Markham · Alectra Utilities service area
Licensed electrician for Markham homes, from Unionville to Cornell
Markham holds two heritage main streets, decades of family subdivisions and whole new towns built since the late 1990s. Each asks something different of its wiring, and we plan every job around the house in front of us.
Electrical work in Markham
Old main streets, family suburbs and planned new towns
Markham grew from farm villages. Unionville and Markham Village still keep their historic main streets, and both are protected as heritage districts. The houses on and around them range from nineteenth-century homes to post-war infill, and their wiring has usually been changed several times.
Around those cores, family subdivisions spread through the 1970s, 80s and 90s, in Milliken, around Unionville and in the streets near Buttonville. Many of those homes now have finished basements, central air and a car that plugs in. Their panels are often the first thing to run short.
Since the late 1990s, Markham has added whole communities. Cornell was laid out with rear lanes and front porches. Cathedraltown, Berczy Village, Wismer, Greensborough and Box Grove filled in the north and east. Angus Glen has some of the city's largest homes, many set near its golf course.
Markham is in York Region and its power comes from Alectra Utilities. The City of Markham issues building permits. Electrical permits come from ESA, and we file them on every job that needs one.
Across the city
What Markham homes usually ask for
A broad guide by type of neighbourhood. We check every house before we price it.
| Unionville and Markham Village cores | Milliken, Buttonville and older Unionville streets | Cornell, Cathedraltown, Berczy, Wismer, Greensborough, Box Grove | Angus Glen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homes | Heritage houses and older infill | Subdivision homes from the 1970s to 90s | Detached homes and townhouses from the late 1990s on | Large detached homes |
| Often asked for | Rewiring, panel replacement, careful lighting | Panel upgrades, chargers, basement circuits | Chargers, pot lights, extra circuits | Generators, layered lighting, several chargers |
| Worth knowing | Outside changes may need heritage approval | Many began life with 100 amp services | Builder lighting is often minimal | Loads add up fast in big houses |
Our top five in Markham
The jobs Markham homeowners call us for most
A panel upgrade in Markham is often the job that unlocks the rest. Older subdivision homes and heritage houses can't take a charger or a new kitchen until the service has room.
Rewiring and new circuits cover heritage rewires and added circuits in newer homes.
The December 2013 ice storm left many York Region homes in the dark for days. That memory drives much of the interest in standby generators in Markham, especially in homes with finished basements and sump pumps.
Electric cars are now a common sight in Markham driveways. We install Level 2 EV chargers in attached garages, rear-lane garages and on driveway walls.
Pot lights and lighting are a common first project in a newly bought home.
How it works
From first call to Certificate of Acceptance
The same steps apply in a Unionville heritage home and a Cornell townhouse.
Tell us about the job
Photos of the panel and the area, and what you'd like to add or fix.
Site visit
We check the panel, the service and the route the wiring will take.
Written price
A fixed, written price after the site visit, with the permit included.
Permit and utility
We file with ESA and arrange any disconnect and reconnect with Alectra Utilities.
Inspection
ESA inspects the work, and you keep the Certificate of Acceptance.
Heritage districts
Working carefully in Unionville and Markham Village
In a heritage district, the outside of the house matters as much as the inside. A new meter base, a generator or a row of soffit lights can change how a facade reads from the street. We try to keep new equipment where the old equipment was, or out of sight at the side or rear.
Inside, older homes often have plaster walls and wiring from several eras. We plan routes through the basement and attic first, so openings stay few.
Neighbourhoods
Where we work in Markham
We cover all of Markham, including:
- Unionville
- Markham Village
- Cornell
- Cathedraltown
- Berczy Village
- Angus Glen
- Wismer
- Milliken
- Greensborough
- Box Grove
- Buttonville
Services in Markham
- Panel upgrades100A to 200A service
- Full home wiringWhole house or room by room
- Backup generatorsStandby + transfer switch
- EV chargersLevel 2, 40 to 60A circuit
- Pot lights and lightingInterior + exterior
- New construction for buildersRough-in to final
- 24/7 emergency electricianDay or night
- Full home electrical inspectionsPanel to outlets
- Troubleshooting and repairsDiagnostic call
- Knob-and-tube replacementInspected, then rewired
- Aluminum wiring repairPigtail or rewire
- Whole-home surge protectionAt the panel
- Outdoor and landscape lightingWeather-rated
- Renovation electricalKitchen, bath, basement
- Basements and legal suitesPermit-ready
- Kitchen electricalCircuits + lighting
- Bathroom electricalGFCI, fan, lighting
- Temporary powerSite power, day one
- Permits and load calculationsESA, loads, drawings
- Commercial electricalRetail, office, multi-unit
Markham service pages
What customers say
Reviews from our customers
I would highly recommend Marrast Contracting. Not only the service was timely and quick, Shaldin was informative, professional, helpful and super friendly. Despite it being a small job, he went above and beyond to accommodate. Overall a great experience.
I had an issue with the basement breaker that was tripping constantly. They came in even though it was bad weather and fixed the issue. Very professional and responsive.
Excellent service! On time. Good communications before, during and after the work. Fast, efficient, and top quality work. Kept us informed about the progress and clean up after the work. Highly recommend.
Great quality job + decent price + transparency + punctuality + great customer relations = Marrast Contracting. A different and refreshing approach in an industry that needs more companies like this. Thank you!
Best contractor I have found in Toronto. I had a small project completed by the team and it was completed to a very high standard by a professional & Friendly team.
We were very pleased with the electrical work performed by Marrast Contracting. It's the second time we use their service and we were pleased with the quick service again.
Questions
Markham electrical questions
Do you work on homes in the Unionville and Markham Village heritage districts?
Yes. Work inside the house follows the usual ESA process. Changes you can see from outside, such as moving the meter, adding a service mast, a generator or new facade lights, may also need heritage approval from the City of Markham. We point those out at the site visit so you can check before work is booked.
Our Cornell home has its garage on the rear lane. Can it have a charger?
Usually, yes. The first question is how the garage gets power today, if it has any. A garage attached to the house is often a short run. A detached garage may need a new feeder from the house panel, buried or carried overhead. We look at both at the site visit and quote the route that suits the lot.
The power is out at my Markham house. Who should I call?
Look at the neighbours first. If their lights are out too, it's a grid outage, so report it to Alectra Utilities. If only your home is dark, or only part of it, the problem is likely on your side of the meter. That's ours to find, and we answer emergency calls 24/7.
How much does a panel upgrade cost?
It depends on the house. The biggest factor is whether the hydro service to your house is overhead or underground, followed by where the meter and panel sit and how much wiring needs to move. The utility matters too: Toronto Hydro charges a fee for the disconnect and reconnect, which Alectra and Hydro One customers usually don't pay. Send us photos of your panel and meter for a first idea, and we give you a fixed written quote after a site visit.
Do you offer 24/7 emergency service?
Yes. For an electrical emergency call (647) 930-2907 any time, day or night. If you see smoke or fire, leave the house and call 911 first. If a power line is down, stay well back and call your hydro utility's emergency line.