Professional electrical work for mid-century ranch homes, panel upgrades, EV chargers, and fire-zone installations throughout Los Altos.
Los Altos homes were built for a different era. The median house dates from 1964, when a 60-amp or 100-amp panel was sized for a single television and a few lights. Today, those same ranch homes are adding EV chargers, heat pumps, induction ranges, and accessory dwelling units. The electrical system needs to catch up.
Executive Electric works throughout Los Altos, from the original 1907 townsite near University Avenue to the Eichler tracts in Fallen Leaf Park and the wooded neighborhoods near Highway 280. We handle panel upgrades, service changes, EV charger installations, and full rewires. Our work meets the requirements of the City of Los Altos Building Permit Division and coordinates with PG&E's Express Connect track for residential service changes up to 320 amps.
Many Los Altos homes still carry FPE Stab-Lok or Zinsco panels that insurers now flag as problematic. We replace those panels with modern equipment, bring grounding and bonding up to current code, and size the service for the loads you actually use. If your home sits in the Highlands or Woodland Acres near the fire hazard zones, we follow the additional requirements for generator placement and service-entrance routing on those lots.
Los Altos is PG&E territory with Silicon Valley Clean Energy as the power supplier. We handle the utility coordination, pull the permits through the city's electronic submittal system, and schedule inspections. You get a safe, code-compliant electrical system that supports how you live now.
Contact Executive Electric for a free assessment and written quote. We serve Los Altos and surrounding communities throughout Santa Clara County.
Get a Quote01
We visit your home, examine the existing panel and service entrance, measure loads, and identify any outdated equipment or code issues. You get a clear explanation of what needs to happen and why.
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We design the upgrade or installation, prepare permit drawings for the City of Los Altos Building Permit Division, and coordinate utility requirements with PG&E. You receive a written quote with no surprises.
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We pull permits, schedule the work, complete the installation, and arrange inspections. The job is done cleanly, on schedule, and to code.
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We walk you through the finished work, answer questions, and provide documentation for your records. If anything needs adjustment, we handle it promptly.
We handle the full range of residential and light commercial electrical work in Los Altos.
Most Los Altos homes were built between 1950 and 1980 with 60-amp or 100-amp panels. Adding an EV charger, heat pump, or ADU requires a 200-amp service upgrade, new panel, and coordination with PG&E's Express Connect process.
Many ranch homes still have Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels that insurers now refuse to cover. We replace these panels with modern equipment, update grounding, and bring the system to current code.
Homes in the Highlands and Woodland Acres touch High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Generator placement, service-entrance routing, and equipment choices must meet additional fire-safety standards on those specific lots.
The oldest homes in Old Los Altos near University Avenue predate grounded circuits. Rewiring or adding GFCI protection brings these homes up to safe, insurable standards without tearing out all the plaster.
We work in every Los Altos neighborhood, from the original townsite to the wooded edges near Highway 280.
Original 1907-1908 townsite around University Avenue with Victorian and Craftsman homes carrying the city's oldest wiring, predating grounded circuits
Eichler tract built 1967-1968 with radiant slabs and exposed post-and-beam ceilings, roughly 45 to 50 homes
Quarter-acre minimum lots with mid-century ranch homes, median build year 1964, most growth between 1950 and 1980
Post-war ranch houses around former Campbell Ranch, now Rancho Shopping Center, single-story homes on quarter-acre lots
Subdivision recorded in 1926 on former Jesuit land with historic inventory of tiny lots and cottages with small original services
Wooded edge between Foothill Expressway and Highway 280 near Los Altos Hills boundary, touching High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
Wooded neighborhood between Foothill Expressway and Highway 280 near Los Altos Hills boundary in fire hazard zones
Area around Los Altos Golf & Country Club in unincorporated Loyola with homes from cottages to sprawling ranch houses
We know the City of Los Altos permit process, PG&E's Express Connect requirements, and the quirks of mid-century ranch wiring.
You get a written quote before we start, plain explanations of what needs to happen, and no surprise charges when the job is done.
Every installation passes inspection the first time. We leave your home cleaner than we found it.
Yes. All panel replacements and service upgrades require a permit from the City of Los Altos Building Permit Division. We handle the electronic submittal, coordinate with PG&E, and schedule the required inspections.
Most upgrades take one to two days of work, plus permit review and utility coordination time. We schedule the PG&E disconnect and reconnect to minimize the time your power is off, usually a few hours.
Often, yes. We can add a load-management device, upgrade the panel, or install a subpanel depending on your existing service size and available capacity. We assess your system and recommend the most cost-effective solution.
Yes. Many insurers now refuse to cover homes with Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels due to documented failure rates. Replacing the panel protects your home and keeps your insurance valid.
Homes in the Highlands and Woodland Acres near the fire zones have additional requirements for generator placement, service-entrance routing, and equipment choices. We design and install systems that meet those standards.
Los Altos Hills is a separate jurisdiction with its own building department and permit process. We focus on the City of Los Altos, but we also serve nearby communities including Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Campbell, and San Jose.
Cost depends on the existing service size, panel location, utility coordination, and any code-required upgrades like grounding or mast replacement. We provide a written quote after assessing your home, with no obligation.
Contact Executive Electric for a free assessment and written quote. We serve Los Altos and surrounding communities throughout Santa Clara County.
Los Altos was incorporated on December 1, 1952, as apricot orchards were turning into subdivisions. The Altos Land Company laid out the city in 1906 on a quarter-acre minimum lot size, and most of the city was built between 1950 and 1980 with single-story ranch homes ranging from 1,400 to 2,000 square feet.
Today, the 94024 ZIP code ranks fifth in California for electric vehicles, reflecting the community's early adoption of new technology and the need for modern electrical infrastructure to support it.
Executive Electric is based in San Jose and serves Los Altos, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, and Campbell throughout Santa Clara County.
Via Highway 101 and local roads to Los Altos, approximately 20 miles north
Via El Camino Real or Page Mill Road to Los Altos
Los Altos, CA · Santa Clara
