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Not strictly HVAC but related. While getting quotes on a new system, one company mentioned our electrical panel might not have capacity for the equipment we were considering. Now I don’t know whether that was a legitimate concern or a way to add a few thousand to the bid. How common is a panel upgrade with this kind of work, and is it better to have one company handle both or keep them separate? The house was built in the sixties and I don’t think the panel has ever been touched. I’d rather understand the actual scope than be talked into work I don’t need, but I also don’t want to cheap out on something structural like this.
It’s a legitimate concern more often than people assume, especially in older houses running a hundred amp service. That said, the way to check is to have someone actually calculate the load rather than just assert it. Having one company do both is usually smoother because they coordinate the timing themselves. We went that route with productairheating.com/ since they do electrical alongside the heating and cooling side, and it avoided the finger pointing you get when two trades share a job. If you do split it, get the electrical scoped in writing before you commit to equipment. Also ask whether the panel work needs a permit and inspection, it usually does and that affects your timeline.
