What we repair
Repairs that follow the report
Most jobs begin with a walk. Some start with a single fixture that has stopped working. Either way, nothing is done until you have a written quote.
Fixtures and sockets
Restoring and rewiring porch lanterns, sconces, chandeliers and ceiling fixtures, keeping the original brass and glass wherever the wiring allows.
Old cable and splices
Replacing cloth-covered and brittle cable, repairing buried splices and opening up what was plastered over.
Grounding and shock protection
Adding a ground path and shock protection where the house has two-prong outlets, starting with kitchens and baths.
Fuse boxes and panels
Changing fuse boxes to breaker panels, labeling every circuit and leaving you a map.
Porch, yard and exterior
Outdoor outlets, porch lights, lantern posts and garden lights, wired for weather and salt air.
Switches and dimmers
Replacing worn switches and fitting dimmers that suit old fixtures and old wiring.
From report to finished repair
What happens after the walk
Step 1: Read the report together
We go through the findings with you and agree what comes first.
Step 2: A written quote
Each repair is quoted before work starts, with what it includes and what it doesn't. The price changes only if you change the job.
Step 3: A permit, where the work needs one
We tell you if a job needs one and pull it for our own work. Exterior changes in a historic district may need review first.
Step 4: The work, room by room
We protect floors and plaster, and we keep original fixtures and trim wherever the wiring allows.
Step 5: Inspection and the power company
If a repair needs an inspection, we schedule it. If the service changes, we book the power company to disconnect and reconnect at the meter.
Step 6: Clean-up and an updated circuit map
We clear up, patch what we opened as far as the job covers, and leave you the revised panel map.
Questions
Questions about repairs
Do I need a permit, and who pulls it?
The walk needs none. Repairs that change wiring often do, and the rules depend on the work and the address. We tell you before we start whether a job needs one, and we pull permits for our own work.
My house is in a historic district. Does that change anything?
Interior wiring is your own business, but exterior changes, such as a new porch lantern, can need review first. We note it in the report when we see it. The city has the final say on what is allowed.
What does the walk cost, and what isn't included?
The plans page lists each plan and what it includes, and the price of the plan you pick is given in writing when you book. Parts, repairs and permits are never part of a plan: we quote them separately, in writing, before any work starts.
Homes built before 1978: is there lead paint?
Houses built before 1978 may have lead-based paint, and cutting into plaster or trim can disturb it. Tell us the age of the house when you book. We ask before we open anything, and where the rules for the work call for it, we contain the dust from painted surfaces.
Not sure where to start?
Book a walk and we will tell you what is in the house and what to do first.