The load check
Counting what the house already draws
A panel is rated in amps. The load check adds up what the house uses at its busiest, with the air conditioning and the oven counted, and shows what is left.
Austin summers matter here: a central air conditioner running all afternoon leaves less room for a charger that starts at night than a spring month would.
What we measure
Panel size and the main breaker
Air conditioning, range, dryer, water heater
Spare breaker spaces
Any plans for a heat pump or a second car
Three answers
What the load check can say
We tell you which one applies and what each costs.
There is room
The package goes ahead as quoted.
There is room for less
A smaller circuit or a charger that limits its own current, so it never pulls more than the panel can spare.
There is no room
A panel upgrade, quoted separately, before the charger goes in. We say so even when it makes the job bigger.
Panels and chargers, answered
Can my panel handle a charger?
That is what the load check answers. We add up what your house draws, with the central air running, then check what is left on the panel. If there is room, the package goes ahead. If there is not, we show you the options, and a new panel is one of them, not the only one.
What if I only charge overnight?
Then a smaller circuit may be enough, and a smaller package line costs less. The load check shows what your panel can spare, and the survey asks how many miles you drive.
What is not in a package?
The charger itself, drywall repair and paint, a panel upgrade, and a trench through rock, concrete or roots. The quote lists each one that applies to your house, with a price or with the words not needed.
Do I need a permit, and who pulls it?
A new circuit for a charger needs an electrical permit in the City of Austin, and the neighboring cities have their own. We apply for it, book the inspection and meet the inspector. Outside Austin we tell you whose rules apply before you sign.
Send the panel
A photo of the panel with its door open lets us tell you what to expect.