Licensed Electrician in Scarborough, Toronto
Portman Electric provides licensed residential and commercial electrical service throughout Scarborough. We handle electrical troubleshooting, panel and 200 amp service upgrades, renovations, EV chargers, dedicated circuits, lighting, pool and hot-tub electrical, commercial work and electrical service for managed properties.
Text photos of your panel, the problem or your renovation plans — 647-835-7757
- ECRA/ESA Licence #7018049
- Master Electrician
- Fully Insured
- Residential & Commercial
- Owner-Operated
Looking for an Electrician in Scarborough?
Portman Electric is an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor serving Scarborough and Toronto. We perform residential and commercial electrical work, electrical troubleshooting, service calls, panel replacement and 200 amp service upgrades, EV charger installation, renovation and basement electrical, electrical assessments, pool and hot-tub electrical, and electrical service for property managers.
Scarborough doesn't have one electrical profile. A post-war bungalow, a newer detached home and a high-rise unit can require completely different electrical planning — and the honest answer to "do I need 200 amp service?" is that it depends on what the property actually draws, not on how old it is.
Quick Answer
Who is a licensed electrician serving Scarborough Toronto?
Portman Electric is an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor (#7018049) serving Scarborough and Toronto. Portman provides residential service calls, electrical troubleshooting, panel and service upgrades, EV charger installation, renovation electrical, commercial electrical and property-management service.
Start where you fit
Troubleshooting & Service Calls
Dead outlets, tripping breakers, partial power loss, GFCI problems, flickering lights and panel faults — diagnosed before anything is replaced.
Electrical service callsI need more capacityPanels & 200A Service Upgrades
Fuse equipment, 60A and 100A services, panel replacement, full service upgrades and load management — with the load calculated first.
Panels & service upgradesI'm renovatingRenovation & Basement Electrical
Basements, kitchens, bathrooms, additions, secondary suites, lighting and dedicated circuits — planned before the walls close.
Renovation electricalBusiness or managed propertyCommercial & Property Management
Plazas, retail, offices, apartment buildings and managed portfolios — service calls, lighting, distribution and planned electrical work.
Commercial & property managementElectrical Work for Scarborough Homes
Scarborough is large enough that treating it as one housing type gets the electrical planning wrong. It urbanised rapidly after the war — the City's own records note the population more than doubled between 1950 and 1955, with subdivisions, apartment blocks and shopping plazas going up together, and Highway 401 accelerating the process after it opened in 1956. What that left behind is variety rather than a single archetype.
Scarborough doesn't have one electrical profile. A post-war bungalow, a newer detached home and a high-rise unit can require completely different electrical planning.
Post-war bungalows
Much of southern Scarborough was built out in the 1940s to 1960s, and bungalows and one-and-a-half-storey houses are a large part of that stock.
Detached family homes
Detached housing across a very wide range of build decades, from post-war through to recent subdivisions.
Semis and split-levels
Semi-detached and split-level houses, which often have their own distribution quirks where levels were wired at different times.
Two-storey suburban homes
Later suburban housing with larger footprints and, in many cases, more original circuit capacity.
Newer subdivisions
More recently built housing. Newer does not automatically mean the service is sized for an EV charger plus a hot tub plus a finished basement.
Apartment and high-rise buildings
Scarborough has substantial apartment and multi-residential housing as well as houses, and suite electrical is its own category of work.
Houses renovated several times
Homes altered across different decades, where kitchens, additions and basements were wired at different points by different hands.
Homes with finished basements or additions
Added living space that was connected to whatever infrastructure existed at the time, which may or may not still suit how the house is used now.
Electrical Upgrades for Post-War Scarborough Homes
A City heritage report documents significant 1940s–1960s housing across southern Scarborough — bungalows, one-and-a-half-storey houses and detached homes. Some of those houses still contain original or early electrical equipment. Many do not, because they have been upgraded at some point over the last seventy years. Both are common, which is why the equipment has to be looked at rather than assumed from the build date.
What some mid-century Scarborough homes still contain
Depending on the property, any of the following may be present. None of them are universal, and finding one does not mean the others are there too.
- Older fuse equipment still in service
- A 60 amp electrical service
- A 100 amp electrical service
- Older breaker panels of various vintages
- Limited or no remaining breaker space
- Older branch circuits
- Ungrounded circuits
- Additions wired later than the original house
- An upgraded kitchen connected back to older infrastructure
- Older garage or outbuilding wiring
- Previous renovations from several different decades
- Alterations completed by previous owners without records
A house built in the 1950s or 1960s does not automatically need rewiring or 200 amp service. The existing equipment, wiring condition and electrical demand have to be assessed first.
Where a house has been altered repeatedly, the useful question usually isn't "how old is it?" but "which parts were done when, and how do they connect?" A kitchen upgraded in the 2000s can sit on distribution from decades earlier, and that junction is often where the problems show up.
Further reading: electrical problems commonly found in older Toronto homes and how to read your electrical panel.
Electrical Panel & 200 Amp Service Upgrades in Scarborough
This is the work Scarborough homeowners ask about most, and it is where the most money gets wasted on assumptions. A panel replacement and a service upgrade are different jobs with different scopes, and the right one depends on what the assessment finds.
