It has been a busy spring at Le Bros. Between the March 2026 windstorm that knocked out power for tens of thousands of PSE customers, Washington’s new ADU laws taking effect, and the federal heat pump tax credit ending on December 31, 2025, the kinds of jobs we are getting called for have shifted noticeably. Here is what is driving demand from Auburn to Seattle to Gig Harbor this season — and what to know before you commit to any of it.
1. Home Battery Backup — The Post-Windstorm Wake-Up Call
The March 2026 windstorm left roughly 35,500 PSE customers in the dark, and the November 2024 bomb cyclone took out power for more than 500,000 Western Washington homes — some for days. That memory is fresh, and we are seeing it in our call volume: 55% of solar customers in 2026 are adding battery backup to their installs.
The math has gotten better too. PSE’s Flex Battery program pays homeowners $1,000 per battery up front, plus up to $500 per battery every year you stay enrolled. The federal 25C tax credit for battery storage is still active — it was not repealed alongside the heat pump credit. If you are pairing a battery with new solar, expect this to be a 1–3 day job that may also require a panel upgrade depending on your existing service size.
2. EV Charger Installation — Rebates Make This the Best Year to Install
Several things converged to make 2026 a great year for a Level 2 charger install:
- PSE’s Flex EV program offers up to $600 for the charger plus up to $2,000 toward installation
- Seattle City Light offers $400 for any Level 2 charger installed by an approved contractor
- Income-qualified PSE customers get higher rebates through the Empower Mobility program
- Many older Auburn, Renton, and Federal Way homes need a panel upgrade first — we can fold that into the same project
For a full breakdown of stackable rebates, see our EV charger rebates guide or jump straight to our EV charger installation page.
3. Heat Pump Conversions — Federal Credit Is Gone, but State Money Is Up
Big change for 2026: the federal 25C heat pump tax credit was repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025 and expired on December 31, 2025. If you were counting on that credit, that ship has sailed.
But the picture is not bleak. Washington’s HEEHRA program (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates), administered by the state Department of Commerce, is launching its Seattle portal in Q2 2026. The federal funds flow through the state as point-of-sale discounts — meaning the savings come right off the invoice. Estimated amounts:
- Up to $8,000 for households below 80% area median income
- Up to $4,000 for moderate-income (80–150% AMI)
- $14,000 maximum across all qualifying upgrades
Le Bros is registered to provide ductless mini split and heat pump installation — Quyen Le is EPA Section 608 Universal certified for refrigerant handling, and every install is supervised by master electrician Loi Le for the electrical side.
4. Panel Upgrades — The Required First Step for Almost Everything Else
It is hard to install an EV charger, heat pump, induction range, or battery backup if you do not have the panel capacity for it. We are seeing a lot of “I want X” projects that need to start with “first we upgrade the panel from 100A to 200A or 400A.”
If you live in an older Seattle home — Wallingford, Capitol Hill, Ballard, Beacon Hill, anywhere with knob-and-tube in the attic — odds are your panel is undersized for modern electrification. Auburn, Federal Way, and Renton homes from the 1970s and 80s often have 100A panels that will not pass a load calculation for a Level 2 charger plus a heat pump.
For a real cost breakdown by amperage and house size, see our 2026 panel upgrade cost guide.
5. ADU and DADU Electrical — Driven by Washington’s New Housing Laws
Washington’s HB 1110 (middle housing) and HB 1337 (ADUs) required cities to allow accessory dwelling units on most residential lots by mid-2025. The build-out is happening now. Detached ADUs typically need:
- An independent electrical meter, separate from the primary home
- A new service feed from the utility
- A sub-panel sized to the ADU’s expected load (heat pump, EV charger, induction range)
- Full ground-up wiring — rough-in through finish, including smoke and CO detectors
We handle the full electrical scope on DADU and ADU projects across King and Pierce counties. Builders we work with regularly include Renton, Bellevue, Seattle, and Auburn projects.
6. Knob-and-Tube Replacement — Insurers Are Forcing It
We are getting more “my insurance will not renew unless I remove the knob-and-tube” calls than ever. Insurance carriers have effectively stopped underwriting homes with active knob-and-tube wiring due to fire risk. If you bought a 1920s–1940s home in Seattle or Tacoma and the previous owner did not disclose it, this is showing up at renewal time.
A full knob-and-tube replacement on a 1,500–2,500 sq ft home typically requires a complete circuit rewire plus a panel upgrade. It is a multi-day job, but it is a one-and-done that protects the home for the next 50-plus years.
What This Means for Homeowners Right Now
If you are planning electrical work this year, three takeaways:
- Stack the rebates. PSE, Seattle City Light, and state HEEHRA are not mutually exclusive in most cases. A single project (say, panel upgrade + EV charger + battery) can pull from three pots of money.
- Panel first, everything else second. Almost every electrification project starts with adequate service. Knowing your panel capacity now saves a surprise later.
- Get on a calendar. Demand is high. We are booking new construction and ADU jobs 6–8 weeks out, panel upgrades 3–4 weeks, and EV charger installs 1–2 weeks.
Get a Free Quote for Your 2026 Electrical Project
Le Bros Construction is a family-owned, licensed, bonded, and insured electrical contractor serving the entire Puget Sound region: Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Auburn, Olympia, Kirkland, Federal Way, Gig Harbor, and Renton. Call 206-850-8293 or request a free quote online — we will give you a fixed-price estimate with no surprise change orders.