At minimum, be sure you know what happens to the panel, the meter, and the wires that connect them to the utility. A “200-amp panel” alone can leave you with 100-amp conductors and a 100-amp meter socket. A complete 100-to-200-amp service upgrade typically coordinates a utility outage, replaces or resizes those service parts as needed, updates grounding, and includes permits and a final inspection. If a quote is silent on any of those, ask.
This is the practical companion to the cost-range page. Angi and Fixr disagree partly because one number may be “panel plus labor” and another may be “the whole heavy-up.” Additional items that often appear, and that you should see as line items or explicit exclusions, include panel relocation, a longer conduit run, trench work, a new grounding electrode system, surge protection, and drywall repair.
Until those scopes match, you cannot compare prices, and you cannot compare them to the Angi (2026-10-29) or Fixr (2025-01-31) ranges either. See also the meter-base page.
This is not a permit calculation, a utility approval, or a substitute for a licensed electrician, HVAC contractor, or the authority having jurisdiction. Panel Headroom is an independent educational site. It is not a utility, a certification body, or a contractor. Electrical and generator work that is done incorrectly can cause fire, shock, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Use the adopted electrical code and manufacturer instructions; pull permits where required.