How Much Does ADU Electrical Wiring Cost in Long Beach & OC?

Most ADU electrical rough-ins in Long Beach and Orange County run $4,000 to $10,000. Where you land in that range depends on your main panel's spare capacity, the ADU's size, and one decision a lot of homeowners haven't thought about yet: subpanel or separate meter.

What You're Actually Paying For

The bulk of the job is a subpanel sized for the ADU, dedicated circuits for the kitchen, laundry, and HVAC, general lighting and outlet circuits, and the wire and conduit run from your main panel to the unit. Permitting and inspection coordination are part of the price, not an add-on.

Subpanel vs. Separate Electric Meter

Most ADUs are wired with a subpanel fed from the main house panel — the ADU shares the home's existing electric service and meter. It's the simpler, less expensive path and what we recommend for owner-occupied ADUs or family use.

If you're planning to rent the ADU out and want its electricity billed separately, a dedicated meter is an option. It means a second utility connection, its own permit, and coordination with the utility company on top of the electrical work — a meaningfully bigger job than a subpanel. Worth deciding early, since it changes the whole scope.

What Drives the Price Up

• Main panel is full — needs a tandem breaker or a panel upgrade before it can feed the ADU
• Separate electric meter requested instead of a subpanel
• Detached ADU far from the main panel — longer conduit run, possible trenching
• Larger ADU with a full kitchen and multiple dedicated appliance circuits
• Older main panel or aluminum wiring that needs work before adding ADU load

What Drives the Price Down

• Main panel has open capacity and spare breaker slots
• ADU is close to the main panel — short, simple conduit run
• Standard subpanel setup, no separate meter
• Garage or interior conversion ADU rather than new detached construction

Permits and Code Requirements

Long Beach and every Orange County city we work in require a permit for ADU electrical work — plans get reviewed against current electrical code before you break ground, and the job gets inspected before it's signed off. We handle the plans, the permit application, and the inspection from start to finish.

Get a Real Number for Your ADU

We serve Long Beach and Orange County. A free estimate takes about 20 minutes — we look at your main panel's capacity, walk the ADU plans, and give you a firm price for a subpanel or a separate meter, whichever fits your plans.