Panel and service work we handle
- Fuse equipment replacement
- 60 amp to 100 amp or 200 amp modernization
- 100 amp to 200 amp service upgrades
- Panel replacement where the service stays the same
- Damaged or failing panel equipment
- Panels with no remaining breaker space
- Service conductors
- Meter equipment and meter relocation where required
- Service mast and service entrance equipment
- Grounding and bonding
- Overhead services where that is how the property is supplied
- Underground services where that is how the property is supplied
- Toronto Hydro coordination where the supply is affected
- ESA notification and inspection where required
A new 200 amp panel installed by Portman Electric during a documented Toronto service upgrade.
Panel Replacement vs 200 Amp Service Upgrade
Panel Replacement
Changes the home's electrical distribution equipment. The electrical service capacity may stay the same.
- Equipment condition or age
- A damaged or failing panel
- Modernizing fuse equipment to breakers
- Breaker availability and compatibility
- No remaining panel space for new circuits
Full Service Upgrade
Increases or changes the property's electrical service capacity, and involves more than the panel alone.
- The panel itself
- Meter equipment
- Service conductors
- Grounding and bonding
- Service entrance equipment
- Toronto Hydro coordination
- ESA inspection
The exact scope depends on the property. Full details are on the panel and service upgrades page, and there is a cost breakdown in how much a panel upgrade costs in Toronto.
Quick Answer
Does a Scarborough home automatically need 200 amp service?
No. A home's age or location does not determine the required electrical service size. Portman assesses the existing service and calculates the property's electrical demand before recommending additional capacity. Some homes benefit from 200 amp service, while others can continue operating on their existing service or use load-management solutions for certain new loads.
Fuse Box Replacement in Scarborough
Older fuse equipment turns up across Scarborough's post-war stock, but it is worth being precise about what it does and does not tell you.
A fuse panel and the size of the electrical service are two different things.
Depending on the property, a house could have an older fuse panel, a smaller electrical service, both at once, or a panel that was replaced at some point while the rest of the service stayed as it was. Each of those is a different starting position and points toward different work.
The difference between the two types of equipment is explained in fuse box vs breaker panel, and panel changes and fuse box replacement covers the service itself.
What the assessment should establish
- The condition of the existing panel equipment
- The actual capacity of the electrical service
- The electrical loads already in the house
- The electrical loads being planned
- Insurance requirements the homeowner has been given
- Whether replacement equipment is compatible with what is there
A 60 Amp Fuse Service Rebuilt to 200 Amps
This is a real Portman Electric project, recorded in Toronto. It is included here because the starting condition is one that genuinely occurs in post-war housing, and because of how the job actually began.
The homeowner called about adding a washing machine. The assessment found the house was still supplied by a 60 amp service with fuse equipment and a meter located inside the basement. Rather than add load to that installation, the homeowner chose a full 200 amp upgrade.
Portman rebuilt the electrical service, relocated the meter from the basement to the exterior, installed a new service mast and exterior metering, and installed a new 200 amp Siemens panel with additional circuit capacity.
The reason it belongs on this page is the shape of it: a small request surfaced a much larger condition. That is an argument for assessing first — in either direction. Here the assessment found more than expected; often it finds less, and the upgrade someone was braced for turns out to be unnecessary.
Read the full project →Recorded location: Toronto. Portman has not yet documented a project in Scarborough.
Electrical Service Calls in Scarborough
Not every electrical job is a project. Most calls are a single thing that stopped working, and those are worth doing properly.
The symptom is not always the cause.
"My outlet stopped working."
A dead receptacle can be a failed device, a tripped GFCI protecting it from somewhere else in the house, a loose connection, a damaged circuit or a breaker problem. Testing establishes which before anything gets replaced.
"My breaker keeps tripping."
A breaker that keeps tripping is usually reporting something real — an overloaded circuit, a fault in the wiring, a failing appliance or a damaged device. Repeatedly resetting it is not a repair.
"My GFCI won't reset."
A GFCI that will not reset may be holding on a genuine fault downstream, or the device itself may have failed. Those are two different repairs, and testing separates them.
"Part of my house lost power."
Partial power loss can be a tripped breaker, a fault on one circuit, a problem at the panel, or something involving the service or the utility supply. Where the boundary sits determines the repair.
"My lights flicker or dim."
Flickering can come from a dimmer and lamp mismatch, a loose connection, a shared neutral issue or something further upstream. When it shows up across several rooms it matters more, not less.
"My panel is buzzing."
A buzzing or humming panel should be looked at rather than lived with. It can indicate a loose connection or a failing breaker, and those conditions can get worse rather than better.
"A switch or outlet feels warm."
Heat at a device is worth taking seriously. It can point to a loose termination, a connection carrying more current than it should, or a damaged device. Stop using it and have it checked.
"My kitchen circuit keeps tripping."
This can be the appliance, the circuit it is on, or a circuit being asked to carry more than it was originally installed for. The load and the wiring both need to be looked at.
"My garage suddenly has no power."
Garage circuits are often fed from the house, sometimes through a GFCI, an older run or a subpanel. Loss of power there can start somewhere else entirely, including outdoors.
"I smell something electrical."
A hot or burning electrical smell is urgent. Stop using the circuit and call. This is one of the conditions where waiting is the wrong decision.
More on how faults are traced is on the electrical troubleshooting page.
When a GFCI Problem Turned Out to Be the Panel
A real Portman Electric project, recorded in Riverdale, Toronto. It is the clearest illustration of why the diagnosis comes before the repair.
