North York · Toronto Hydro service area
Electrical inspections for North York homes and condos
Buying a 1950s bungalow, insuring a split-level or moving into a condo near Sheppard? We check the electrical system from the meter to the last outlet. Then we tell you plainly what needs work now, what can wait and what's fine.
Why North York homes
Older than they look from the street
Plenty of North York houses have new windows, new kitchens and new floors sitting on an original electrical system. The 1950s and 60s housing in Bathurst Manor, Lansing, Downsview and Victoria Village was wired for a much lighter load. Decades of renovations then added circuits, some done well and some not.
From the sidewalk, a renovated bungalow and an untouched one can look the same. The panel tells a different story. That's where an inspection starts: cover off, breakers and conductors checked, and a careful look at everything added since the house was built.
What can turn up in postwar houses
- Original 60 or 100 amp services now carrying central air and a renovated kitchen
- Two-wire cable with no ground, sometimes hidden behind newer three-prong outlets
- Aluminum branch wiring in some houses built from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s
- Basement wiring added during a renovation without a permit
- Crowded panels with double-tapped breakers
- Knob-and-tube in the few houses that predate the postwar boom
Inspections for insurers, buyers and sellers
Insurers often ask about the panel and the wiring before they renew or write a policy on an older house. An inspection tells you what they're likely to ask about, and what to fix before you answer.
Buyers book one inside their condition period. Sellers book one before listing, so repairs happen on their own schedule instead of in a negotiation. Either side can also ask ESA for a Search of Records. It shows whether any electrical notifications on the address are still open, and ESA suggests buyers have their lawyer request one.
Different homes, different focus
What we look at hardest in each North York home
The questions change with the age and type of home.
| Postwar bungalow or split-level | 1960s or 70s two-storey | Condo suite | Recent custom home | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main question | Is the service big enough, and what wiring is left? | Which branch wiring was used, and how are its connections? | Was the suite renovated properly? | Was the finish work done to plan? |
| We look closely at | Service size, panel age, ungrounded circuits | Device connections, panel condition, added circuits | Suite panel, kitchen and bath protection, owners' changes | Sub-panels, generator and EV circuits, labelling |
| Common next step | Panel upgrade or phased rewiring | Targeted repairs | Small fixes | Corrections to finish work, if any |
Before a big decision
Inspect before you renovate, rent or rebuild
North York owners often face bigger choices than most. Turn the basement into a rental unit? Add a second storey? Or replace the house altogether, as many owners in Willowdale and Bayview Village have done?
Each choice depends on the electrical system you already have. A basement suite needs capacity for a second kitchen. An addition needs a service sized for the finished house. An inspection tells you where you stand before you pay for drawings.
If the findings point to wiring that needs replacing, we price it as rewiring in North York. If the service is the limit, the conversation turns to a panel upgrade booked with Toronto Hydro.
- Walkthrough with youTell us about trips, dead outlets and anything that worries you
- Service and meter baseOverhead mast or underground entry, checked for damage
- Panel cover offBreakers matched to wire size, heat marks, double taps
- Grounding and bondingGround connection, plus bonding to water and gas piping
- Outlet testingA sample tested for polarity, ground and GFCI function
- Plain findingsUrgent, soon or fine, with repair prices on request
On the day
A North York inspection, step by step
Tell us the reason
Purchase, insurance, renovation or a worry. It sets where we look hardest.
Start at the service
Meter base, mast or underground entry, and the main disconnect.
Into the panel
Breakers, conductors, connections and the circuit directory.
Through the house
Basement to attic where we can reach, testing devices on each floor.
Findings on site
We show you what we found before leaving, then send the list by urgency.
Questions
Electrical inspections in North York: questions
Can you inspect before I firm up an offer on a North York house?
Tell us your condition date when you call and we'll do our best to fit it in. If you're buying without conditions, book the inspection for the week you take possession, before you plan any renovation or move in a tenant.
Do you inspect condo suites?
Yes. We check the suite panel, the breakers, a sample of outlets, GFCI protection in the kitchen and bathrooms, and any changes made by past owners. The building's common systems are the condo corporation's responsibility and outside what we inspect.
Is it worth inspecting a house we plan to tear down?
If you'll live in it for a while first, yes, with the focus on safety. It also helps you plan the rebuild, since Toronto Hydro has to disconnect the existing service before demolition and your builder will need temporary power.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Marrast Contracting is a Licensed Electrical Contractor, licence ECRA/ESA 7016430, and every job is led by Shaldin Marrast, a Master Electrician. You can check our licence on the Electrical Safety Authority's contractor lookup at esasafe.com.
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