Rewiring, panel upgrades, EV chargers, and lighting for Berkeley homeowners. North Berkeley to Elmwood — we know your homes.
Berkeley has some of the most architecturally significant houses in the Bay Area — Craftsman bungalows, brown shingle masterpieces, Julia Morgan designs, and hillside homes with views that go forever. But behind the woodwork and leaded glass, many are running on electrical systems from the 1920s.
Knob-and-tube wiring, ungrounded two-prong outlets, and 60-amp panels were the standard when these homes were built. They can't handle modern loads — AC, home offices, EV chargers, induction cooktops. We specialize in rewiring older Berkeley homes without tearing up walls or damaging original plaster.
We pull permits through the City of Berkeley Building & Safety Division, coordinate PG&E meter upgrades, and handle inspections. North Berkeley Craftsman rewire or Thousand Oaks EV charger — start to finish.
Four issues on almost every Berkeley walkthrough. Know what you're looking at before we quote.
Recent Berkeley Work
The new panel location was ~30 ft from the PG&E drop. Normally that triggers PG&E engineering review plus a charge to extend cables — months and thousands added. We proposed running the 30 ft feed through the existing weatherhead instead. PG&E's side didn't change, city and PG&E both approved. Saved the homeowner the engineering fee and the delay.
Services
Why us in Berkeley
Pre-war Berkeley homes have lath-and-plaster + original millwork we won't tear up. We fish through existing cavities and use low-impact access techniques.
Berkeley runs the slowest permit office in the East Bay (2–3 weeks typical). We don't add to the delay — paperwork goes in same-day so your clock starts immediately.
Berkeley Hills + Cragmont homes often need long conduit runs from PG&E drops. We measure and tier-quote like everywhere else — no mystery "hillside premium".
Original sconces, leaded-glass switches, period trim — we keep what you want to keep. Grounding retrofits + panel swaps happen around the character, not through it.
Yes. We serve all of Berkeley — North Berkeley, Elmwood, the Claremont district, Thousand Oaks, South Berkeley, and the UC campus area. We're based in nearby Oakland and we're in Berkeley every week.
Absolutely. Berkeley has some of the finest Craftsman and brown shingle homes in the country. We rewire these homes carefully, working with lath-and-plaster walls and preserving original moldings. No unnecessary holes, no cosmetic damage.
Berkeley permits go through the City of Berkeley Building & Safety Division. They're thorough but straightforward if the work is done right. We handle all permit applications and inspection scheduling for you.
Yes. Most Berkeley homes can support a Level 2 EV charger with a 240V dedicated circuit. If your panel is under 200A, we may recommend upgrading it at the same time — we often bundle both for a better price.
Real tiers based on distance from the PG&E drop: within 10 ft = $5,000–$6,000; 10–30 ft or multiple pipes = $7,000–$8,000; beyond 30 ft (with PG&E approval) = $10,000–$12,000. Our recent Berkeley job came in at $10,000 after we saved the homeowner PG&E engineering fees — details below.
Berkeley permits are the slowest in the East Bay — multiple weeks is the norm. We handle the submission and follow up so you don’t have to. PG&E scheduling is a separate bottleneck that can stretch weeks to months.
Not always. Some homes just need a panel upgrade and a few new circuits. Others — especially pre-1950s homes with knob-and-tube — benefit from a full rewire. We'll assess during the walkthrough and give you honest options.
Call or text us at (510) 221-8384. We'll ask a few questions about your home and schedule a walkthrough. Most calls are returned the same day.
Panel, EV, rewire, or lights — send us a few sentences. Most calls returned the same business day.
Rewiring, outlets, switches, and dedicated circuits.
100A to 200A upgrades, Federal Pacific replacement.
Level 2 charger installs for Tesla, Rivian, and all EVs.
Recessed, under-cabinet, landscape, and smart lighting.
Our home base — serving every Oakland neighborhood.
Victorian island homes and aging electrical systems.
Loft conversions, live/work wiring, and EV charger installs.
Pre-war rewires and knob-and-tube removal for historic homes.