Montclair has some of the oldest, most beautiful houses we work in, and the wiring to match.
Knob and tube country
Many Montclair homes went up between the 1880s and the 1930s: Victorians, Tudors, foursquares and big colonials. A lot of them still have knob and tube or early ungrounded cable somewhere in the walls, often spliced into newer circuits over a century of renovations. We replace it with modern grounded wiring, working through closets, floors and existing chases to protect plaster and trim wherever we can.
Renovations that need power
Kitchen renovations, finished third floors and new primary baths in these houses almost always outgrow the original service. We plan the panel, the circuits and the lighting together, so the renovation isn’t limited by what the house had in 1920.
Light that suits the architecture
Older homes reward good lighting: chandeliers hung true under ceiling medallions, sconces on old plaster, recessed and linear lighting that doesn’t fight the trim. That’s the kind of work in our own photos, and it’s a big part of what we do in Montclair.
Montclair Q&A
Questions from Montclair.
Will my Montclair insurer cover a house with knob and tube?
Some insurers won’t write a new policy, or will charge more, when knob and tube is still in use. Ask your carrier directly. If it needs to go, we replace it and you get documentation for the insurer.
Can you rewire an old Montclair house without tearing out the plaster?
Mostly, yes. Rewiring an old house always means some openings, but careful routing through basements, attics, closets and floors keeps them small and few. We plan the runs before we start and tell you where openings will be.
Can I put an EV charger in a detached garage?
Usually. It depends on the panel’s capacity and the distance to the garage, which often means a new feeder or a subpanel. We check both and price it before any work begins.