Before a kitchen remodel, check four things at your electrical panel: the service size on the main breaker (usually 100, 150 or 200 amps), how many open breaker spaces remain, the panel’s age and brand, and whether the circuits your new appliance list needs will fit within the home’s total capacity. Your appliance list drives the answer. An induction range, double wall ovens, a built-in microwave, a dishwasher, a disposal and the required countertop circuits can add up to a lot of new demand, and a load calculation by a licensed electrician decides whether your existing panel handles it or an upgrade is needed. Plenty of remodels do not need a new panel at all.
Getting this answer early matters because the kitchen electrical plan affects everything downstream. Cabinet layout, appliance orders and the drywall schedule all depend on where circuits run and whether the panel can support them. In metro Atlanta, many Gwinnett, DeKalb and north Fulton homes built from the 1970s into the early 2000s still have their original panels, some with 100-amp service, and Georgia summers already put a heavy air conditioning load on those systems. Finding out after the cabinets are ordered that your induction range needs a service upgrade is an expensive way to learn.
Your Appliance List Decides the Electrical Load
Start with a list of every appliance in the new kitchen and its electrical requirements, which you will find on the spec sheet or installation guide. The big items are the ones that usually drive panel decisions.
An induction range or cooktop typically needs a dedicated 240-volt circuit, commonly 40 or 50 amps, depending on the model’s rating. Induction is efficient, and ENERGY STAR’s page on electric cooking products and induction explains why it transfers heat so effectively, but a full-size induction range still draws a large load when several elements run at once. Swapping a gas range for induction adds an entirely new 240-volt circuit where none existed, which is often the single biggest change in a remodel.
Double wall ovens usually need their own 240-volt circuit, and depending on their combined rating and the manufacturer’s instructions, they may share one circuit or need two. A built-in or over-the-range microwave generally needs its own 120-volt, 20-amp circuit. The dishwasher and disposal each typically get a dedicated 120-volt circuit as well, although some manufacturers and local inspectors allow specific configurations. Add a refrigerator circuit, lighting circuits, and anything else you are planning, such as a beverage fridge, warming drawer or island outlets, and the list grows quickly.
The National Electrical Code also requires at least two 20-amp small-appliance branch circuits serving kitchen countertop receptacles, which is where your toaster, coffee maker and stand mixer plug in. Those receptacles need GFCI protection, which is a device that shuts power off in a fraction of a second if current leaks toward a person, and most kitchen circuits now also need AFCI protection, which detects dangerous arcing in wiring. The National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) sets these rules, and Georgia jurisdictions adopt it with local amendments.
What to Look for at the Panel Itself
Service size and main breaker
The number stamped on the main breaker, often at the top of the panel, tells you the home’s service size. A 200-amp service handles most modern kitchens comfortably, even with an induction range and double ovens, though every home is different. A 100-amp service is where remodel plans most often run into trouble, because the air conditioner, water heater, dryer and existing kitchen may already use much of that capacity. Our article on whether you really need to upgrade your electrical service walks through how that decision is made.
Open breaker spaces
Count the empty slots. A modern kitchen might need several new circuits, and 240-volt appliances each take a double-pole breaker that uses two spaces. A panel can have enough total capacity but not enough physical room, or plenty of room but not enough capacity. Tandem breakers can sometimes add circuits in limited space, but only where the panel is listed for them. Our guide on whether you can add breakers to an electrical panel covers when adding circuits is realistic and when it is not. For breaker replacements, AFCI and GFCI upgrades and added circuits, our breaker and fuse services cover the work at the panel.
Age, brand and condition
Panels have a working life, and some older brands, such as Federal Pacific Electric and Zinsco, have well-documented problems with breakers that may not trip when they should. A remodel is a sensible time to replace one of those regardless of load. Look for rust, scorch marks, a warm panel cover or breakers that trip often, and mention anything like that to your electrician. Do not remove the panel cover yourself; the parts behind it stay energized even with the main breaker off. For homeowners in older DeKalb neighborhoods, a licensed electrician handling a panel upgrade in Tucker can check condition and capacity in the same visit.
