Email: info@denverhomeevcharger.com
Call: (720) 674-8970
Code-required load calculations in Denver, CO — know what your panel can handle before you commit to a charger.
A load calculation is a code-required assessment of your home’s total electrical demand — every major appliance, HVAC system, and circuit already on your panel — measured against your panel’s rated capacity. It’s the step that determines whether a new 240V EV circuit fits within your existing capacity or whether a panel upgrade comes first, and it’s required by code before a new circuit of this size is installed, not an optional courtesy.
Skipping it (or having it done informally) is the most common reason EV charger installs run into surprise costs mid-project — a flat-rate quote assumes the panel has room, and if it doesn’t, the upgrade gets added after work has already started instead of being planned for from the beginning.
A licensed electrician totals your home’s existing connected load — HVAC, water heater, range, dryer, and general lighting/receptacle circuits — against your panel’s rated capacity, using the same method a code inspector will check during permitting. The result tells you exactly how much spare capacity exists for a new EV circuit, if any.
Every existing major load accounted for, not estimated.
A clear answer: enough spare capacity, or a panel upgrade is needed.
Sized to the amperage your actual charger will draw.
The same calculation your city’s inspector will expect to see.
A standalone load calculation is a smaller cost than a full installation — often bundled into the installation quote at no separate charge when you proceed with the same electrician. Ask for a standalone calculation if you want the answer before committing to a specific charger or contractor. See our full cost breakdown for how this fits into overall project pricing.
We don’t skip this step to make a faster sale. Every network electrician performs a real calculation before quoting installation work, which is exactly what prevents the mid-project "actually, you need a panel upgrade" surprise.
Request a free quote and we’ll match you with a licensed local electrician.
Request a free quote and let us know if you just want the calculation first.
We match you with a licensed local electrician.
They calculate your home’s existing load and available capacity.
You get a clear answer — proceed as planned, or a panel upgrade is needed first.
If you proceed, the calculation rolls directly into your installation project.
Yes — it’s a code requirement for adding a circuit of this size, and most jurisdictions’ permitting process expects to see it.
You can get a rough estimate without one, but the actual installation can’t be permitted without a real calculation — skipping it just delays the real answer.
Usually not — it’s typically bundled into the installation project when you move forward with the same electrician.