- 1
The initial call was about a GFCI that was not working.
- 2
Troubleshooting followed the fault back toward the panel rather than stopping at the device.
- 3
Heat damage was found at the panel, including the bus bar and a breaker connection.
- 4
Corrective panel work followed, and the panel was replaced.
A dead outlet or tripped circuit should be diagnosed before assuming the receptacle or breaker itself is the problem.
Recorded location: Riverdale, Toronto.
Heat damage found at the bus bar during troubleshooting in Riverdale, Toronto.
Quick Answer
Can a dead outlet be caused by something other than the outlet?
Yes. A dead receptacle can result from a failed device, tripped GFCI, loose connection, damaged circuit, breaker issue or another upstream fault. Testing is required before the correct repair can be determined.
Basement Renovation Electrical in Scarborough
Basement projects are one of the most common ways Scarborough homeowners add usable space, and they are also one of the most common ways a house quietly outgrows its electrical service.
Basement electrical scope
- Finished basement and recreation-space electrical
- Bedrooms where the space is being built for that use
- Home offices and dedicated work areas
- Laundry rooms and appliance circuits
- Basement bathrooms
- Basement kitchens or second kitchens where applicable
- Dedicated circuits for specific equipment
- Recessed and general lighting
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm electrical
- Electric heating circuits where that is the chosen approach
- Panel and service capacity assessment
- Planning for loads the household expects to add later
A basement renovation does not automatically require a service upgrade. It requires an assessment of the new load against the existing service.
The reason to do that calculation early is that it changes the sequence of the whole project. If the service does need to change, that is far cheaper to organise before the walls close than after the drywall is up and the flooring is in.
Quick Answer
Does a basement renovation require a 200 amp service upgrade?
Not automatically. Whether additional capacity is needed depends on the total calculated electrical demand of the home, including the new basement circuits, rather than on the renovation itself.
Electrical Work for Secondary Suites & Multi-Unit Homes
Some Scarborough homes contain additional living space, second kitchens or separate units. Portman handles the electrical scope of that work.
- Basement living-space electrical
- Secondary suite electrical scope
- Duplex arrangements
- Properties with more than one kitchen
- Shared and common-space electrical
- Laundry arrangements
- Circuits serving individual units
- Lighting throughout
- Electrical panels and distribution
What we do and don't advise on
Portman performs the electrical work. We do not provide zoning, permitting or legal advice about secondary units, and nothing on this page should be read as confirmation that a particular unit is permitted.
Requirements for secondary units involve municipal rules beyond the electrical scope, and those questions belong with the City and the relevant professionals. What we can tell you is what the electrical installation involves.
Home Renovation Electrician in Scarborough
Renovation electrical is easier, cheaper and better when it is planned rather than improvised around finishes that are already installed.
Renovation electrical scope
- Kitchen renovation electrical
- Bathroom renovation electrical
- Basement renovations
- Additions
- Whole-home renovation electrical
- Lighting redesign and layouts
- New appliance circuits
- Laundry electrical
- Heated flooring where the floor assembly supports it
- EV charging planned into the renovation
- Electrical loads associated with HVAC equipment
- Service and panel capacity review
- Planning for electrical the household expects to add later
Electrical Planning for Kitchen Renovations
Kitchens concentrate more electrical load into one room than anywhere else in a house, and modern appliance specifications are frequently well beyond what an older kitchen was wired for.
- Electric range circuits
- Induction cooktop circuits
- Wall oven circuits
- Dishwasher
- Refrigerator
- Microwave, including built-in and drawer arrangements
- Countertop receptacle circuits
- Island electrical
- Under-cabinet lighting
- Recessed and decorative lighting
- Heated flooring where the floor assembly supports it
- Panel and service capacity for the appliances actually being installed
Lighting layouts are covered under pot light installation.
EV Charger Installation in Scarborough
EV charger installations are shaped by three things: the route the circuit has to take, the distance involved, and how much electrical capacity the property actually has available. Where the charger goes — an attached garage, a detached garage, a driveway or an exterior wall — changes all three.
Attached garage
Often the shortest route, but the circuit still has to be sized for the charger and the house's existing demand.
Detached garage
A separate structure usually means a longer run, and possibly an underground route and a subpanel rather than a single circuit.
Driveway charging
Where there is no garage, the charger location, the route and the mounting arrangement all have to be worked out on site.
Exterior wall charger
An outdoor installation with equipment rated for the location and a route back to the panel.
Longer circuit routes
Distance affects conductor sizing and the practicality of the route, which is why the walk-through matters.
Underground conduit and trenching
Where the run has to cross a yard or a driveway to reach a garage or a parking pad.
Existing 100 amp service
Not an automatic blocker. The home's actual demand and the charging rate you want determine what is possible.
Existing 200 amp service
More headroom in most cases, but the calculation still has to account for everything else the house runs.
Panel space
A service can have capacity while the panel has no physical space left for the breaker the charger needs.
Load management where appropriate
Approved load-management equipment can let a charger share existing capacity instead of forcing a service upgrade.
A 100 amp service does not automatically prevent EV charger installation. The available capacity and load calculation determine the options.
Quick Answer
Can a 100 amp home support an EV charger?
Sometimes. Whether a 100 amp service can support an EV charger depends on the home's existing electrical demand and the charging rate required. Options may include installation on the existing service, a reduced charging current, load-management equipment or a service upgrade. A load calculation determines the appropriate approach.
