Count the power strips in the living room. That number is the outlet shortage in most Brooklyn apartments. Brooklyn Electrician installs outlets and switches in brownstones in Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, walk-ups in Bushwick and the two-family houses off Flatbush, one device or a whole floor at a time.
Every outlet gets a grounded, tamper-resistant receptacle on screw terminals, never the push-in kind. Call (929) 460-9789 or send the form above for a free estimate.
Outlets and Switches Built for Brooklyn Homes and Rentals
A kitchen in a 1920s building has two outlets and nine appliances. The code wants a receptacle every four feet along the counter, two 20-amp small appliance circuits, and GFCI protection within six feet of the sink. Our electricians bring old kitchens up to that standard without gutting the backsplash.
Bathrooms get a 20-amp GFCI circuit of their own. Cellars, laundry rooms and anything outdoors get GFCI and weather-resistant devices with in-use covers.
Three-way switching for the hallway and the stairs, dimmers matched to the LED load, smart switches where the box has a neutral, and a Caseta-style switch where it does not.
Our Outlet and Switch Installation Process, Step by Step
- 1
Walk-through and count. We mark every new outlet, switch and circuit on a quick floor plan with you.
- 2
Circuit check. The panel and the existing circuit get load tested. New dedicated circuits get a DOB permit filed.
- 3
Boxes. Old-work metal boxes cut into plaster, surface raceway where the wall cannot be opened.
- 4
Cable and devices. BX fished from the nearest box or the panel, then spec-grade receptacles, switches and dimmers.
- 5
Test and label. Polarity, ground and GFCI trip tested on every device, breaker labeled.
Outlet and Switch Options That Fit Brooklyn Properties
USB-C receptacles by the bed and the desk. 20-amp dedicated outlets for the microwave, the window AC and the home office. 240-volt receptacles for a dryer, a range or a Level 2 charger, see EV Charger Installation. Recessed outlets behind a wall-mounted TV. Outdoor outlets on the stoop and in the backyard. Dimmers, timers, occupancy sensors for the cellar stairs, and smart switches that run the stoop light from a phone. If a run of recessed lights is going in at the same time, see Lighting Installation.
What Affects the Cost of Outlet and Switch Installation in Brooklyn
Device count.
Ten outlets on one visit cost far less per outlet than one.
New circuit or existing.
Adding a receptacle to a healthy circuit is quick. A dedicated 20-amp run back to the panel takes longer and needs a permit.
Wall access.
Plaster and lath, brick exterior walls and finished ceilings add fishing time.
Hardware.
A spec-grade outlet is a few dollars. A smart dimmer with a hub runs well over a hundred.
Local Conditions Our Electricians Work Around in Brooklyn, NY
No neutral in the switch box.
Prewar switch loops carry no neutral, so many smart switches will not work. We pull a neutral or spec a switch that does not need one.
Shallow boxes.
Old boxes cannot hold a USB receptacle and its wiring. A deeper box goes in.
Ungrounded circuits.
Two-wire runs get GFCI protection and the required label, or a new ground from the panel, see Electrical Wiring and Rewiring.
Preventing and Solving Common Outlet and Switch Problems
Plugs that fall out.
Worn contacts inside the receptacle. Replace it before it arcs.
Warm cover plate.
A loose terminal or a backstabbed connection. Stop using that outlet and call for Electrical Repair.
GFCI that trips at random.
Moisture in the box, a failing appliance or a GFCI past its life. We test in that order.
A switch that controls nothing.
Usually a half-switched outlet somewhere in the room. We find it and rewire it.
Buzzing dimmer.
The dimmer and the LED bulbs do not match. A CL-rated dimmer ends it.
What to Expect When You Hire Brooklyn Electrician
Consultation.
A walk-through, a count and a written price per device and per circuit.
Scheduling.
Most outlet and switch jobs finish in one visit. Power stays on in the rest of the apartment.
Installation and cleanup.
Plaster dust contained, plates leveled, every device tested in front of you. If the panel is full, you hear it before we start, see Electrical Panel Upgrade.