, and HOAs. If it has a panel, we can upgrade it.
Straight answers to what Austin homeowners ask us most about panel upgrades, replacements, and service upgrades.
It depends on the job. Replacing the panel only is less than a full service upgrade that also includes the meter, mast, and exterior disconnect, and a 400-amp service costs more than a 200-amp upgrade. Any repairs the utility or code requires can affect the total too. We give you an upfront, itemized estimate before any work begins — no surprises.
Common signs include breakers that trip often, a warm or buzzing panel, scorch marks or a burning smell, flickering lights, relying on extension cords and power strips, still having a fuse box instead of breakers, or a panel brand known to be unsafe (Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or Challenger). Adding an EV charger, hot tub, HVAC, or a home addition can also exceed your panel's capacity. We do a load calculation and tell you honestly what you need.
Most modern homes are well served by a 200-amp panel. Larger homes — or homes adding an EV charger, electric heat, a pool, a shop, or an ADU — often need 320/400-amp service. We size the service to your actual and future loads with a proper load calculation, so you don't overpay or come up short.
Yes. Converting a fuse box to a modern circuit-breaker panel is one of our most common jobs. Breakers are safer, easier to reset, and required for most modern circuits and by many insurers. We handle the panel, grounding and bonding, the permit, and utility coordination.
Yes — a panel or service upgrade requires a permit and a city or county inspection, and the utility has to disconnect and reconnect power. We pull the permit, coordinate the utility, and make sure the job passes inspection. Under the 2023 National Electrical Code, a service upgrade also requires an exterior emergency disconnect and whole-home surge protection, both of which we include.
Most residential panel or service upgrades are completed in a single day, with the power off for only part of that time. Larger or commercial jobs may take longer. We schedule around you and keep the outage as short as possible.
Call us or send a message — a licensed Master Electrician will get back to you the same business day with a clear, no-obligation estimate for your panel or service upgrade.
Call (512) 766-5399 Request Service