See EV charger installation, 14-50 outlet vs hardwired chargers and ESA permits for EV chargers in Ontario.
Detached Garage Electrical in Scarborough
Detached garages are common across Scarborough's residential streets, and they raise a different set of electrical questions than a garage attached to the house.
Garage electrical scope
- Garage lighting
- Receptacles and work-area circuits
- EV charging
- A garage subpanel where the load justifies it
- Garage heater circuits where that equipment is being installed
- Exterior and yard lighting
- Underground conduit
- Trenching
- Capacity for equipment the owner plans to add later
What determines the approach
- The load the garage actually has to carry
- The distance from the house
- The available capacity at the existing service
- The physical route the run can take
- How the garage is used — parking, workshop, storage or a mix
- What electrical infrastructure already exists out there
A garage being used as a workshop with an EV charger is a different electrical problem from a garage that needs a light and a receptacle, even when both are the same distance from the house.
Underground Electrical to Garages & Backyard Equipment
Where a run has to cross a yard or driveway, it generally goes underground. Portman provides trenching and underground conduit for:
- Detached garages
- Sheds and outbuildings
- EV chargers away from the house
- Pool equipment
- Hot tubs
- Outdoor equipment and receptacles
- Landscape and exterior lighting
Underground work has to account for the route, the depth requirements, the conduit and conductors, and what else is already buried along the way. Locates matter here, and so does knowing what is under a driveway before breaking it.
Details are on the trenching and underground conduit page.
Pool, Hot Tub & Spa Electrical in Scarborough
Scarborough's lot sizes mean backyard pools and hot tubs are a genuine part of the residential electrical picture. This equipment carries specific electrical requirements.
Pool and spa electrical scope
- Pool equipment circuits
- Pool pump electrical
- Pool heater electrical connection
- Hot tub circuits
- Spa pack connections
- GFCI protection for the equipment involved
- Equipotential bonding where it applies
- Underwater lighting where that is part of the installation
- Outdoor disconnects where required
- Underground conduit out to the equipment
- Trenching
- Service and load assessment before the equipment is connected
Pool and hot tub equipment can add significant electrical load, but whether a service upgrade is required depends on the property's calculated demand.
Quick Answer
Does a hot tub require a 200 amp service?
Not necessarily. Hot tub electrical requirements depend on the equipment specifications and the home's total electrical load. Some properties can support a hot tub on their existing service, while others require additional capacity.
More detail on pool, hot tub and spa electrical. Where the equipment sits away from the house, this work usually pairs with underground conduit.
Pot Lights & Residential Lighting in Scarborough
Lighting is often the most visible part of an electrical project, and in a renovation it is best planned alongside everything else rather than added at the end.
- Basement lighting layouts
- Kitchen lighting
- Living and family room lighting
- Bedroom lighting
- Exterior soffit lighting where the construction suits it
- Dimmers and controls
- Fixture replacement and upgrades
- Renovation lighting design
- Working with the existing wiring where it stays in place
In an existing finished space, what is possible depends on what sits above the ceiling, how the existing wiring runs and what access there is. That gets established on site rather than estimated from a photograph.
Electrical Assessments & Inspections in Scarborough
An electrical assessment is a licensed contractor looking at what is actually installed and explaining it in plain terms — what is there, what condition it is in, and what the options are.
Common reasons to book one
- Buying an older Scarborough home
- An insurer asking for information about the electrical system
- A concern about fuse equipment or an older panel
- Planning a renovation
- Planning for more electrical capacity
- A wiring concern somewhere in the house
- Alterations made by a previous owner with no records
- Planning an EV charger, hot tub or other significant new load
Portman Electrical Assessment
A licensed electrical contractor examining the installation, explaining what is there, what condition it is in and what your options are. This is the service Portman provides.
ESA Inspection
A regulatory inspection carried out by the Electrical Safety Authority in connection with notified electrical work. Portman handles the notification and inspection process where the work requires it, but our assessment is not an ESA inspection and does not replace one.
General Home Inspection
A whole-property inspection covering many building systems, usually during a purchase. It is broader than electrical and is a different service from an electrical contractor's assessment.
Aluminum Wiring in Scarborough Homes
Aluminum branch-circuit wiring was used in some Canadian homes during a period in the 1960s and 1970s. It is not present in every home from that era, and where it is present it is not automatically a defect.
As part of an electrical assessment, Portman identifies aluminum branch-circuit wiring where it is present, looks for the connection and termination problems associated with it, and explains the approved repair options along with what insurers commonly ask for.
Background reading: aluminum wiring inspection and repair.
The presence of aluminum wiring is a finding, not a verdict.
What matters is the condition of the terminations and connections, and what the specific installation needs — which is exactly what an assessment is for. See the electrical safety inspection page.
Electrical Service for Scarborough Condos & Apartment Buildings
Scarborough has substantial apartment and multi-residential housing alongside its houses, and suite electrical is a category of its own.
Inside a unit
- Electrical troubleshooting inside the unit
- Outlets, switches and devices
- Lighting and fixture work
- Breaker problems
- Renovation electrical within the suite
At the building level
- Suite service calls
- Common-area electrical
- Corridor, stairwell and amenity lighting
- Electrical troubleshooting
- Planned upgrades
- Electrical repairs
Suite electrical and building or common electrical are not always the same system. Part of the work can be establishing which side a problem sits on — and building access or property manager coordination may be required before work can begin.
