Should I plan a NB kitchen reno around future EV charging?

EV charging is worth thinking about during a kitchen reno, but it's only indirectly connected — the real opportunity is your electrical panel.

A kitchen renovation rarely involves EV charging directly, since chargers are installed in garages or driveways. However, if your kitchen reno requires an electrical panel upgrade — which is very common in older NB homes — that's the perfect moment to plan ahead for EV infrastructure at the same time.

Here's why this matters in New Brunswick specifically: a huge portion of NB homes were built in the 1960s through 1990s with 60-amp or 100-amp panels. A modern kitchen alone often requires upgrading to at least 100-amp service, and ideally 200-amp, to handle dedicated circuits for the fridge, dishwasher, range, microwave, and countertop outlets required by NB Building Code. A Level 2 EV charger needs a dedicated 240V/50-amp circuit on top of all that — which means a 200-amp panel isn't just nice to have, it's essentially the minimum if you want both a properly wired modern kitchen and future EV capability.

The smart move is to bundle the work. If your electrician is already upgrading your panel as part of the kitchen reno, ask them to run a conduit or rough-in a 240V circuit to your garage or exterior wall at the same time. The incremental cost of adding that circuit while the electrician is already on-site and the panel is open is $300-$800 — versus $1,500-$3,000+ if you call them back separately later. This is one of those rare cases where planning ahead saves real money.

A few practical NB considerations. Panel upgrades here typically run $1,500-$4,000 depending on whether NB Power needs to upgrade the service entrance as well. In some rural areas and older Fredericton, Moncton, and Saint John neighbourhoods, the utility-side upgrade adds time and coordination with NB Power — factor in 2-4 weeks for scheduling. All electrical work requires a permit and inspection through your local municipality or Regional Service Commission, so this needs to be done by a licensed electrician regardless.

If your kitchen reno is purely cosmetic — new countertops, backsplash, paint — and your panel is already 200-amp, there's no urgent connection to EV planning. But if a panel upgrade is on the table anyway, it's genuinely worth the conversation with your electrician.

For electrical contractors beyond the kitchen scope, the New Brunswick Construction Network at newbrunswickconstructionnetwork.com can help you find licensed electricians in your area. And if you're ready to move forward on the kitchen itself, New Brunswick Kitchens can match you with a local renovator for a free estimate.