Sacramento is building ADUs at a record pace, and one question comes up on almost every project: does the ADU get its own electric meter, or does it share power with the main house? The answer changes how the project is built, what it costs, and how easy the unit is to rent later. Here is how we walk owners through the decision.
Does an ADU need its own electric meter?
In most cases, no. For a typical ADU in the Sacramento area, a separate meter is a choice, not a requirement. Plenty of ADUs run happily off the main house panel through a subpanel. The reason owners choose a second meter is almost always the same: they plan to rent the unit and want the tenant to get their own utility bill. No splitting bills, no arguments over the AC in July.
If the property is a true duplex, or you are converting a home into two legal units, separate metering is the standard setup and what tenants and future buyers expect.
Option 1: shared meter with a subpanel
The simpler path. We run a feeder from the main house panel to a subpanel in the ADU. One meter, one bill, one service. This works well when the ADU is for family, a home office, or short-term guests.
The catch is capacity. An ADU adds real load: a mini split, a kitchen, laundry, sometimes an EV charger. Many older Sacramento homes are still on 100-amp service, and a load calculation often shows there is not enough headroom. That is when the project becomes a panel upgrade plus a subpanel, and it is worth reading our 100-amp vs 200-amp guide to see where your house stands.
Option 2: a separate meter for the ADU
For rentals, this is the clean solution. Instead of one meter socket, we install a duplex meter main: one enclosure with two meter sockets and two main breakers, one for the house and one for the ADU. The utility sets up two accounts, and each unit pays exactly what it uses.
The photo at the top of this post is a 200-amp duplex meter main we installed for exactly this situation. For larger projects, like a house plus a big ADU, or two full-size units, we install two separate meter mains fed from a 400-amp service:
Both of these are real Peach Electric installs in the Sacramento area, inspected and released by the utility.
What a second-meter project actually involves
A second meter is a service change, so there are more moving parts than a normal panel job:
- Load calculation. We size the new service for both units so nothing is undersized on day one.
- Utility application. Your local utility, SMUD or PG&E depending on your address, has to approve a second meter and set up the new account. We handle that application and coordinate the crew schedule with them.
- The new equipment. The old meter main comes off and the duplex meter main or dual meter setup goes on, with new grounding and bonding brought up to current code.
- Permit and inspection. The city or county permits the work and inspects it before the utility energizes the new meter. Our guide to electrical permits in Sacramento County covers how that process works.
- Getting power to the ADU. For a detached ADU this usually means trenching a new underground feeder across the yard.
Most of the visible work happens in one day, with a planned power outage while the utility swaps the service. The utility application and permit steps are where the calendar time goes, so start the electrical conversation early in your ADU project, not the week the drywall goes up.
How much does ADU electrical work cost in Sacramento?
The panel and service side of an ADU project falls in the same territory as our standard panel upgrade pricing, which runs $2,500 to $10,000 in Sacramento, from a sub panel on the low end through a full 200-amp service change at the top. The range is wide because panel condition, wire runs, access, trenching, permits, and utility coordination all move the number. A dual-meter service change is scoped as a line-item proposal on top of that work, since every property splits differently. The range becomes an exact price after a free on-site visit, and you approve the price before any work starts. Most projects in this range qualify for financing. Our panel upgrade cost guide breaks the numbers down further.
FAQ
Does my ADU need its own electrical meter in Sacramento?
Usually not. Most ADUs can share the main house service through a subpanel. Owners add a separate meter when they plan to rent the ADU and want the tenant billed directly by SMUD or PG&E.
Can an ADU share a panel with the main house?
Yes, if the service has enough capacity for both units. A load calculation tells you for sure. Many older homes on 100-amp service need a panel upgrade before an ADU can be added safely.
How does a duplex meter main work?
It is a single enclosure with two meter sockets and two main breakers. The utility installs a meter in each socket, one billed to the house and one to the ADU, so each unit has its own account and its own disconnect.
Do I need 400-amp service for an ADU?
Not always. Many house-plus-ADU projects work on a 200-amp duplex meter main. A 400-amp service with separate meter mains makes sense when both units are large, all-electric, or charging EVs. The load calculation drives the answer.
Who installs the second meter, the utility or the electrician?
Both. We install the new meter main, panels, and wiring, and pull the permit. The utility reviews the application, sets the meters, and connects the service after the city inspection passes.
Planning an ADU? Get the electrical answer first
We install duplex meter mains, 400-amp services, and ADU subpanels across the Sacramento area, and we handle the utility paperwork so you do not have to. Call (916) 333-0293 or book online for a free estimate.