Property Management Electrician in Scarborough
Portman provides electrical service for property managers, landlords and building owners across Toronto, covering both the residential and commercial sides of a portfolio.
Who we work with
- Apartment property managers
- Condominium property managers
- Commercial property managers
- Landlords
- Building owners
- Facility managers
Services provided
- Electrical service calls
- Suite troubleshooting
- Common-area electrical
- Lighting and lighting upgrades
- Panels and distribution
- Breaker replacement and repairs
- Tenant renovations
- Commercial unit electrical
- Parking area electrical
- Planned and scheduled upgrades
- Electrical assessments
- Emergency electrical faults
Documented parking garage repair
A recorded Portman project in Toronto involved damaged conduit and conductors in a parking garage, with the raceway and conductors replaced and the lighting restored. Parking areas are a routine part of managed-property electrical work.
Portman does not offer fixed maintenance contracts or retainer arrangements. Work is attended or quoted as it comes up.
Read the full project →Recorded location: Toronto.
More detail on the property management electrician page.
Commercial Electrician in Scarborough
Scarborough is not only residential. It has extensive retail plazas, offices, restaurants, industrial and mixed-use property, and Portman is licensed for commercial work as well as residential.
Commercial electrical scope
- Commercial electrical troubleshooting
- Commercial service calls
- Lighting and lighting upgrades
- Dedicated circuits
- Equipment circuits
- Commercial panels and sub-panels
- Electrical distribution work
- Tenant improvements and fit-outs
- Commercial renovations
- Emergency electrical
- Electrical work for managed commercial properties
Commercial Electrical Service Calls
- Part of the business lost power
- A breaker keeps tripping
- Equipment has no power
- Lighting stopped working
- A dedicated circuit is needed for new equipment
- A panel or breaker is overheating
- A retail or office space is being renovated
- It is unclear whether the problem is tenant equipment or building electrical
Commercial Panels & Distribution
- Breakers
- Panels and sub-panels
- Feeders
- Disconnects
- Equipment circuits
- Distribution troubleshooting
Documented commercial fuse box replacement
A recorded Portman project in an older St. Clair West building involved a commercial tenant space served by two aging fuse boxes, where an oversized upstream breaker was identified. The work was carried out during a planned building shutdown, with the fuse equipment replaced and new circuits installed.
Read the full project →Recorded location: St. Clair West, Toronto.
Emergency Electrician Serving Scarborough
Some electrical conditions should not wait for a scheduled appointment.
Call immediately for
- A burning electrical smell
- Visible arcing
- Sparks from a device, panel or fixture
- A panel that is overheating
- Loss of power affecting the property
- Damage to the electrical service
- Storm damage to electrical equipment
- Water around electrical equipment
- A main breaker problem
Same-day and after-hours service may be available depending on location, access, the nature of the problem and current scheduling.
Portman is owner-operated. Rather than advertise a guaranteed response time we would rather tell you honestly what is possible when you call.
Storm Damage & Service Repairs
Winter storms can damage overhead service equipment. In one documented Portman project recorded in Toronto, a December 27 winter storm damaged a home's overhead service mast; Portman attended, carried out the repair and power was restored that evening. That project record explicitly notes it is not a guarantee of response time — conditions during a storm vary.
Read the full project →Recorded location: Toronto.
Common Electrical Projects in Scarborough Homes
Ten situations that come up regularly, and what the sensible first step is in each.
"Our older house still has a fuse box."
Establish the condition of the panel equipment, the actual size of the electrical service and what the house is really drawing. Those are three separate questions and the answers do not always point the same way.
"We have 100 amp service and want an EV charger."
Calculate the load before assuming a 200 amp upgrade. Depending on the result, the existing service, a lower charging current or approved load management may all be workable.
"We're finishing the basement."
Plan the circuits, lighting and loads early, and add them to the whole-house assessment before deciding whether the service needs to change at all.
"We want an EV charger in a detached garage."
Look at the route, the feeder, whether the run goes underground, and how much capacity is genuinely available before pricing the work.
"Our breaker keeps tripping."
Troubleshoot before replacing parts. A breaker that trips repeatedly is usually reporting a real condition somewhere on the circuit.
"We're renovating the kitchen."
Plan around the actual appliance specifications rather than assuming the existing kitchen circuits can carry whatever gets installed.
"We're installing a hot tub."
Look at the circuit the equipment needs, the outdoor installation requirements and how much electrical capacity the property actually has available.
"Part of the house suddenly lost power."
Determine whether the fault sits on a branch circuit, at the panel, in the service equipment or on the utility side. That boundary decides who fixes it.
"We manage an apartment building with recurring electrical calls."
Attend the calls, and where a pattern is showing, identify the underlying condition so it can be corrected as planned work rather than repeated as emergencies.
"Our commercial space needs a new equipment circuit."
Assess the equipment specifications against the existing distribution before committing to a circuit design.
Repair, Replace the Panel or Upgrade the Service?
These are four different answers to what can look like the same problem. Which one applies is determined by assessment, not by the age of the property.
