Pacific Northwest Electric
Portland Metro Electricians
Portland, Oregon · Locally owned · Licensed, bonded & insured
Building a backyard cottage, garage conversion or basement apartment in Portland? We plan how to power it, wire the whole unit, and work alongside your builder from start to finish.
Mon–Fri, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm · Emergency service when available
30+ years
serving Portland-area homes
Master Electrician
and private electrical inspector
Generac · Kohler
and Champion generator installer
★ 4.9 · 125 reviews
4.9 stars on Google, Facebook & Yelp
The right choice depends on how much capacity your home has now and whether you plan to rent the unit. We'll help you pick before construction starts, when changes are cheapest.
01
Often the simplest and most affordable option when your home's service has enough room for the extra load.
02
If your panel is already near its limit, we upgrade the main service, often to 200 amps, then feed the ADU from it.
03
A dedicated PGE meter gives the ADU its own electric bill, which is popular for rentals. We coordinate the new service with PGE.
01
We review your plans and pick the right way to feed the unit.
02
A clear written quote, and we pull the electrical permit.
03
Wiring goes in while the walls are open, on your builder's schedule.
04
Fixtures, devices and panel labeling, then the unit is ready to live in.
New meter & service
Interior panel install
Under-cabinet lighting
EV charger
Have a different question? Call 503-583-8050.
Sometimes. It depends on your service size and what the house already uses. A load calculation early in planning tells us whether a subpanel is enough or you need an upgrade.
If you plan to rent it, a separate meter makes billing simple. For a family member or home office, a subpanel is usually the more affordable choice.
Yes. We work directly with builders and owner-builders and schedule around the rest of the project.
Yes. Detached cottages, garage conversions and basement apartments all need the same careful planning, and we handle all three.
Send your plans or a photo of your current panel, and we'll help you choose the right setup before you build.