GM Remodeling Services LLC is a licensed and insured electrician in Philadelphia. We upgrade panels and electrical service, rewire older houses, add circuits, outlets and lighting, and track down faults. In-home estimates are free.
Schedule a Free In-Home ConsultationMost houses in the city were wired for far less than they carry today. Air conditioners, a microwave, a dryer, computers and now car chargers and heat pumps all draw on a service that may have been sized decades ago. That gap is behind most of the calls we get: breakers that trip, lights that dim, outlets that are dead or cannot take a three-prong plug.
Among the electrical companies Philadelphia homeowners can call, GM is also a remodeling contractor. That matters when new wiring means opening walls or ceilings, because the same team can patch and finish them afterward.
An electrical panel upgrade in Philadelphia can mean two different jobs, and it helps to know which one your house needs.
The panel is swapped for a new one of the same capacity. This is the fix for a damaged or obsolete panel, an old fuse box, or a panel with no room for more breakers when the service itself is large enough.
The capacity coming into the house is increased, commonly from 100 to 200 amps. That involves the panel, the service cable and the meter equipment, and it is coordinated with PECO, which disconnects and reconnects the power.
Breakers that trip when two large appliances run together, lights that dim when the air conditioner starts, or plans for central air, an electric range or an EV charger point to a service upgrade. A load calculation settles it. Our guide to the five signs you need an electrical panel upgrade covers each one.
In Philadelphia, most electrical work beyond replacing a fixture or device like for like requires an electrical permit from Licenses & Inspections, and the permit has to be obtained by a licensed electrical contractor. The finished work is then checked by an electrical inspection agency. This protects you later: wiring done without a permit tends to surface during a home sale, a refinance or an insurance claim, when correcting it means opening finished walls. On any job larger than a repair, ask who is filing the permit and ask to see it.
Some electrical problems are an inconvenience and others are a fire risk. This is a simple way to tell when to call an electrician in Philadelphia right away and when it can be scheduled.
An outlet, switch or panel that is warm, discolored, buzzing or smells like burning. Turn off the breaker for that circuit if you can do it safely. If you see smoke or sparks, leave the house and call 911.
Breakers that trip again and again, lights that flicker in more than one room, a mild shock from an appliance, or outlets that stopped working with no breaker tripped.
Two-prong outlets, no GFCI protection in the kitchen, bathrooms or basement, a fuse box, knob-and-tube wiring or aluminum branch wiring. All are common in older Philadelphia homes and worth correcting before a renovation or a sale.
Panel replacement and service upgrades for houses that have outgrown their capacity.
Many rowhomes still have 100 amp service or less. A 200 amp upgrade replaces the panel and the service equipment and is scheduled with PECO, so plan for the power to be off for part of that day.
New circuits for renovations and additions, and replacement of old wiring. In a finished house, cable is fished through walls and ceilings where the framing allows, and openings are made only where there is no other route.
New and replacement outlets and switches, grounded three-prong outlets in place of two-prong ones, and GFCI protection near water. Also dedicated circuits for window air conditioners, microwaves and other heavy loads.
Recessed lights, ceiling and wall fixtures, under-cabinet lighting and exterior lights. We check that the existing circuit and box can carry what you want to add.
Tripping breakers, flickering lights, dead outlets and circuits that stopped working. We find the cause first. A breaker that keeps tripping is doing its job, and replacing it rarely solves the problem.
A ceiling fan needs a box rated for its weight and movement. We replace the box when needed and wire the fan and its controls.
Tell us what you are seeing or what you want to add. We will look at it in person and give you a quote.
Call (267) 968-3913Yes. A panel replacement or service upgrade needs an electrical permit from Licenses & Inspections, obtained by a licensed electrical contractor, and the work is inspected when it is finished.
It depends on whether only the panel is replaced or the whole service is upgraded, the size of the new service, the condition of the service cable and meter equipment, and how many circuits need to be reconnected or corrected. We give you a price after a free in-home estimate.
If the house has 100 amps or less and you are adding central air, an electric range or dryer, a heat pump or an EV charger, it probably does. A load calculation adds up what the house uses and tells you for certain.
Often, yes. Cable can usually be fished from the basement or through wall cavities to the new outlet. Plaster walls and blocked framing sometimes mean a small opening, which is patched afterward.
It is ungrounded, it was not designed for today’s loads and its insulation turns brittle with age. It is not automatically an emergency, but it should not be extended or buried in insulation, and many insurers ask about it. We can check how much of it is still live in your house.
If there is smoke, sparks or a burning smell, switch off the main breaker if you can reach it safely, leave the house and call 911. For a downed line or a problem at the meter, call PECO. For an urgent problem that is not a fire risk, call us at (267) 968-3913.
We do residential electrical work throughout Philadelphia and in nearby New Jersey, from single repairs to service upgrades and full rewiring. Call or text (267) 968-3913 for a free in-home estimate.
