Electrical
Electrical in Vancouver
Electrical work in British Columbia is tightly regulated, and rightly so. We do not hold an electrical contractor licence — this work is performed by a licensed subcontractor who takes the permit out under their own licence and is accountable for the installation.
Where our work stops and a licensed contractor starts
We handle the parts around the electrics: mounting and positioning, running low-voltage and in-wall rated data or HDMI cable, fitting the smart devices that do not require alteration to the installation, and making good the wall afterwards. That is genuine work and it is what most jobs in this category actually consist of.
The moment a job touches the installation itself — a new circuit, a new outlet, anything at the panel — it is not ours. We do not treat that boundary as negotiable when a customer is in a hurry, which is the situation in which it is usually crossed.
Choosing an electrical contractor in BC
You are entitled to ask any electrical contractor for their licence number before they start, and to check it with Technical Safety BC. This is completely normal and nobody legitimate is offended by it. Work done outside that system is uninspected, and it becomes your liability rather than theirs when you sell the house.
The warning signs are consistent: reluctance to give a licence number, a strong preference for cash, and an assurance that a permit is unnecessary offered before anyone has looked at the job. A contractor who tells you a permit is required — and therefore that the job costs more and takes longer — is usually the one being straight with you.
Getting an accurate electrical quote
The single largest variable is what is behind the wall, and no photograph shows it. We can give you a range from a description — most work in this category falls between $370–$3,200 — but a range is not a quote and we will not present it as one.
What makes a quote firm is a look at the panel, the route the cable has to take, and the finish that has to be restored afterwards. That last item is the one most often left out of a cheap quote: the electrical work finishes with a hole in your wall, and somebody has to patch, sand and paint it.
Electrical pricing
$370–$3,200 for most work
Performed by a licensed subcontractor, who pulls any permit under their own licence. Device and fixture replacement is a minimum-callout job. New circuits, dedicated runs and anything involving the panel are quoted individually and may carry a permit cost on top. All figures exclude GST. See the full rate card.
Common questions
Do you do electrical work yourselves?
No. We are not a licensed electrical contractor and we do not hold the ticket. Anything altering the installation goes to a licensed subcontractor who pulls the permit under their own licence. What we do is the surrounding work — mounting, low-voltage cabling, smart device fitting and making good afterwards.
How do I check a contractor is licensed?
Ask for their licence number and check it with Technical Safety BC. It takes a minute and it is an entirely ordinary thing to ask — nobody legitimate minds. Be wary of reluctance to give a number, a strong preference for cash, or an assurance that no permit is needed before anyone has seen the job.
Why do electrical quotes vary so much?
Because what is behind the wall decides the price and nobody can see it from a photo. The other common gap is making good: electrical work ends with a hole in your wall, and a cheap quote often does not include patching, sanding and repainting it. Most work here lands between $370–$3,200.