4-Star Electric Ltd.
Blog Hero

Electrical Considerations When Renovating

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Renovations are a great way to get a fresh space without going through the stress of moving to a new home. In fact, 2017 saw Canadian homeowners spend $72.7 billion on home renovations and repairs, up $1.5 billion from 2016. Electricity, like flooring, is something that runs through every room of your house. If you want to renovate, chances are that you will need some electrical work done. Re-wiring or panel upgrades are not as visually exciting as those new granite countertops, but those tasks are equally as important.

May Not Be Exactly As Shown

When planning out your renovation, it’s important not to get caught up in the budgets presented by the home reno shows on HGTV. Remember that television is not an accurate depiction of reality. Their budgets are incredibly low and the viewer never gets to see the details of how the finances have been split up. For example, it is not uncommon for some of the labour to be donated or costs to be hidden. Chances are, you won’t be getting your entire dream home renovation for $20,000 unless you’ve got some amazing real-life connections.

DIY Disaster

With that in mind, it may be tempting to try and cut some corners with some do-it-yourself tactics. Luckily there are plenty of online tutorials and resources to help you find your inner handyman. If you’ve got time and possibly a knowledgeable friend to help out, it is very possible that you can tick some of those tasks off your list yourself. That being said, while there are likely some aspects of your renovation that you could do, like painting, electrical work should not be one of them. A subpar electrical job can put you at risk of electrocution and fire. Make sure to hire a professional electrician. This means that you’ll need to factor in labour costs.

Build a Working Budget

If your renovations include elements such as lighting or adding in new appliances, you’ll need to include electrical work in your budget. A good place to begin is by factoring in $45 per amp if you require an electrical service upgrade and $30 per amp for a panel upgrade. If renovated area requires disconnecting and reconnecting wires, budget in $20 per square foot. Also take into consideration that pot lighting will be between $275-400 depending on accessibility. These numbers are in no way immutable, but they are a starting point.

Once you have your budget worked out, call in the experts and start getting estimates. It is important to get these in writing and from qualified electricians. A budget for renovations doesn’t have to be mysterious; doing your research and crunching some numbers will help set you up for success! For experienced electricians in the Greater Calgary Area, call 4-Star Electric today!

Written by 4-Star Electric

instagram facebook facebook2 pinterest twitter google-plus google linkedin2 yelp youtube phone location calendar share2 link star-full star star-half chevron-right chevron-left chevron-down chevron-up envelope fax