Compare
Two options, one honest recommendation
Every comparison here ends with an actual answer, split by situation. “It depends, call us” is not a comparison — it is an advert wearing one as a costume.
100 amp vs 200 amp electrical panel
The honest answer depends on what you burn gas for. Here is how to work it out before anyone quotes you.
Read the comparison100 amp service
Already installed
200 amp service
$2,200 – $4,800
Portable vs standby generator
If your basement has a sump pump, this comparison has already answered itself.
Read the comparisonPortable generator
$700 – $1,500
Standby generator
$6,500 – $16,000
The pattern underneath
Nearly every one of these decisions has the same shape
Different equipment, same question: are you buying capacity you will actually use, or capacity somebody assumed you needed? Three things decide it, and none of them are the equipment.
What you are adding, not what you have
A 100-amp service is genuinely adequate for a gas-heated house with no EV. It stops being adequate the moment you add a large continuous load. The honest test is a load calculation, not a rule of thumb about square footage.
How long you are staying
Upgrading once costs less than upgrading twice. If an EV or a heat pump is in your five-year plan, size for that. If you are selling in eighteen months, the buyer's inspector matters more than the capacity does.
What failure actually costs you
This is the whole standby generator argument. Two nights without power is an inconvenience for most households and a genuine risk for some. Nobody else can weigh that for you, and a contractor who tries is selling.
Why we will tell you not to buy something
We are paid by the contractor when a request becomes booked work, not by the size of the job. So talking you out of a $30,000 rewire you do not need costs us nothing and saves you a great deal — and a homeowner who was told the truth once is the reason anybody recommends us. Every comparison here ends with an actual answer split by situation, including the situations where the answer is “do nothing yet”.
Next step
Still not sure? Ask an electrician
One short form. It goes straight to a licensed, insured contractor who works in your area — not into a national lead pool that resells it to five companies.
Or call +1 (727) 477-1356KilowattBros is a free matching service. All electrical work is performed by independent, licensed contractors.