Panels at capacity in older Ottawa homes
A lot of 1960s and 1970s houses here still have their original panel, sized for a very different set of appliances.
Adding a finished basement, an air conditioner, a hot tub, a heat pump or an EV charger can push that panel past its limit. The load calculation comes first, because it determines whether an upgrade is required or simply nice to have.
Panel work also involves the utility and a permit, so it needs lead time. Discovering it mid renovation is what turns a four week job into a seven week one.
Aluminum wiring, knob and tube, and insurance
Aluminum wiring appears in certain pockets of 1970s Ottawa housing, particularly through parts of Nepean and Gloucester. It is not automatically dangerous, but connections need proper devices and connectors rated for aluminum, and insurers frequently ask about it.
Knob and tube turns up in pre-war homes downtown. It has no ground and insurers often require its removal, so any wall we open during a renovation is the right moment to replace it.
Either way, a licensed electrician assesses and performs the work, and the ESA notification gives you documentation to hand your insurer.
Plan lighting before the drywall
Pot lights, under cabinet lighting, switch locations and where you want a floor outlet all have to be decided before board goes up. Retrofitting after paint means patching, sanding and touch ups.
We mark it all out on the framing and walk it with you before the electrician wires, because standing in the room is when people realise they want a switch on the other side of the door.
What an electrical upgrade scope includes
- Load calculation: whether the existing panel can carry the new work.
- Panel plan: upgrade or subpanel, with utility coordination noted.
- Device count: outlets, switches and fixtures priced by number.
- Wiring remediation: aluminum or knob and tube work where applicable.
- Permits and ESA: notification and inspection included.
- Drywall repair: patching and painting after wiring, in our scope.
Where electrical system upgrades sits in the bigger job
This work is part of our general contractor service, so it can run on its own or as one stage inside a larger project. When it is part of a bigger renovation we sequence it with the other trades rather than treating it as a standalone visit.
Clients booking this often pair it with roof repair, roof replacement, new roof installation or brick repair. One contract covers whichever combination you need, with a single schedule and one point of contact.
Electrical System Upgrades across the Ottawa area
We take this work on throughout the greater Ottawa area. Recent jobs have run through Nepean, Merivale, South Keys, Kanata and the surrounding neighbourhoods. The consultation is free wherever you are in the city.