A Load Calculation Decides Whether You Need an Upgrade
Guessing is where remodel budgets go wrong. A load calculation is a method set out in the electrical code that adds up the home’s existing and new loads, applies standard demand factors and compares the result to the service size. It is the right way to answer whether a panel can take a new kitchen, and it often turns up an answer homeowners do not expect in either direction. Some 100-amp homes can handle a modest kitchen update with gas cooking, while some 150-amp homes need an upgrade once an induction range, double ovens and an EV charger plan are on the table.
The result usually lands in one of three places. If capacity and space are both fine, the electrician simply adds the new circuits. If capacity is fine but space is tight, a panel replacement at the same service size, or a subpanel, may solve it. If the calculation shows the service is too small, a service upgrade, commonly from 100 to 200 amps, is the path. That involves the panel, the meter base and service conductors, plus coordination with Georgia Power to disconnect and reconnect, so it needs to happen early in the remodel schedule. Our article on what is included in an electrical panel upgrade explains each piece. Homeowners in north Fulton who reach the upgrade conclusion can plan an electrical panel upgrade in Alpharetta around the cabinet and drywall schedule.
A pre-remodel electrical inspection is a practical way to get the load calculation, panel condition and wiring condition in one report before your contractor finalizes the plan.
Wiring, Permits and Georgia Storm Season
The panel is only half the story. The wiring feeding the kitchen matters too, especially in homes from the 1970s that may have aluminum branch wiring, or older homes with ungrounded circuits. Opening kitchen walls is the best time to replace problem wiring, since the access will not be this easy again. Homeowners in older subdivisions who find outdated wiring during demolition can talk with a licensed contractor about rewiring in Johns Creek and nearby communities before the walls close.
In Gwinnett County and most metro Atlanta cities, adding circuits, relocating circuits, replacing a panel or upgrading service requires an electrical permit, with a rough-in inspection before walls are closed and a final inspection at the end. That work should be done by a licensed electrical contractor. Permits protect you at resale and with your insurer, and the rough-in inspection means someone verifies the work before it disappears behind new drywall. Plan for permit review and inspection scheduling in your remodel timeline, since both vary by jurisdiction.
New kitchen appliances are packed with electronics, and Georgia’s thunderstorm season is hard on them. Whole-home surge protection at the panel is a reasonable addition when you are already doing panel work, and it pairs well with point-of-use protection for countertop electronics. NFPA’s home electrical safety guidance lists the warning signs that a home’s wiring needs attention, which is worth reviewing before any remodel.
Get the Electrical Answer Before You Order Cabinets
The practical sequence is simple. Finalize your appliance list first, gather the spec sheets, and have a licensed electrician check the panel and run a load calculation before cabinets and appliances are ordered. That tells you whether you need a few new circuits, a panel replacement or a service upgrade, and it gives your remodeler a firm schedule for rough-in and inspections. If your new kitchen will include recessed lighting, plan those circuits at the same time so the ceiling work happens once.
Kalahari Electrical Services is a family-owned, licensed and insured contractor (GA EN213186) serving Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta since 2001, with background-checked, drug-tested technicians. If a kitchen remodel is on your calendar, call us at 678-665-2309 or use our contact page to schedule an estimate before the walls come open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every kitchen remodel need an electrical panel upgrade?
No. Many remodels only need new circuits added to the existing panel. A load calculation by a licensed electrician compares your existing and new loads to your service size and determines whether an upgrade, a panel replacement or simply new circuits is the right answer.
Is a 100-amp panel enough for a kitchen remodel?
Sometimes, but it is often tight. Adding an induction range or double ovens to a home with central air, an electric water heater and an electric dryer frequently exceeds what 100-amp service can support, so a load calculation should be done before appliances are ordered.
What circuits does a new kitchen need?
A typical remodeled kitchen needs at least two 20-amp countertop small-appliance circuits, plus dedicated circuits for the range or cooktop, wall ovens, built-in microwave, dishwasher, disposal and refrigerator as specified by the manufacturers. Lighting circuits are separate, and GFCI and AFCI protection is generally required.
Do I need a permit for kitchen electrical work in Gwinnett County?
Adding or relocating circuits, replacing a panel or upgrading service generally requires an electrical permit with rough-in and final inspections. That work should be performed by a Georgia-licensed electrical contractor. Confirm specifics with your local building department.