Level 2 basics
A home Level 2 charger runs on 240 volts. The U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center notes that EV charging equipment is considered a continuous load by the National Electrical Code, that some homes may not have enough electrical capacity for Level 2, and that permits may be required by the local building authority. Those three facts shape every quote: the circuit has to be sized for continuous use, the panel has to have room, and the permit and inspection are part of the job.
Size the breaker and wire to the charger's install instructions and the code your jurisdiction has adopted. Many chargers can be set to a lower current during setup, which matters when capacity is tight.
Do the load calculation first
A load calculation tells you whether the existing service can carry the charger along with everything else in the house. Skipping it is how a "simple" charger install turns into a free panel upgrade.
Before you quote, collect:
- Service size and the main breaker rating.
- Open breaker spaces, and whether the panel is one you are willing to work in.
- The large loads already in the house: electric range, dryer, water heater, heat pump or AC, pool or spa, any existing EV.
- Distance and route from the panel to the parking spot, and whether the run is inside, through an attic, along a wall or underground.
- Whether the customer already bought a charger, and the vehicle's charging limit.
Ask for photos of the panel label, the open panel and the garage wall on the phone. Many shops can tell which tier the job is before the visit.
When a load manager fits
When the calculation says the service is close to full, a load manager (also called energy management or load sharing, built into some chargers or added as a separate device) watches the house's draw and turns the charger down when other big loads run. It can let the customer charge without a service upgrade. It is the right answer when the customer charges overnight and does not need the fastest possible rate. Confirm the device is listed for the purpose and accepted by your local inspector before you build a tier around it.
When the panel has to change
A panel or service upgrade is the answer when there is no room even with load management, the panel is one you will not add to, or the customer wants full-speed charging and other new loads later, such as a heat pump or induction range. That job involves the utility, often a second day and a bigger permit. Price it as its own job; see how to price an electrical panel upgrade.
A worked Good, Better, Best quote
Example only, with made-up numbers. An electrical shop's journeyman costs $153 an hour fully loaded and sells at a 25 percent margin target. Ava Reyes has a 100-amp service, a gas range and dryer, central AC, and a 35-foot run to the garage. The load calc shows the service can take a charger at a reduced setting, but not at full speed with the AC running.
| Good: circuit only | Better: with load manager | Best: with service upgrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What she gets | New 240 V circuit, charger set to a lower current | Circuit at full charger rating, load manager to protect the service | 200 A service and panel, full-speed charger, room for future loads |
| Labor | 4 h | 6 h | 14 h over 2 days |
| Materials | $220 | $520 | $1,650 |
| Permit and inspection trip | $250 | $250 | $450 |
| Example price | $1,450 | $2,250 | $5,650 |
Each price is cost divided by 0.75 and rounded. Charger hardware is extra in this example because Ava already bought one; if you supply it, add it at your material markup and state who holds the warranty. Present it the way any Good, Better, Best quote works: explain each option in one sentence, and say which you would pick in her house and why.
Mistakes to avoid
- Quoting from a phone call without panel photos or a site visit.
- Leaving the permit, the inspection trip or a utility appointment out of the price.
- Promising a charging speed the service cannot deliver.
- Installing a customer-bought charger without saying in writing that the hardware warranty is the manufacturer's.
- Underpricing long or underground runs. Price the route, not just the distance.
How SWITCHBOARD handles this
With a Job Walk in SWITCHBOARD, the electrician photographs the panel and the route, builds the three options from the shop's own Price Book, and the customer picks, signs and pays the deposit on the phone. Live margin shows whether each tier hits your target before it is sent.
Questions people ask
Do I need a permit to install a home EV charger?
Permits may be required by the local building authority, and in many places they are. Check with the jurisdiction and include the permit and inspection trip in the price.
Does an EV charger always need a panel upgrade?
No. Do a load calculation. Many homes can take a charger on the existing service, sometimes with the charger set to a lower current or with a load manager.
What is a load manager for an EV charger?
A device, or a feature built into some chargers, that lowers the charging rate when other large loads in the house are running, so the total stays within the service's capacity.
Should I install a charger the customer already bought?
Many shops do. Price the labor and materials, check the unit is listed and suits the circuit, and note in writing that the hardware warranty is the manufacturer's.
Sources
- Charging Electric Vehicles at Home - Alternative Fuels Data Center (U.S. Department of Energy) (checked November 13, 2026)