Small Electrical Jobs near you

In Ontario, ESA says that anyone you hire for electrical work in your home must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor, and that a notification of work, ESA's permit, is required even for little jobs. Once the work is approved, ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance, which it describes as an important document for insurance purposes and resale.

In Quebec, the CMEQ states that no one may do electrical work of any kind, in their own residence or elsewhere, for others without being an electrical contractor, so a handyman offering to change a switch is not an option. The contractor then declares the work to the RBQ unless an exemption applies; the RBQ exempts work involving no more than 10 kW that doesn't require replacing or adding wiring.

In British Columbia, Technical Safety BC says replacing existing switches, receptacles or thermostats doesn't require a permit when a licensed contractor does it, while replacing light fixtures or ceiling fans and installing or moving switches and outlets are examples of work that needs one. Other provinces and territories have their own safety authority, so check the rules where the house is.

None of the homeowner rules extends to working on someone else's home. In Ontario, ESA allows homeowners to do electrical work in their own home, provided they file a notification before starting, and it says friends, family members or neighbours cannot do the work for you. In British Columbia, homeowner electrical permits exist, but Technical Safety BC says owners of a strata unit, a non-strata duplex or a home used to run a business can't obtain them and must hire a licensed contractor. In Quebec, the CMEQ's rule concerns work for others, so ask the RBQ what applies before touching your own installation.

Being allowed to do the work is not the same as being equipped for it. A replacement device has to suit the circuit, the wire and the box, and a mistake may only show up when it starts to overheat. For most households, a licensed electrician is the safer choice even where the law would let the owner do it.

Swapping a standard receptacle for a GFCI is one of the most useful small upgrades in an older home. ESA states that all outlets within 1.5 metres of a sink must be GFCI-protected, and many older kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms were wired before that protection was common. Installed at the right point, one GFCI receptacle can protect the outlets downstream of it, so the electrician traces the circuit first and marks the outlets it covers.

Electricians work best from a list. Grouping every switch, outlet and fixture change into one visit means the circuits are shut off and tested once, the paperwork is handled together where it is required, and a wiring problem found in one box can be checked for in the others.