Unless this is an ultra complex service, or an underground service of several of hundred feet, that price is outrageous!

LA is an absolute freakin joke these days. $5 grand for a 200 amp service?
"Let's see how bad we can rape folks her in LA!"

Did your electrician explain why it was so much higher than his original estimate? I live in neighboring Orange County, and recently had my old 100A service (overhead drop) upgraded to 200A, cost me about $3000 if I recall. Ask your electrician where the extra 2 grand is coming from... maybe underground service? aluminum wire? is he relocating the panel or doing any other electrical work aside from the service upgrade?

I guess the price could also depend on if you live in East LA compared to Beverly Hills... :-P

Out here in Montana I just finished a partly DIY upgrade from 70 amp to 200. I did much of the labor myself (all the grunt work) with a friend/licensed/experienced electrician doing the actual direction and making the change over.

So I drilled holes, installed the mast, ran hither and yon for this and that, cut and glued the schedule 40, and so on.

He undercharged me, but even if I'd paid him triple the total cost would have been under $1500.00. As it was it cost us right about $1000.00.

I guess I was pretty lucky -good luck to you, too.

Mark

Thanks everyone, for confirming my suspicions. I just checked Angie's list and it seems this is outrageous even for West LA. This is an overhead drop, no special work. We used this company for a small job several years ago because they were the only ones who would return our calls & give us a quote. Hopefully this job is big enough to generate some interest.
--Sue

In Los Angeles, the cost for a panel upgrade should be between 1500 to 3200. I am an electrical contractor located in West Hollywood and this are my fees. West LA, Malibu or Valley should have same rate (price of materials and work done are the same everywhere in LA)