Service entrance and meter
Mast, weatherhead and meter base
The part of the house where the power company’s wire becomes yours. We replace it when wind, water or age has damaged it.
The power company owns the meter and the wire that reaches your house. We own the mast, the weatherhead, the meter base and everything inside. We work up to that line, and the power company reconnects at it.
Mast and weatherhead replaced to match the wire’s height and direction
New meter base, grounded to a driven electrode
Panel connected and every circuit labeled
When you need it
Signs the service needs work
Any of these means a survey, and some mean calling the power company first.
A leaning mast
Or a wire sagging toward the roof or the yard.
A rusted or cracked meter base
Rust streaks, a cracked cover or water inside.
A loose box on the wall
The meter base is pulling away from the siding or the block.
Power flickering after rain
Water getting into the weatherhead or the base.
Scorch marks or a burning smell
Call 911 first. Do not touch it.
A panel too small for the house
Breakers trip or you are adding an EV charger or a heat pump.
What the visit includes
From survey to reconnect
- 01
Survey
We look at the mast, base, panel and grounding and photograph what we find.
- 02
Written estimate
Each part on its own line, open for 30 days.
- 03
Permit
We pull it, and the fee is passed through at cost.
- 04
Work
The power company cuts the service and we replace what the estimate lists.
- 05
Inspection
The city or county checks it, and we meet the inspector.
- 06
Reconnect
The power company reconnects. The date is theirs.
How pricing works for a service entrance
What decides the price
Five things move the price of a storm repair more than anything else.
How high the water or damage reached, and how much of the service it touched
The size of the service: 100 amp or 200 amp, and how far the meter sits from the panel
Whether the mast, the weatherhead and the meter base are sound or need replacing
Whether you raise the panel and meter above the flood line
Permit and inspection fees, which we pass through at cost
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn’t
The written estimate lists the meter base, mast, panel, circuits, permit and inspection on their own lines, so an adjuster or a lender can read it. The power company’s own charges and drywall, paint and flooring repair are not in it.
Included: survey, parts, labor, permit, the inspection visit
Not included: the power company’s charges, drywall, paint, flooring
What happens at the visit
One electrician comes for the survey and stays until the picture is clear. We photograph what we find and we do not price what we cannot see. If we open a wall and find more, we stop and call you.
The survey visit has a fee, stated when you book
It comes off the work if you go ahead
When you get the number
You get the number in writing after the survey, before any work starts, and it is the number on the invoice unless you change the job. The estimate stays open for 30 days.
A change to the job is priced in writing first
You sign the estimate before we order parts
Questions we hear after a storm
Who owns the meter?
The power company owns the meter. We own the meter base, the mast and the wiring on your side. For a raise, the power company moves the meter and we move everything it connects to.
Do I need a permit?
Service entrance, meter base and panel work usually needs one. We pull it, and the fee is its own line on your estimate. The owner confirms what the city and county require.
How long will the power be off?
The electrical work often takes a day or two. The longer wait is usually the inspection and the power company’s reconnect, and both schedules are theirs. We tell you what we hear the day we hear it.
Send a photo of your meter and mast
We write back with a time for the survey.