A subpanel adds breaker spaces, not capacity. A breaker replacement fixes one failed breaker in a sound panel. Neither fixes a maxed-out service. Both are priced after an on-site look.
You need a subpanel when the main panel has spare capacity but no empty spaces, or when new circuits are far from it, as with a garage workshop, a detached garage or an addition. You need a breaker replaced when one breaker has failed and the rest of the panel is sound. Neither fixes a service that is already at its limit; that takes a service upgrade. We do not publish a flat price for either job, because the panel brand, the length of the run and the load set the number. Both are priced after an on-site look. A failed breaker starts with our $240 diagnostic, which is credited toward the repair if you go ahead.
Subpanel, breaker or service upgrade: which one do I need?
| Situation | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| Panel is full, but the load calculation shows spare capacity | Subpanel |
| Garage shop, detached garage or addition far from the main panel | Subpanel |
| One breaker won't reset, trips with no load on it, or feels hot | Breaker replacement |
| Federal Pacific or Zinsco panel | Panel replacement |
| Breakers trip around the house whenever big loads run | Service upgrade |
| Adding EV charging, a heat pump or shop tools to a maxed-out service | Service upgrade |
The key point is that a subpanel spreads the existing capacity to more circuits. It does not add capacity. If the main service is at its limit, a subpanel just gives you more circuits that can overload it.
What does a subpanel installation involve?
- A load calculation to confirm the main service can carry what the subpanel will feed.
- A feeder breaker in the main panel, and a feeder cable or conduit sized for the subpanel's rating and the length of the run.
- Separate neutral and ground bars at the subpanel. The neutral and ground are bonded only at the main service. Bonding them in a subpanel is a common mistake in homeowner and handyman work.
- For a detached garage or shop, a disconnect at that building and its own grounding electrode, as the NEC requires for separate structures.
- GFCI protection for garage receptacles, and AFCI protection where the code requires it.
- A permit and a city inspection. We pull a permit for every subpanel we install.
Garage and shop wiring in Burleson and Fort Worth
In Burleson, Crowley and south Fort Worth, the garage subpanel list is usually similar: a workshop with a table saw and a compressor, a second refrigerator or freezer, an EV charger, a mini-split to make the space usable in August, and a garage built with two receptacles and one light. The location of the main panel decides whether it is a short job or a long one. With the panel on the garage wall, the feeder run is short. A detached garage means a trench, an underground feeder and the separate-structure requirements above.
Every garage receptacle needs GFCI protection. The TREC standards of practice require Texas home inspectors to report missing GFCI protection in garages, so it is also one of the most common findings on a sale inspection. Garage receptacles start from $150 installed, and typical outlet or GFCI jobs run $150–$350 all-in.
When does a breaker need replacing?
- It will not reset, or it trips immediately with nothing connected. That is often a wiring fault rather than the breaker, and we test before replacing anything.
- It trips at random with little or no load on the circuit.
- The handle feels loose, or the breaker is warm or discolored.
- It buzzes or crackles.
- The circuit needs AFCI or GFCI protection it does not have.
Our breaker tripping guide explains how to tell an overload from a short circuit, a ground fault or a failing breaker. If you see heat, scorching or a burning smell, switch the circuit off and call the same day.
Can any breaker go in any panel?
No. The panel's label lists the breaker types it is approved to accept, and a replacement has to be one of them. A breaker from another brand may physically fit the bus and still make poor contact, overheat and fail, and inspectors check for this. Tandem, or 'twin', breakers only go in the positions the panel label allows.
Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels are exceptions: there, we usually advise against replacing breakers at all. On a Zinsco, the problem is the aluminum bus the breakers clip onto. On a Federal Pacific, it is the Stab-Lok design, where independent testing found breakers failing to trip. Replacing one breaker leaves the rest of the panel as it was. Our Zinsco guide and Federal Pacific cost guide cover both.
What do subpanels and breaker replacements cost in DFW?
We price both after seeing the panel, and you get a written flat-rate quote before work starts. The main variables:
- Subpanel size and the number of circuits it will feed
- Feeder length, and whether it runs through an attic, along a garage wall or in a trench
- Whether the main panel has a free space for the feeder breaker
- For a breaker, the panel brand and breaker type. AFCI and GFCI breakers cost more than standard ones.
- Permit fees, which differ by city
Here is what we do publish. The diagnostic visit for a failed breaker is $240, credited toward the repair if you go ahead. If the answer is a new panel, our published 2025 ranges are $1,800–$2,800 for a same-amperage 100-amp replacement and $2,500–$4,200 for 100 A to 200 A. If the panel is simply out of capacity, our list of signs a panel needs upgrading is worth reading before you add a subpanel.
Out of breaker space, or a breaker that won't hold?
Same-day visits, 7 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Friday. $240 diagnostic, credited toward the repair. TECL #40628.
Subpanel and breaker questions
Clements Electric prices subpanels after an on-site look. The feeder length, the subpanel size, whether the main panel has room for a feeder breaker, and the city permit fee all change the number. You get a written flat-rate quote before any work starts.
No. A subpanel spreads the capacity of your existing service across more circuits, but it does not add any. If a load calculation shows the main service is already at its limit, the fix is a service upgrade, not a subpanel.
Yes. A subpanel is new panel work, and Clements Electric pulls a permit and schedules the city inspection for every subpanel it installs. A detached garage or shop also needs its own disconnect and grounding electrode, which the inspector checks.
Only if the panel's label lists that breaker type as approved. A breaker that fits the bus but is not listed for the panel can make poor contact, overheat and fail inspection. Tandem breakers go only in the positions the label allows.
Clements Electric usually recommends replacing the panel instead. With Zinsco, the problem is the aluminum bus the breakers clip onto. With Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, independent testing found breakers failing to trip. Replacing one breaker leaves the rest of the panel unchanged.
