Bayview Village · North York · Toronto Hydro
Bayview Village electrician for ranch bungalows and new builds
Bayview Village's wide ranch bungalows and split-levels date from the 1950s and 60s, and many are now being replaced by large custom homes. We update the originals and wire the rebuilds.
The neighbourhood
Ranch houses on generous lots
Bayview Village grew up in the 1950s and 60s around Bayview Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East, north of Highway 401. Builders put up ranch bungalows and split-levels on curving streets with wide lots.
Those wide lots are why the neighbourhood is changing. Many original houses have been replaced by large custom homes, and more come down each year. Near the Bayview subway station, condo towers have gone up too.
The wiring inside a ranch bungalow
A ranch bungalow stretches across its lot on one floor. The panel is usually in the basement at one end, and the bedrooms are at the other. That means long branch circuits, and decades of additions can leave the far rooms overloaded.
Split-levels have their own quirks. The house steps up and down in half-flights, so circuits wander between levels. A finished lower level often ends up on circuits that were never meant to carry it.
Age matters as well. Houses from the 1950s may still have their original service and ungrounded outlets. Some houses built from the mid-1960s on used aluminum branch wiring. It isn't automatically dangerous, but its connections need the right devices and care. An inspection tells you whether your house has it.
Two paths
Updating the original or wiring the rebuild
| Updating an original | Wiring a rebuild | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | 60A to 100A service, older panel, mixed wiring | An empty lot and a set of drawings |
| First step | Inspection and load calculation | Load calculation from the plans |
| Typical scope | Panel upgrade, problem circuits, new kitchen or basement circuits | New service, panels, full rough-in, lighting and EV provision |
| Toronto Hydro | Disconnect and reconnect for the upgrade | Removal of the old service and a new connection |
| ESA | Permit and inspection for the work done | Rough-in and final inspections |
Services that fit Bayview Village
What we're most often asked to do here
Inspections. Buyers and long-time owners both ask us to check what a house this age is working with. A full electrical inspection in North York covers the panel, wiring type, grounding and the circuits that cause trouble.
Panel upgrades. Owners who keep the bungalow usually need more capacity for central air, a renovated kitchen or a heat pump. We take the service to 200 amps and book the Toronto Hydro disconnect. Read how on our North York panel upgrade page.
EV chargers. Bayview Village houses have garages and driveways that suit a Level 2 charger. We check the load first, then run a dedicated circuit to where you park.
Custom homes. For rebuilds we work with builders from temporary power to final, with lighting plans, EV-ready garages and generator provisions.
Shaldin Marrast, our Master Electrician, leads each job. The price is fixed and written, given after a site visit.
Services
Our North York services
Nearby
Other North York neighbourhoods
What customers say
Reviews from our customers
Great service and knowledge. Would highly recommend.
Great quality work would highly recommend
Friendly and efficient service.
[Shaldin] is very clear, responsive and did a great job adding a sub panel, explaining the process and even discovering potential issues that may arise in the future. I have hired Marrast before and I will do it again, would definitely recommend.
After a home inspector drew our attention to exterior lights that had been installed in the 1970s and were possibly no longer up to code, we called Marrast Contracting again to have them take a look. Again, the experience was entirely positive in every respect. We ended up having only an outlet and a new LED spotlight installed because the old wiring was still in proper order.
The team at Marrast Contracting Inc were wonderful to work with! They helped us resolve a few issues found in our housing inspection. They responded promptly to the service request, provided dates shortly after we connected and were on time, and efficient in resolving the issues we noted. They provided guidance on things that did not need to be addressed and did not overcharge us. Shaldin and Mike were great, we highly recommend them for your electrical needs!
Questions
Bayview Village electrical questions
My Bayview Village house was built in the late 1960s. Could it have aluminum wiring?
It's possible. Aluminum branch wiring was used in some Canadian homes from the mid-1960s into the 1970s. You can sometimes see the word aluminum or AL printed on cable in the basement. An inspection confirms it and tells you what condition the connections are in. See aluminum wiring repair for the options.
Our ranch bungalow is very wide. Why do the far bedrooms have problems?
In a long, single-storey house the farthest rooms are a long cable run from the panel. Over the years they often end up sharing a circuit with too much else. We test those circuits, find any loose or overloaded connections, and split the load where needed.
I live in a condo near Bayview and Sheppard. Can you install an EV charger in my parking spot?
Often, yes, but the condo corporation has to be involved. The charger is fed from the building's electrical system, not your suite panel. We can work with your board and property manager on how power gets to your space and how it's metered.
How long is the power off during a panel upgrade?
Usually most of one working day. The utility disconnects the service in the morning, we swap the panel and service equipment, and power is reconnected once the work is ready. We book the utility appointment for you and tell you the date in advance.
North York
Across North York
Bayview Village is part of our North York service area. Every service we offer is available here, 24/7 for emergencies.