Updated October 2026
Straight answer
Yes. We work throughout Newton on repairs, panel and service upgrades, and wiring for additions, dormers and accessory dwelling units. Most of the bigger projects start with one question: can the existing service carry the new space plus the heat pump, induction range or EV charger the owner plans to add? We answer that with a load calculation before the design is final. Phones are answered 24/7.
Can the existing service carry an addition?
Many older Newton houses started with a 60 or 100 amp service and have been expanded once or twice since. A new family room or primary suite adds lighting, outlets, and often a new heating and cooling zone. Stack an EV charger and electric cooking on top and the old service runs out of capacity on paper before it does in daily use. The load calculation tells us which side of that line you are on.
When an upgrade is needed, it is easier to plan it with the addition than after it. The meter may move with the new footprint, the service entrance cable may need a new path, and the panel may relocate to a better wall. We coordinate the Eversource work and the city wiring inspection with your builder's schedule, so the framing crew is not left waiting on power.
Newton villages and the push to add housing
Village centers across Newton may get taller buildings as the city plans under the state housing law, and plenty of homeowners are drawing up plans of their own: an accessory apartment over the garage, a finished third floor, a two-family conversion. Every one of those adds load. Some need a bigger service, a second meter or a subpanel in the new space. Massachusetts has electrification-linked help for panel work in 2026, but who qualifies varies from one program to the next, so we write up the panel scope early and you can check eligibility before the design is locked.
Wiring an ADU or a unit over the garage
An accessory unit is a small house of its own, electrically. It needs its own panel, a properly sized feeder from the main service, and the kitchen, bath, laundry and smoke alarm circuits any dwelling gets. The first design decision is whether the unit gets a subpanel fed from the main house or a separate meter. That choice affects cost, billing and how the property might be used later.
Detached units add a trench and a run of conduit, so feeder size and distance both matter. We calculate voltage drop on long runs and size the wire to match, plan grounding at the new structure, and leave spare capacity for the heat pump the unit will almost certainly get. Rough-in happens after framing and before insulation, and we book the inspection for that stage.
The older house behind the new work
An addition connects new wiring to old. When we open the wall where the extension meets the house, we often find original circuits, ungrounded outlets or a junction buried behind plaster. Those are worth handling while the area is open. We point them out with photos, price them separately, and let you decide what to fix now and what to leave alone.
The same goes for the panel. A new addition might fit on the existing service, yet the panel itself may be a brand with a poor record, such as Federal Pacific with Stab-Lok breakers. Replacing it during the project avoids a second disruption later. We give you the reasons and the trade-off, not a list of add-ons.
Electrical work behind Newton renovation projects
Home Addition & ADU Wiring
Feeders, rough-in and trim-out for extensions, dormers and accessory units.
Electrical Panel Upgrade
More capacity planned together with the addition, not after it.
Subpanel Installation
A dedicated panel for the new wing or the unit over the garage.
Smart Panel & Load Management
A way to add big loads when a full service upgrade is not worth it.
EV Charger Installation
Charger circuits sized into the plan while the walls are still open.
Federal Pacific & Zinsco Panel Replacement
Old panels with a poor record, swapped during the project.
Tell us what is happening and where. We answer day and night.
Call (617) 843-6591Questions from Newton homeowners planning a project
Before the plans are final. A load calculation and a look at the service location can change where the meter goes or whether an upgrade is needed, and both are cheaper to plan than to fix during framing.
Not always. Many are fed from a subpanel on the main service. A separate meter can make sense for billing or future rental use. We explain the electrical side of each option, and zoning questions go to the city.
Sometimes. It depends on the existing loads, the size of the heat pump and whether you add an EV charger or electric range. A load calculation gives the answer in numbers instead of guesses.
We file the permit on work that needs one and book the city wiring inspection at rough-in and at final. If Eversource needs to disconnect or reconnect the service, we coordinate that too.
Yes. Phones are answered 24/7 for urgent problems such as dead circuits, burning smells or storm damage to the service.