Scarborough · Toronto Hydro service area
Licensed electrician in Scarborough
Scarborough is full of solid post-war bungalows and backsplits, and many of them are being adapted for a second household. We do the electrical side of that, along with panel upgrades, EV chargers and emergency calls.
Electrical work in Scarborough
Homes that are taking on a second household
Much of Scarborough was built from the 1950s to the 1980s: bungalows and backsplits in Wexford, Bendale and Scarborough Village, then larger subdivisions, townhomes and semis in Agincourt, L'Amoreaux and Malvern. Those homes have good bones and full basements, and a lot of owners are turning the lower level into a separate unit for family or a tenant.
The City of Toronto allows second units in houses across the city, but a legal suite has to be built under a building permit and meet fire and building code requirements. The electrical work is a large part of that, and it's the part we handle from layout to final inspection.
Basement suites
What a suite's electrical scope usually covers
Every suite is different, but most of the work falls into the same list. Getting it on paper early lets your designer show it on the city drawings and lets us price it properly.
More detail, including how alarms and exits are handled, is on our basement and legal suite electrical page.
- Load calculation for both unitsSo the service is confirmed or upgraded before walls close
- Sub-panel or panel changesWhere the suite's circuits are fed from and how they're labelled
- Kitchen circuitsRange, counter receptacles, fridge and range hood
- Bathroom and laundry circuitsWith ground-fault protection where the code calls for it
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarmsInterconnected as the building code requires
- LightingPot lights, stair and exit lighting, and exterior entrance lighting
- ESA permit and inspectionsRough-in and final, ending with the Certificate of Acceptance
From plan to tenant
How a Scarborough basement suite comes together
The building and electrical sides run in parallel. Here is where we fit in.
Design and load check
Your designer draws the suite; we confirm the electrical layout and the service capacity.
Two permits
The City of Toronto issues the building permit; we file the electrical permit with ESA.
Rough-in
Boxes, cable and the panel work go in before insulation and drywall, then ESA inspects.
Finishing
Devices, fixtures, alarms and the panel directory are completed after drywall.
Final inspections
ESA issues the Certificate of Acceptance; the city completes its own inspections for the building permit.
Backsplits and bungalows
Working in split-level homes
Backsplits and side-splits are everywhere in Scarborough, and their half-levels change how electrical work is done. The panel is often in the lowest level or the garage, a long way from the kitchen or the bedrooms above it. Runs have to climb between levels through tight spaces, so routing takes more planning than in a two-storey house.
Many of these homes still have their original 100 amp service. It's usually enough for the house as built, but not for a heat pump, a second kitchen and an EV charger together. An attached garage helps with the charger; the panel location decides how long the circuit run will be.
Larger lots near the Bluffs
In Guildwood, Cliffside and Birch Cliff, deeper lots and detached garages are common. That gives more options for garden and pathway lighting, a feed to the garage, and space to site a standby generator with the required clearances.
Neighbourhoods
Where we work in Scarborough
We cover all of Scarborough, including:
- Guildwood
- Birch Cliff
- Cliffside
- Scarborough Village
- Highland Creek
- West Hill
- Agincourt
- Wexford
- L'Amoreaux
- Malvern
- Rouge
- Bendale
Services in Scarborough
- 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
Scarborough service pages
What customers say
Reviews from our customers
This company has helped me a lot in my business. I really appreciate the effort, the quality of the upgrades. Thank you
Amazing service, very polite and happily explained the issue to help me understand. Would definitely recommend.
Great service! Very happy. Shaldin was knowledgeable, professional, and fast.
Thanks for installing the LED lights for bathroom light fixture!
Marrast Contracting was a pleasure to deal with, trustworthy and honest group to work with.
Awesome Hire, knowledgeable, experienced and kind definitely deserves more than 5 stars!!!
Questions
Scarborough electrical questions
Can you do the electrical for a legal basement apartment in Scarborough?
Yes. We prepare the electrical layout for your designer's City of Toronto application, file the ESA permit, wire the suite and book the ESA inspections. The building permit and building inspections are handled through the city; the electrical permit and Certificate of Acceptance come through ESA.
Does adding a second unit mean I need a bigger service?
Not always, but often in homes still on 100 amps. Two kitchens, two sets of laundry and separate heating or cooling add up. We do a load calculation for both units together and tell you whether the existing service will carry it.
Do you take out the ESA permit?
Yes. In Ontario, the licensed contractor files the notification of work with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and books the inspection. We handle it on every job that needs one, and you get the ESA Certificate of Acceptance when the work passes. Keep it: insurers and home buyers often ask for it.
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.
How quickly will you get back to me?
We aim to reply right away, and within 30 minutes during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm). Emergencies are answered 24/7.
Nearby