Scarborough · Toronto Hydro service area
Pot lights and new lighting in Scarborough
Scarborough bungalows and split-levels have ceilings that take pot lights well, and basements that need them most. We lay out each room, choose fixtures rated for the ceiling, and keep a suite's ceiling doing its job.
Main floors
Bungalows with an attic overhead
The brick bungalows of Wexford, Bendale, Cliffside and Scarborough Village share a useful feature. The main floor has an attic right above it. We can usually lay out a full room of pot lights and wire them from above, with almost no patching below.
That attic also sets the rules. A fixture in an insulated ceiling must be rated for contact with insulation, and it must be airtight. Otherwise warm, moist air leaks into the attic and can cause frost and moisture problems through a long winter.
Many of these living rooms were built without any ceiling light, relying on a switched outlet for a lamp. Adding pot lights or a central fixture is one of the quickest ways to make an older room feel current.
Split-levels and their ceilings
Backsplits and side-splits are harder to light well. Ceilings change height between half-levels, and the upper bedrooms sit under an attic while the living room may not. Some have a sloped ceiling in the living room. We check each ceiling separately and choose fixtures to suit.
Basements and suites
Lighting a lower level that people live in
In Scarborough, a basement is often more than a rec room. It may be a second unit, with its own kitchen and bedroom. Good lighting makes a low space feel open, and it matters more there than anywhere else in the house.
When the basement is a separate unit, the ceiling between it and the house above is usually part of the fire separation. Openings for pot lights can't weaken it. We follow the designer's drawings and use fixtures and methods suited to that ceiling.
For the rest of a suite's electrical scope, see our basement and legal suite page.
| Ceiling | Common in | Usual fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Drywall under an attic | Bungalow main floors, split-level bedrooms | Slim LED, insulation-contact and airtight |
| Sloped or raised | Some split-level living rooms | Adjustable-angle fixtures aimed where the light is needed |
| Basement, between joists | Finished basements | Slim LED with a wide beam for low ceilings |
| Suite fire separation | Basement second units | Fixtures and methods that keep the separation intact |
Inside and out
More than recessed lights
Kitchen
Counter lighting, under-cabinet strips and a pendant over the table or island.
Half-flight stairs
Switches at the top and bottom of each short run, and step lights for night.
Suite entrance
Lighting at the side or rear door and along the path to it.
Bluffs gardens
Deeper lots in Guildwood and Birch Cliff suit pathway and garden lighting.
For fixture types, dimmers and colour of light, see our pot lights and lighting page. If an older circuit can't take the new lights, our Scarborough wiring page explains the options.
How it goes
Pot lights in a Scarborough home, step by step
Room walkthrough
Positions marked, zones agreed, switches placed where you walk in.
Fixed price
Fixtures, dimmers, labour and the ESA filing, written after the visit.
Install
Attic-side wiring where possible, clean round cuts below, floors protected.
Test
Each zone checked from full brightness to its lowest setting.
ESA inspection
The work is inspected and you keep the Certificate of Acceptance.
Questions
Pot lights and lighting in Scarborough: questions
Can you install pot lights in the ceiling between our house and the basement suite?
Yes, but that ceiling is often part of the fire separation between the units. Fixtures and openings have to be chosen and installed so the separation still does its job. Your designer's drawings say what the ceiling must achieve, and we work to them.
Our bungalow's living room has no ceiling light at all. Can you add some?
Yes. It's common in post-war Scarborough homes, which were often built with switched outlets for lamps instead of ceiling fixtures. With an attic above, we can usually run new wiring from the attic side with very little patching.
How many pot lights does a basement need?
There's no fixed number. Ceiling height, the room's use and the fixture's beam all matter. Low basement ceilings usually suit more fixtures with a wider, softer spread. We lay out the positions with you before cutting anything.
How does a service call work?
A service or diagnostic call is a first visit to find the cause of a problem. We give you the rate when you book, test the circuit, tell you what we found, and give you the price to fix it before we do any work. Many simple jobs can also be priced from photos.
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