Maybe Get a New Electrical Panel

There is a deal through a company offering a new electrical panel with whole house surge protection for $949, the regular price is $2495.

Sounds like a scam to me. Over 60% off the regular price?....

our lights dim even when turning on something like an iron to iron clothes and finally, it could save a little money on the electric bill.

That could be normal... The branch circuit the iron is being plugged into could be 15 amp and the lights that are dimming could be fed from the same 15 amp branch circuit. What else is fed from the branch circuit?

Depending where you live and the requirements of local codes in your area you may have to bring your whole house up to current code if you want to change out the electrical panel. That could be how the electrical contractor is getting his foot in the door with the ridiculously low price of $949.00.

Does the existing panel have a main breaker? What is the handle rating? 60 amp? 100 amp?
Jim
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Foster_9,

Materials alone would cost more than $949.00

To change the electrical panel out the power company will need to pull the electric meter.

Depending where you live the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) may require an electrical permit.

If that is the case the power company may be required to get a release from the AHJ.

And at that point the $949.00 could turn into thousands of dollars..... Depends on if the house has to be brought up to meet current code.

You could call your Building Inspection Department and ask.

Kotta,

The Square D Homeline was designed to compete with the likes of GE and ITE. Load center panel with cheap aluminum bus.

The Square D QO load center on the other hand is a good load center panel with plated copper bus. The QO breakers are also good quality breakers.

As for the HD pricing surely you would not expect an electrical contractor to send an employee to HD to buy the panel and breakers and then only charge the customer the actual HD cost.

Foster_9,

Materials alone would cost more than $949.00
05-15-12: Jea48

It is possible to buy a load center with aluminum bus, breakers, and a whole house Surge Protection Device for under $300.00..... Quality of ??

If an electrical permit will be pulled add the cost of the permit.

Good chance the AHJ will require AFCI, (arc fault breakers), for the 120V 15 amp branch circuits that feed the bedrooms. (NEC 2002)
An AFCI costs around $42.00 each at HD.

The AHJ may not have adopted the NEC 2008 code change for additional AFCI protection required for other 120V 15 and 20 amp branch circuits.

Good chance the electrical service Grounding Electrode System will need to be updated to meet current code as well as the power company's grounding requirements for lightning protection.
Add material and labor costs + markup.

The wire from the meter socket to the new panel may not be long enough to terminate on the main breaker lugs and the neutral bus lug.
Unless you specify otherwise the contractor will have his electrician install aluminum wire.
Add material and labor + markup.

There is a deal through a company offering a new electrical panel with whole house surge protection for $949, the regular price is $2495.

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Jim