Best Electrical in Garland, TX — 26 Vetted Contractors

Yes, always. Per the City of Garland's Building Inspection Division, panel replacements and service upgrades require an electrical permit and a city inspection. Your electrician should pull this permit — if they suggest skipping it, walk away. Unpermitted panel work can void your homeowner's insurance and create problems when you sell the home. The permit fee is typically modest (often $75–$150 for residential work) and is usually included in a reputable contractor's quote.

Use the TDLR license lookup tool at license.tdlr.texas.gov. Search by name or license number. You want to confirm the license is active, not expired or suspended, and that the license type matches the work being done — a Master Electrician license is required to pull permits and run a contracting business in Texas. This check takes under a minute and should be done before you sign anything or hand over a deposit.

Possibly, yes. Aluminum branch circuit wiring was commonly used from roughly 1965 to 1973 as copper prices spiked. It's not automatically dangerous, but the connections at outlets, switches, and fixtures are prone to loosening and oxidation over time, which creates fire risk. Have a licensed electrician inspect the wiring. Remediation options include COPALUM crimping (the gold standard, per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) or AlumiConn connectors. Full rewiring is also an option but significantly more expensive.

Based on North Texas regional pricing data, expect $1,800–$3,200 for a straightforward 100A-to-200A upgrade, including the permit and inspection. The range reflects variables like the age of your existing service entrance, whether the meter base needs replacement, and whether Oncor needs to pull the meter (which they do for most service upgrades). Get at least two itemized quotes. Be cautious of quotes significantly below $1,500 — that often means corners are being cut on materials or the permit is being skipped.

This is one of the most common surprises homeowners face. Oncor Electric Delivery handles meter pulls and reconnects for Garland, and in summer months their scheduling backlog can run 5–14 business days. Your electrician should submit the Oncor work order as early as possible in the project. Plan for the possibility that your home will be without power for a day or more during the swap — your contractor should give you a realistic timeline, not a best-case one.

For most Garland homeowners, yes. North Texas sees significant thunderstorm activity, and Garland's position in the DFW grid means surge events from nearby lightning strikes are a real risk to appliances, HVAC systems, and electronics. A whole-home surge protector installed at the panel runs $250–$500 installed — a fraction of what it costs to replace a modern HVAC control board or a refrigerator. It doesn't replace point-of-use surge strips for sensitive electronics, but it provides a meaningful first layer of protection.

Texas law allows homeowners to do electrical work on their primary residence, so technically yes — but you still need to pull a permit from Garland's Building Inspection Division and pass an inspection. A Level 2 charger (240V, 40–50 amp circuit) is not a trivial install if you're not experienced with electrical work. If your panel is already near capacity, you may need a load calculation before adding the circuit. Most homeowners find the $400–$900 cost of professional installation worth it for the permit handling and warranty on the work.

Treat it as an emergency. A burning smell from a panel can indicate arcing, a failing breaker, or overheating — all of which are fire hazards. Don't ignore it or wait for a scheduled appointment. Turn off the main breaker if you can do so safely, leave the home, and call an emergency electrician. Several Garland-area electrical contractors offer 24/7 emergency service. If you see smoke or flames, call 911 first. This is not a 'schedule it for next week' situation.