Troubleshoot / Repair
Potentially appropriate when:
- The issue is localized
- One circuit or device has failed
- The existing infrastructure remains suitable
Panel Replacement
Potentially appropriate when:
- The panel equipment is damaged
- Fuse or older breaker equipment needs modernizing
- Additional breaker space is needed
- Equipment condition is the concern
Service Upgrade
Potentially appropriate when:
- Calculated demand requires more capacity
- Major new loads are being added
- The service equipment needs broader modernization
Load Management
Potentially appropriate for certain new loads when:
- Existing service capacity is limited
- The equipment is compatible with the intended installation
The right option is determined by assessment — not by the age of the home or the presence of a fuse panel.
Do You Need a Service Call or an Estimate?
Knowing which one you need makes the first conversation much faster.
Service Call
Best when something has stopped working and needs to be diagnosed:
- No power
- A dead receptacle
- A breaker that keeps tripping
- A GFCI problem
- Troubleshooting
- An electrical fault
- A minor repair
Project Estimate
Best when the work is planned and can be scoped in advance:
- A panel or service upgrade
- A renovation
- An EV charger
- Pool or hot tub electrical
- A basement project
- Garage electrical
- A commercial renovation
- Planned property-management work
If you are not sure which category you are in, call and describe the situation — that is usually enough to sort it out in a minute.
Getting an Electrical Quote in Scarborough
Photos and a short description let us give a far more useful answer on the first call. Text them to 647-835-7757 — and never remove a panel cover to take a picture.
Panel or service upgrade
- A photo of the electrical panel from a safe distance, with the cover closed
- The main breaker or service rating if it is safely visible
- A photo of the meter equipment
- A photo of the exterior service entrance
- A list of the new electrical loads you are planning
EV charger
- A photo of the panel with the cover closed
- The charger make and model
- Where you want the charger mounted
- Whether it is a garage, driveway or exterior wall location
- Roughly where the cable would have to run
- The existing service size if you know it
Renovation
- Plans or drawings if you have them
- Photos of the rooms involved
- Appliance specifications
- The scope of the renovation
- Any significant new electrical loads
Basement
- Photos of the existing basement
- The proposed layout
- Whether a kitchen, laundry or electric heating is part of the plan
- Drawings where you have them
Pool or hot tub
- The equipment specifications
- Where the equipment is going
- Where the electrical panel is
- Roughly where the cable would have to run
- Your pool or hot tub contractor's details if there is one involved
Troubleshooting
- What stopped working
- When it started
- Whether a breaker or GFCI has tripped
- Any visible damage
- Whether there is heat or a burning smell
Photograph the panel with the cover closed, from a safe distance. Do not open panel covers or remove any electrical equipment to take a photo.
Serving Scarborough Neighbourhoods
Portman Electric serves Scarborough and the surrounding Toronto area. Coverage includes:
- Agincourt
- Wexford
- Bendale
- Scarborough Junction
- Kennedy Park
- Cliffside
- Birch Cliff
- Guildwood
- Scarborough Village
- West Hill
- Highland Creek
- Malvern
- Rouge
- Port Union
- Centennial Scarborough
Portman also serves neighbouring parts of the city. Nearby pages include East York, The Beaches and Riverdale and Leslieville.
Why Choose Portman Electric in Scarborough?
Licensed Electrical Contractor
Portman Electric is an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor, Licence #7018049. Family-owned, owner-operated and fully insured, with over 15 years of trade experience.
Master Electrician
The work is carried out under a Master Electrician, and we are WSIB covered.
Residential and Commercial
Licensed for both, which matters in Scarborough — a bungalow, an apartment suite and a plaza unit can all go to the same contractor.
Panel and Service Experience
Including a documented 60 amp fuse service rebuilt to 200 amps with the meter relocated outside and a new panel installed.
Troubleshooting Experience
Including a documented Riverdale call that began as a GFCI problem and ended at a panel with heat damage behind it.
Load Calculated Before Capacity Is Sold
We work out what the property actually draws before recommending a larger service. Sometimes the answer is that you do not need one.
EV Charging
EV charger installation, including chargers planned into renovations and installations that need a route out to a garage.
Pool, Hot Tub and Spa
A dedicated pool, hot tub and spa electrical service, including the underground runs that often come with it.
Property Management
Service calls, suite work, common areas and planned electrical work for managers, landlords and building owners.
ESA and Toronto Hydro Coordination
Where work requires notification, inspection or utility coordination, we handle that process as part of the job.
Portman Electric backs its work with a workmanship warranty. Documented projects are on the projects page — none are recorded in Scarborough yet.
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
"Joshua was experienced, professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. He showed up on time, updated us as he worked, and explained everything! He worked efficiently and cleaned up beautifully. Will definitely use his services again!"
"Very professional and knowledgeable team of folks. Upgraded my electrical panel to 200 amp and added a Tesla charger in less than a day. Highly recommend!"
"Showed up on time, wired up my 3-phase motor had it running faster than I thought. Will be using Portman Electric again."
Scarborough Electrical FAQ
Direct answers to the questions Scarborough homeowners, landlords and business owners ask most.
Does Portman Electric serve Scarborough?
Yes. Portman Electric provides licensed residential and commercial electrical services throughout Scarborough and Toronto. That includes electrical service calls and troubleshooting, panel replacement and service upgrades, renovation and basement electrical, EV charger installation, garage and outdoor electrical, pool and hot tub electrical, lighting, electrical assessments, emergency electrical work, commercial electrical and electrical service for property managers. Portman Electric is an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor, Licence #7018049. We serve Scarborough — the business is not headquartered there.
