Breaker tripping? Panel out of space for an EV charger? We diagnose the real cause and give you the price range before any work starts.
Vancouver has homes from nearly every decade, and the electrical system usually tells you which one. If your breaker trips every time the microwave and space heater run together, your panel still has fuses or two-prong outlets, or you’ve been told your 60- or 100-amp service can’t handle an EV charger, heat pump, or hot tub, you’re asking a system built for a 1950s household to run a modern one.
We diagnose the actual cause, whether that’s an overloaded circuit, a failing breaker, aluminum connections, or service that’s simply undersized, and tell you the fix and the price range before any work starts.
Every home, panel, and load calculation is different, so we don’t quote blind. What we do promise: you’ll know the minimum and maximum before any work begins, that’s how we’ve always operated.
We use a standard dispatch fee that’s typically waived with approved work. Free estimates: many projects are quoted remotely with a personalized estimate within 24 hours; complex jobs get an in-person visit. Financing is available.
Licensed, bonded & insured in Oregon CCB# 249412
We focus on safety, clarity, and lasting results. Here’s what to expect:
Your electrical panel is the gray box of breakers, usually in the garage or basement, where all the power in your home gets divided up and protected. When it's full, outdated, or acting up, everything downstream suffers: breakers trip constantly, there's no room to add circuits, and in older panels, worn parts can become a fire risk.
We start by finding the real limitation, because "replace the panel" isn't always the answer. Our electrician inspects the condition of your breakers, checks for heat damage or corrosion, and verifies grounding and bonding (the connections that safely carry a fault into the earth instead of through you). Then we tell you plainly whether you need a repair, a reorganization, or a new panel. If it's a new panel, you get a clean install with every breaker labeled so you never have to guess which switch controls what, and spare capacity left for whatever you add later.
A service upgrade increases the amount of power the utility delivers to your house in the first place. Think of your panel as how power gets divided inside the home, and your service as the size of the pipe feeding it. If the pipe is too small, swapping the panel alone won't help.
Upgrading the service means replacing the equipment where power enters your home: the meter base, the mast (the pipe running up your exterior wall), the main disconnect, and the wires feeding it all, sized correctly for the new amperage. Because the utility owns part of this connection, we coordinate the utility requirements, clearances, and the permit and inspection steps that apply to service changes in Vancouver and Clark County, so you're not the one making those calls. This is usually the right move when you're adding a Level 2 EV charger, hot tub, or generator connection to a home still on 60- or 100-amp service.
If you've bought an EV, or one's on the way, a home charger lets you plug in at night and wake up to a full battery instead of relying on a standard outlet that adds only 4–5 miles of range per hour. Installing one is more than mounting a box on the wall: a Level 2 charger needs its own dedicated 240V circuit from your panel, and your panel needs enough spare capacity to feed it.
Here's how we handle it. First, a load evaluation: we measure how much of your panel's capacity your home already uses, so we know how much is left for charging. Then we help you pick a location that fits where you actually park and how far the cable reaches, whether that's a garage, carport, or an exterior mount by the driveway. From there we run the dedicated circuit with the correct breaker protection and clean routing, wire the charger, label everything, and verify it charges before we leave. If your panel doesn't have the room, we'll say so up front and walk you through the options, either load management (a device that shares capacity between appliances) or a panel upgrade, before you spend anything.
A hot tub or sauna is one of the largest electrical loads you can add to a home (most draw as much power as an entire kitchen), and it mixes electricity with water and weather. That's why the wiring details matter more here than almost anywhere else.
We run a dedicated circuit sized to your exact equipment, so the tub isn't sharing power with anything else in the house. We install the GFCI protection code requires: the safety device that cuts power instantly if electricity ever strays where it shouldn't, like into the water. We verify bonding and grounding end to end, and place the disconnect (an outdoor shutoff switch) where a technician can safely cut power during service. If your tub sits far from the panel, we plan durable, weather-rated routing that stays clean-looking and serviceable. Everything is tested and labeled, and we walk you through startup before you fill it.
This is the catch-all for making your home's electrical work the way you need it day to day, from fixing what's broken to wiring a remodel. Flickering lights, breakers that trip, dead outlets, a switch plate that feels warm: these are symptoms, and the cause is often somewhere else on the circuit. We find the root cause with testing instead of guessing, so you pay to fix the actual problem once.
For remodels and upgrades, we add circuits where you actually use power (home office, kitchen counters, garage), plan lighting layouts around how you use each room, install dimmers and smart switches, and bring kitchens and baths up to modern safety standards. Work in finished spaces is routed to minimize drywall impact, and every new circuit is labeled at the panel.
