Before you call an electrician

Safe to check

A tripped breaker (switch it fully off, then on), a tripped GFCI (press reset), a burned-out bulb, a switch on the outlet you are testing.

Never

Warm outlets or switches, a burning smell, buzzing in the panel, flickering across the whole house, scorch marks. Turn the circuit off and call. Aluminum branch wiring and knob and tube get an electrician's eye before anything else.

Panel upgrades

Heat pumps, EV chargers, induction ranges and workshops all push an older 100 amp panel. An electrician does a load calculation to see whether you need 200 amps, and the utility and permit office are involved.

EV chargers

A Level 2 charger needs a dedicated 240 volt circuit, usually 40 to 60 amps, and a permit. Ask about the run from the panel to the garage; distance is most of the cost.

What a good estimate lists

The circuits and devices, the wire gauge and type, the panel or breaker models, the permit and inspection, and what patching of drywall is or is not included.

Generators

A portable generator needs a transfer switch or interlock installed by an electrician. Standby generators need gas or propane, a pad and a permit.