Tacoma is home for Panther Electric. The company is licensed through Washington L&I, and the city is where Remus and the team know the housing, the utility and the inspectors best.
A lot of Tacoma was built before the 1950s. In the North End, Proctor and the Stadium District, that means craftsman houses and old four-squares that may still have knob-and-tube in the walls, an undersized service on the porch, and decades of add-on splices in the basement. South Tacoma, the West End and Fern Hill lean mid-century: two-prong outlets, aging panels and garages that were never wired for an EV.
Tacoma Power serves the city, and Tacoma runs its own electrical permitting, so a service upgrade here means working with both. That’s exactly the kind of local detail Panther plans for before the job starts.
Where we work in Tacoma
- North End & Proctor
- Stadium District & Old Town
- Hilltop
- South Tacoma
- West End & Fircrest edge
- Lincoln District & Fern Hill
- Eastside & McKinley Hill
- Northeast Tacoma
Common jobs in Tacoma
- Knob-and-tube replacement and whole-home rewires
- Panel changes and service upgrades for older houses
- EV chargers in tight older garages
- Kitchen and bath remodel wiring
- New construction and infill builds
Permits
Inside city limits, electrical permits and inspections run through the City of Tacoma’s Planning and Development Services rather than L&I.
Tacoma questions
Asked in Tacoma.
Short answers to what Tacoma homeowners ask. More in the full Q&A.
Sparks, a burning smell, a hot panel or half the house dark? Turn off the breaker or the main if it’s safe to do so, then call. For fire or smoke, get out and call 911. For a downed line, stay well clear and call your utility.
Who issues electrical permits in Tacoma?
Inside Tacoma city limits, electrical permits and inspections are handled by the City of Tacoma (Planning and Development Services), not by Washington L&I. Panther pulls the permit and schedules the inspection for work that needs one.
My North End house is over 100 years old. Does it still have knob-and-tube?
It might. Many Tacoma homes built before the 1950s were wired with knob-and-tube, and some of it is still live behind plaster. An electrical inspection will tell you what’s there and what it would take to replace it, which also matters for insurance and resale.
Can Panther coordinate a service upgrade with Tacoma Power?
Yes. A service upgrade involves the utility for the disconnect and reconnect and the city for inspection. Panther handles that coordination as part of the job, so you aren’t juggling both.