When a storm knocks out power, a generator keeps the essentials running, but only if it's connected safely. Plugging a generator into the house without the right equipment can backfeed the utility lines and endanger line workers, which is why this work is code-regulated.
For portable generators, we install an interlock kit or transfer switch: the mechanism that safely switches your home between utility power and generator power, so the two can never mix. For standby generators (the permanently installed units that start automatically), we handle the load planning and wiring. Either way, we help you decide which circuits matter most when the power's out (refrigerator, heat controls, internet, garage door, sump pump), explain what can realistically run at the same time, and walk you through operating it before we leave. No guesswork in the middle of an outage.
For Vancouver businesses, electrical work has to be predictable, because downtime costs you money. We handle service calls, lighting upgrades, dedicated circuits for equipment, panel work, and tenant improvement electrical (the build-out wiring when you move into or reconfigure a commercial space). We schedule around your operating hours where feasible, including staged work, and finish with a walkthrough so your team knows what changed and how to operate it.
From the first call to the final reveal, our process is built for clarity, comfort, and craftsmanship.
A Portland Metro Electric expert will answer any of your questions, discuss the project in detail, provide professional expertise, and consultation. For most of our projects we can provide a minimum and maximum of what you can expect to pay for your electrical project.
For certain projects we will provide a customized estimate without needing to schedule an in person visit. For complex projects we will schedule one our our electricians to visit your residence, provide an in person inspection, consultation, and a customized estimate.
We will send you a customized estimate, and let you select the best date & time to schedule your project. The estimate will include a summary of the projects material costs and fees. Once the estimate is approved and project date is scheduled, we will take care of everything from permits (if necessary), to ordering all the materials.
On the day of the project our electricians will give you a courtesy call before arrival. We will begin and complete the electrical project. We will provide a detailed walkthrough on how to operate the newly installed service (EV charger, electrical breaker box, hot tub, etc.). And finally insure you are satisfied with the project and service.
Every home, panel, and load calculation is different. We provide a min–max range up front before any work begins, so you can choose the best option for your budget and timeline.
We use a standard dispatch fee that’s typically waived with approved work. Free estimates are offered, many projects can be quoted remotely with a personalized estimate within 24 hours; complex jobs get an in-person on-site estimate.
If you have a safety concern (sparks, burning smell, a main breaker that keeps tripping), turn off the affected breaker and contact us. We prioritize urgent calls and offer the next available arrival window; same-day slots may be available depending on the schedule.
Monday – Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday – Sunday By appointment only
24/7 Emergency Services avalible
We serve Vancouver and the surrounding Clark County communities, including Hazel Dell, Mill Plain, Orchards, Felida, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, and Camas. If you’re searching for “electrician near me in Vancouver, WA,” we’re a local option for fast, reliable service close to home.
Most work is priced after diagnosis because cause, access, and parts vary. You get a written min–max estimate before any work begins. Repairs depend on troubleshooting time and parts; upgrades like panels and EV chargers depend on capacity, circuit distance, and permit scope. We use a standard dispatch fee that’s typically waived with approved work.
Yes. We’re licensed, bonded, and insured to perform electrical work in Washington. We’re also Oregon licensed (CCB# 249412) and serve both sides of the river.
Most panel upgrades, new circuits, rewiring, EV chargers, and generator hookups require an electrical permit. The City of Vancouver handles permits inside city limits; Washington L&I covers unincorporated Clark County. We outline the steps in your estimate and coordinate the work.
Often yes. We evaluate spare panel capacity, wiring method, and run length. If you’re on 60- or 100-amp service, we’ll explain the upgrade path and can handle the panel upgrade and new circuit as one project.
It depends on your current loads and future plans (EV, hot tub, remodel). We calculate this during your estimate; 200-amp service is the common recommendation for modern homes.
GFCI protects against shock, especially in wet areas. AFCI detects arcing faults that can start fires. Current code requires one or both in many areas of the home.
Emergency calls are taken 24/7. For non-emergencies, same-day or next-day slots are offered when the schedule allows.
We stand behind our workmanship and materials with a satisfaction guarantee, and installed equipment carries its manufacturer warranty.
For any other questions or to schedule an upgrade consultation, contact Portland Metro Electric. We’re here to ensure your electrical system is safe, efficient, and tailored to your needs.
Portland Metro Electric
8415 SE Hinkley Ave, Happy Valley, OR 97086
Call us now, or fill out our contact form and one of our electrical experts will get in tough with you shorty. We will listen to your project needs or concerns and help guide you in the right direction. If the project is can be remotely estimated we can send you a personalized estimate within the next 24 hours.
