Summary
Signs your Saskatoon home's electrical panel is undersized, what a 200A upgrade involves, and when it's worth doing before something forces your hand.
Most Saskatoon homes built before the 1990s were wired with a 100-amp electrical service. That was fine for the loads of the time — lights, a fridge, a stove, and a washer. Modern homes are a different story. EV chargers, electric ranges, hot tubs, air conditioners, and finished basements with dedicated circuits push 100A panels well past what they were designed to handle.
Here's how to know if your panel is keeping up — and what to expect if it isn't.
Signs Your Electrical Panel Needs an Upgrade
Breakers that trip regularly. A breaker that trips once in a while is doing its job. A breaker that trips weekly is telling you the circuit is consistently overloaded. If multiple breakers trip or if you find yourself resetting them regularly, your panel is undersized for your actual load.
You're adding major appliances or an EV charger. A Level 2 EV charger draws 30-50 amps on its own. A hot tub typically needs a dedicated 60A circuit. Add either of these to an already-loaded 100A panel and you've got a problem. A 200A upgrade is almost always required before installing an EV charger in a home with an older panel.
Your home has a basement suite or secondary suite. A secondary suite adds significant electrical load — its own kitchen, laundry, and lighting circuits. If your basement suite wasn't wired with a panel upgrade, it may have been done improperly or is running on capacity it doesn't have.
Breakers that won't reset or smell burning. This is serious. If a breaker won't hold after being reset, or if you smell burning near the panel, call a licensed electrician immediately. Don't ignore it.
Your panel is a Federal Pacific or Zinsco brand. If your home still has a Federal Pacific "Stab-Lok" panel or a Zinsco panel, it should be replaced regardless of age or load. Both brands have documented safety issues and are no longer considered acceptable by insurers and inspectors in Saskatchewan.
What Does a 200A Panel Upgrade Involve?
A panel upgrade is a permitted job in Saskatchewan — SaskPower needs to be involved to temporarily disconnect your service during the work. Here's the general process:
- WLG Homes applies for the permit on your behalf
- We coordinate with SaskPower for a temporary disconnect
- The existing panel is removed and a new 200A panel is installed
- New wiring is run where required
- Everything is inspected by a Saskatchewan electrical inspector before power is reconnected
The job typically takes one day for a straightforward upgrade. If the service entrance wiring (the wires coming from SaskPower's meter to your panel) also needs replacing, that adds some scope but is often necessary in older homes.
Is a 200A Upgrade Worth It Before a Renovation?
Almost always, yes. If you're finishing a basement, adding a suite, or doing any significant renovation, the time to upgrade the panel is during the rough-in phase — before drywalling and finishing work is done. Doing it after means cutting into walls and ceilings that were just finished.
It also adds measurable value to a home. A 200A panel with room to grow is a selling feature, especially as EV adoption increases. Buyers and home inspectors flag undersized panels.
How Much Does a Panel Upgrade Cost in Saskatoon?
A standard 100A to 200A panel upgrade in Saskatoon — including permits, the new panel, and labour — typically runs in the range of $2,500 to $4,500 depending on the complexity of your existing wiring and whether any service entrance work is needed. WLG Homes provides free estimates so you know exactly what you're looking at before committing.
WLG Homes has two Saskatchewan-licensed electricians on staff. Contact us for a free electrical estimate in Saskatoon, Warman, or Martensville.