ADU Electrical Cost in Los Angeles: Panel and Meter (2026)

For homeowners planning with VoltGen Energy in Los Angeles, HomeGuide's August 2025 national guide puts new construction electrical wiring at $4 to $9 per square foot. Feeding an ADU from the house adds about $500 to $1,700 for the installed subpanel itself, according to HomeGuide's 2026 national figures, plus trenching to a detached unit. A separate ADU electric meter runs about $4,500 to $9,500 installed according to California ADU planning company Maxable's August 2026 guide; if the main service cannot carry the added load, Los Angeles-area contractor guides reviewed September 2026 put a 100 A to 200 A service upgrade at $2,500 to $4,500. These pieces add up differently on every lot.

How much should you budget for ADU electrical work?

Use wiring costs as a starting point, then check what the quote includes for power delivery, metering and any work at the main house. A square-foot allowance alone does not explain the cost of getting electricity to a detached ADU.

These are typical market ranges, not our prices. National figures run lower than Los Angeles figures, and Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Malibu and the Palisades usually price higher than these ranges because of access, parking, traffic and hillside logistics. Maxable's meter range does not spell out which trenching, feeder and utility charges it includes, so ask each bidder.

Do not add every row together. A wiring quote may already include dedicated circuits, and a feeder quote may include wire installation. The national subpanel range and the Los Angeles calculator range describe alternatives, not separate charges. Ask for written inclusions before combining allowances.

What makes one ADU electrical quote higher than another?

The biggest differences to check are the existing service capacity, the feeder route and the planned appliances. In an older house, an estimate should address the main house as well as the new living space.

A detached ADU needs a defined route for its electrical supply. Ask the contractor to identify the trench path and length, crossings under hardscape, and who restores paving or landscaping. A trench allowance without a route leaves an important part of the scope unresolved.

Give the contractor your planned range, water heater, heat pump, dryer and EV charger information. These loads belong in the planning discussion, rather than appearing after the electrical quote is accepted.

Also distinguish an ordinary service upgrade from relocation or underground service work. A proposal that moves equipment or changes the service arrangement is not directly comparable with one that leaves those items untouched.

Do you need a panel upgrade, a subpanel or a separate meter?

These solve different problems: service capacity, circuit distribution and billing. An ADU can need more than one of them.

A load calculation for the house plus the ADU helps establish whether the existing service can support the added demand. A subpanel distributes power to the ADU's circuits, but it does not increase the capacity of the service feeding it. Ask for the calculation before treating a main panel upgrade as either necessary or avoidable.

Maxable's August 2026 guide describes these billing arrangements:

• Separate utility meter: The ADU has its own utility account and bill. This is the clearest arrangement for a long-term rental when the tenant is intended to receive the utility bill directly.
• Private submeter: The ADU remains on your utility account, but a private meter tracks its use to help split the bill. It is not a separate utility account.
• Shared supply without separate tracking: The ADU runs from the house panel, usually through an ADU subpanel. There is no separate meter cost, but capacity work may still be needed.

Whether an ADU needs or can use its own utility meter depends on the utility, the city and the plan. The plan reviewer and utility decide. Do not assume that choosing separate billing eliminates the need to evaluate the electrical supply.

Who does ADU or addition electrical work in Glendale?

The work can be done by the general contractor's electrical contractor or by an electrical contractor the homeowner hires directly. VoltGen Energy does ADU and addition electrical in Glendale, as well as Burbank, Pasadena, Studio City and Los Angeles.

Either hiring arrangement can work. Make sure one party owns the combined load calculation, utility coordination and communication about changes. If the electrical contract is separate, ask who coordinates its scope with the general contractor's trenching, wall access and restoration work.

In Glendale, the permit comes from Glendale Building and Safety, and Glendale Water and Power handles the meter. Keep those responsibilities distinct: building approval and utility meter coordination are related steps, not interchangeable approvals.

What do the permit and electrical plans need?

Expect the permit discussion to address existing service capacity and how the addition or ADU will receive power. The applicable electrical code is the California Electrical Code, based on the NEC, with the project reviewed by the local authority.

For example, the City of Covina's January 2026 ADU handout asks for a load calculation for the existing panel even when no separate meter is proposed. Its stated purpose is to determine whether the existing service can supply the new ADU. The handout notes that some projects may need a separate meter or an upgraded or relocated service.

For a proposed subpanel, that handout requires a single line diagram showing the main panel, ADU subpanel and conduit between them. This is an example of what a city may request, not a substitute for your city's checklist.

LADBS handles permits in the City of Los Angeles, including Studio City and the portions of the San Fernando Valley within city limits. Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena run their own plan checks through their Building and Safety departments. Ask your plan reviewer which documents your project needs.

The utility determines how a second meter is set. LADWP's own meter spot request form covers a single family home or ADU up to 320 amps, and LADWP says an Electric Service Representative schedules the visit within 5 to 15 business days, so coordinate that step before treating a proposed meter location as settled. Your inspector has the final say.

What should an ADU electrical quote spell out?

A useful quote separates the agreed scope from allowances and unresolved decisions. Ask these questions before comparing the bottom lines:

• Has the load calculation included the house, ADU and planned electric appliances or EV charger?
• Is the proposal based on shared power, a private submeter or a separate utility meter, and why?
• Is a main service upgrade included, excluded or priced separately?
• What trench route and length are included, and who repairs hardscape and landscaping?
• Are wiring, dedicated circuits and the feeder included without overlapping allowances?
• Who handles utility coordination, including the meter spot and release, and where do those steps fit in the schedule?
• Are utility fees listed separately, and who handles permit submissions?

Ask each bidder to use the same appliance list and supply arrangement. Otherwise, a lower quote may simply leave more work outside the contract.

Getting an estimate

VoltGen Energy serves Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Studio City and Los Angeles. Share your plans, appliance list, panel photos and preferred billing arrangement when you request a quote.

Start with remodel and addition electrical and panel upgrades. For more planning detail, read the 240-volt circuit and subpanel cost guide, electrical panel upgrade cost guide and how long a panel or service upgrade takes with LADWP, BWP and PWP.

VoltGen Energy operates under Akopi Builders, CSLB #1112420. Electrical work is performed by licensed C-10 electrical contractors.