How do I find a licensed electrician in Scarborough?
Check that the company is an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor. In Ontario, electrical contracting is licensed by the Electrical Safety Authority, and every licensed contractor has a licence number you can verify with the ESA before hiring. Ask for that number rather than relying on the word "licensed" in an advertisement. It is also worth confirming insurance and, where the work requires it, that the contractor will file the ESA notification. Portman Electric is an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor, Licence #7018049, and is fully insured and WSIB covered.
Does Portman handle residential electrical service calls in Scarborough?
Yes, and service calls are a large part of the work. Typical calls include a dead outlet, a breaker that keeps tripping, a GFCI that will not reset, part of the house losing power, flickering or dimming lights, a warm switch or receptacle, a buzzing panel, a kitchen circuit that trips repeatedly or a garage that has lost power. The approach is to test first and identify the actual cause, because the symptom is often not the fault. Repairs follow from what the testing finds rather than from replacing the most obvious component.
Does an older Scarborough bungalow automatically need an electrical upgrade?
No. The age of a house does not determine whether its electrical system needs work. What matters is the condition of the existing equipment and wiring, the capacity of the electrical service, and the electrical demand the household actually places on it. Some post-war homes have had their service and panel modernized already. Others have original equipment that is genuinely at the end of its life. Some sit in between, with an upgraded kitchen connected back to older infrastructure. The installation has to be assessed before anyone can say what, if anything, needs to change.
Can Portman replace an old fuse box?
Yes. Fuse box replacement and panel changes are a documented Portman service. It is worth understanding that the fuse panel and the size of the electrical service are two separate things. A house can have older fuse equipment on a service that is adequate, a modern panel on a small service, or older equipment throughout. The assessment establishes the condition of the panel, the actual service capacity and the loads involved, which then determines whether the job is a panel replacement or a broader service upgrade.
Can Portman upgrade a Scarborough house from 100 amps to 200 amps?
Yes, where the assessment supports it. A 100 to 200 amp upgrade is more than a panel swap: depending on the property it can involve the panel, meter equipment, service conductors, grounding and bonding, and the service entrance equipment. Where the supply itself is affected, it requires coordination with Toronto Hydro, and the work requires ESA notification and inspection. Portman handles that process. The first step is establishing whether the upgrade is actually the right answer, which comes from calculating the property's electrical demand rather than assuming.
What's the difference between replacing a panel and upgrading to 200 amps?
A panel replacement changes the distribution equipment inside the house — the panel and its breakers — and the electrical service capacity can stay exactly the same. Reasons include damaged equipment, modernizing fuse equipment to breakers, or simply having no breaker space left. A full service upgrade changes the capacity of the electrical service itself, and can involve the panel plus the meter equipment, service conductors, grounding and bonding, the service entrance equipment, Toronto Hydro coordination and ESA inspection. They are different jobs with different scopes, and the right one depends on the property.
Does a basement renovation require 200 amp service?
No, not automatically. A basement renovation adds electrical load, but whether that load requires additional service capacity depends on what the rest of the house is already drawing. The new lighting, receptacle circuits, laundry, bathroom, heating or second kitchen should be added to the home's overall load assessment, and that calculation determines whether the existing service is adequate. Some basement renovations proceed on the existing service. Others genuinely do need more capacity. Establishing which before the work starts avoids both an unnecessary upgrade and a mid-project surprise.
Can a 100 amp Scarborough home support an EV charger?
Possibly. A 100 amp service does not automatically rule out an EV charger. What matters is the home's existing electrical demand and the charging rate you actually want. Depending on the assessment, the options can include installing on the existing service, selecting a lower charging current, using approved load-management equipment so the charger shares available capacity, or upgrading the service. There is also a separate practical question: the service can have capacity while the panel has no physical space left for another breaker. Both get checked.
Can Portman install an EV charger in a detached garage?
Yes, where the site conditions allow it. A detached garage usually means a longer circuit run than an attached garage, and often an underground route. The design depends on the load, the distance, the available capacity at the existing service, the physical route the run can take and what electrical infrastructure already exists in the garage. Depending on the scope it may involve a subpanel in the garage rather than a single circuit, along with trenching and underground conduit. This is worked out on site rather than estimated blind.
Can Portman wire a basement renovation?
Yes. Basement and renovation electrical is a documented Portman service. Scope can include lighting, receptacle circuits, dedicated circuits for specific equipment, laundry, a basement bathroom, a basement or second kitchen where that is part of the plan, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm electrical, and electric heating circuits where that is the chosen approach. It also includes the capacity question — how the new loads affect the panel and service. Electrical planning should happen before the finishes close the walls and ceilings, particularly where the renovation is adding significant new load.
Does Portman install pot lights?
Yes. Pot light installation is a dedicated Portman service, covering basements, kitchens, living areas and bedrooms, along with dimmers, controls and exterior soffit lighting where the construction suits it. In a renovation the lighting layout is best planned alongside the rest of the electrical, before the ceilings close. In an existing finished space it depends on what is above the ceiling and how the existing wiring is arranged, which is established on site rather than assumed.
Can Portman provide electrical for a pool or hot tub?
Yes. Portman has a dedicated pool, hot tub and spa electrical service. Scope can include pool equipment and pump circuits, the electrical connection for a pool heater, hot tub circuits, spa pack connections, GFCI protection, equipotential bonding where it applies, underwater lighting where that is part of the installation, outdoor disconnects where required, and the underground conduit and trenching needed to reach equipment away from the house. The electrical capacity available at the property is assessed as part of planning the installation.
Does a hot tub automatically require a service upgrade?
No. Pool and hot tub equipment can add significant electrical load, but whether a service upgrade is needed depends on the property's total calculated demand and the specifications of the equipment actually being installed. Some properties have enough available capacity. Others do not. The assessment considers what the house already draws alongside what the new equipment will add, and the recommendation follows from that calculation rather than from the presence of a hot tub.
Can Portman troubleshoot partial power loss?
Yes. Partial power loss — where some of the property has power and some does not — is a common troubleshooting call. The cause can be a tripped breaker, a fault on one branch circuit, a problem at the panel, an issue with the service equipment, or something on the utility side of the connection. Establishing where the boundary sits matters, because it determines whether this is an electrical contractor's repair or something that has to go to Toronto Hydro. Testing identifies that rather than guesswork.
Can a dead outlet indicate a larger electrical problem?
Sometimes, which is why it is worth testing rather than assuming. Most dead receptacles turn out to be a failed device, a tripped GFCI protecting that outlet from elsewhere, or a loose connection — all straightforward repairs. Occasionally the trail leads somewhere more significant. One documented Portman call, recorded in Riverdale, Toronto, started as a GFCI that would not work and ended at the panel, where heat damage was found at the bus bar and a breaker connection. That is not the usual outcome, but it is the reason the diagnosis comes before the repair.
Does Portman perform electrical inspections in Scarborough?
Portman provides electrical assessments — a licensed electrical contractor examining the installation, explaining what is there and what condition it is in, and setting out the options. Common reasons include buying an older home, an insurer asking for information, a concern about fuse equipment or an older panel, renovation planning, or planning a major new load. It is worth being clear about the distinction: a Portman assessment is not an ESA inspection, which is a regulatory inspection connected to notified work, and it is not a general home inspection either. It does not replace either one.
Does Portman work with Scarborough property managers?
Yes. Portman Electric provides residential and commercial electrical services for property managers in Toronto, including electrical service calls, suite troubleshooting, common-area electrical, lighting, panels and breakers, tenant renovations, commercial unit electrical, parking area electrical, planned upgrades and emergency electrical faults. Being licensed for both residential and commercial work means a residential suite and a commercial unit in the same portfolio can go to one contractor. Portman does not offer fixed service contracts or retainer arrangements — work is attended or quoted as it comes up.
Does Portman perform commercial electrical work in Scarborough?
Yes. Commercial electrical is a documented part of Portman's work, and Scarborough has extensive retail plazas, offices, restaurants, industrial and mixed-use property alongside its residential areas. Scope can include commercial troubleshooting and service calls, lighting and lighting upgrades, dedicated and equipment circuits, commercial panels and sub-panels, distribution work, tenant improvements and fit-outs, renovations and emergency electrical. One documented project, recorded in an older St. Clair West building in Toronto, involved a commercial tenant space where two aging fuse boxes were replaced and an oversized upstream breaker was corrected during a planned building shutdown.
Does Portman work in apartment and condo buildings?
Yes. Inside an individual unit that can mean troubleshooting, outlets and switches, lighting, breaker problems and renovation electrical. At the building level it can mean suite service calls, common-area electrical, corridor and amenity lighting, planned upgrades and repairs. One thing worth knowing is that suite electrical and common or base-building electrical are not always the same system, so part of the job can be establishing which side a problem sits on. Building access and coordination with the property manager may be required before work can start.
Can Portman handle electrical emergency calls in Scarborough?
Yes. Urgent conditions worth calling about immediately include a burning electrical smell, visible arcing or sparks, an overheating panel, sudden loss of power to the property, damage to the electrical service, storm damage and water around electrical equipment. Same-day and after-hours service may be available depending on location, access, the nature of the problem and current scheduling. Portman is owner-operated, so rather than advertise a guaranteed response time we would rather tell you honestly what is possible when you call 647-835-7757.
Does electrical work in Scarborough require an ESA inspection?
It depends on the type and scope of the work. Not every job requires notification — a straightforward service call to diagnose and repair a fault generally does not. Work such as a panel replacement, a service upgrade, new circuits or a renovation rough-in typically does require ESA notification and inspection. Requirements are set by the type of work rather than by the neighbourhood, so they are the same in Scarborough as anywhere else in Ontario. Where the work requires it, Portman files the notification and handles the inspection process as part of the job.
How much does an electrician cost in Scarborough?
There is no Scarborough-specific rate — pricing is the same as anywhere else Portman works. What actually moves the cost is the work itself: whether it is a service call or a planned project, how much troubleshooting time is involved, materials, how accessible the work area is, the length of circuit runs, what panel or service equipment is required, the electrical load, whether ESA notification is needed, whether Toronto Hydro has to be involved and what stage a renovation is at. Send photos and a description and we can be far more specific.
Need an Electrician in Scarborough?
Portman Electric provides licensed residential and commercial electrical services throughout Scarborough and Toronto — service calls, troubleshooting, panel and service upgrades, EV chargers, renovations, pool and hot tub electrical, commercial work and property-management electrical.
Text photos of your panel or the problem — 647-835-7757
ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor · Licence #7018049