Ceiling fan installation
Need a ceiling fan installed, replaced, or added to a new room? The Wire Guys handles the complete installation, including new wiring, wall switches, light connections, and any required electrical permits.
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Licensed Electrical Contractor
Licensed and insured in British Columbia.
WorkSafeBC Registered
Active and in good standing.
BBB Accredited
Accredited since 2023.
Canadian family owned, working across British Columbia since 2019.
Get a quoteWhat affects a ceiling fan installation?
Every ceiling fan needs a secure, fan-rated electrical box and the proper wiring to power and control it. The size of the job mainly depends on what is already in place.
- If the existing ceiling box is designed only for a light fixture, we may need to replace it with a fan-rated box.
- If there is no wiring or wall switch where you want the fan installed, we can add them as part of the job.
- Estimates are free. Our rate is $135 per hour for a Red Seal electrician and helper.
Do I need an electrician to install a ceiling fan, or can I do it myself?
A handy homeowner can install a ceiling fan when the box in the ceiling is already made to carry one and the fan runs from the existing wall switch. The box is where it stops being a simple job. In BC, if you own and live in a fully detached house, you can do this wiring yourself under a homeowner permit.
Bring in an electrician to install ceiling fans if any of these is true:
- The box is not marked as made for a fan, or you cannot tell until the light comes down.
- There is no fixture or wiring where you want the fan to hang.
- You live in a strata unit, a duplex or a rental. The homeowner permit does not cover those.
- The wall switch is a light dimmer, which is not built to run a fan motor.
In any of those cases, we fit the fan-rated box, run the wiring and pull the permit whenever the work needs one.
The three questions
Can you replace a light fixture with a ceiling fan?
Yes, a light fixture can be replaced with a ceiling fan when the box in the ceiling is made to carry a fan. If the box was made only for a light, we replace it with a fan-rated box and fix it to the wood framing above the ceiling.
A light just hangs there. A fan moves, so it pulls on its box and shakes it every time it runs. A ceiling fan with light also adds the weight of the light. An ordinary light box is not a ceiling fan box and is not built for that. The right box keeps the fan steady and quiet. The same goes for a ceiling fan replacement, if the new fan is heavier than the old one.
If we find old knob and tube wiring behind the box, we tell you and get your approval before doing anything about it.
Ceiling fan installation cost: what changes the price
We charge by the hour: $135 an hour for a Red Seal electrician plus a helper. Many jobs have a flat rate, and we will happily come out for a single fan.
What changes the total:
- A box already made for a fan is less work than a light-only box that has to be swapped.
- A new spot needs new wiring run to it and a switch on the wall.
- A room with attic access above it is easier to work in than one with a finished ceiling and no attic.
- A high or sloped ceiling adds time.
You get the quote in writing before any work starts. A quote is priced on what we can see, and if the scope changes, we tell you before we do it, not after.
A fan that wobbles, hums or will not run needs ceiling fan repair, which starts with electrical troubleshooting and repair. Estimates for new work are free. Finding a fault is different. It costs $165 for a 45-minute diagnostic, which tells you what the problem is and how we will fix it.
Do you need a permit to install a ceiling fan?
You never have to deal with the permit or the inspector on your own: we get the permit whenever the work needs one and are there for the inspection.
Technical Safety BC's guidance says any light fixture that is permanently installed needs a permit, and that includes a ceiling fan that has a light. Installing or moving a wall switch also needs a permit, so a fan without a light needs one too when it comes with a new switch. In Chilliwack, Langley, Mission and Abbotsford, electrical permits come from Technical Safety BC. In Vancouver, they come from the City of Vancouver instead.
If an inspection does not pass on our work, we put it right, call the inspector back, and we cover the cost.
Where there is no fixture yet
Ceiling fan installation without existing wiring
Putting a fan where there is no fixture takes four pieces of work, and each one adds to the job:
- We put a fan-rated box in the new spot and fix it to the framing.
- We run new ceiling fan wiring to that box from a power source in the house.
- We add a ceiling fan switch on the wall that controls the fan speed. An ordinary light dimmer is not built for a fan motor and can make it overheat.
- If there is an attic above, we run the cable in from there. If not, we have to open the ceiling to get it through.
- Wall switch: a fan-speed control
- New cable: from the switch to the ceiling
- Box: fixed to the framing, carrying the fan
If you are renovating, the easiest time to add a fan is while the ceilings are open, along with the rest of the electrical work for a renovation. If you want light there rather than a breeze, the same work can power a new light fixture or pot lights instead. For a steamy bathroom, you want a bathroom exhaust fan.
Our ceiling fan installation process
Before any work starts, we explain what your fan needs, including whether the ceiling box is rated to hold it. If we find anything unexpected, we talk it through with you and get your approval before any extra work begins.
Once you approve the work, we fit a fan-rated box where one is needed, wire the fan and its wall control, and hang the fan. Any work an apprentice does is checked by a Red Seal electrician or a Field Safety Representative. Then we test the fan and show you it works at the wall switch before we leave.
What happens if something is not right after we leave?
We come back to any ceiling fan we installed that is not working the way it should, and the number to call is 778-708-0451. The guarantee is one year on new construction and six months on renovations.
If something we installed is not right, we come back.
What our customers say
Our Google profile shows 4.7 stars across 137 reviews. Here are two customers who hired us for ceiling fans:
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I spoke with Jas to set up installing a 36 inch ceiling fan. Two guys arrived on time and did a great job with the installation and installing a switch. They even offered to sweep up the little bits of dust from the install. Excellent prices and professionally run.
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Jas and his team installed a couple of ceiling fans for us, which involved cutting open the ceiling and rerouting wires. He was polite, knowledgeable, and thorough. Even after the job was done, he took the time to address any remaining concerns we had. Would happily work with him again and recommend to others.
Frequently asked questions
Any questions? Call 778-708-0451The Wire Guys Electrical Ltd. is a licensed electrical contractor serving Abbotsford, Vancouver, Victoria and communities across the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Greater Victoria, handling residential and commercial electrical work for homeowners, landlords and business owners in British Columbia.
What is a fan-rated electrical box, and how do I tell if mine is one?
A fan-rated electrical box is built to hold a ceiling fan, not just a light, and the company that made it marks it that way. The marking is on the box itself, so the light has to come down before anyone can read it. If a box has no such marking, treat it as a light box.
Can a handyman put up a ceiling fan?
Not in BC, unless the handyman holds an electrical contractor licence. This wiring has to be done by a licensed electrical contractor. The one exception is a homeowner working on the fully detached house they live in, under a homeowner permit. We are a licensed electrical contractor, so we can also do this work in a strata unit, a duplex or a rental suite.
Why is my ceiling fan wobbling?
A ceiling fan that wobbles is usually loose at the mount, or hanging from a box that was never made for a fan. We check both: the mount, and the box it hangs from. A fan that keeps wobbling is a fault. Estimates for new work are free. Tracking down a fault costs $165 for a 45-minute diagnostic, which shows what is wrong and what the fix will be.
How long does it take to install a ceiling fan?
It depends on what is already in the ceiling. Hanging a fan on a fan-rated box that uses the existing switch is the quicker job. A new box, new wiring and a new wall switch take longer. It takes longer again if the ceiling has to be opened to get the cable through.
Other electrical services we offer
Same licence on every one of them, with the permit and inspection wherever one applies.
Book your ceiling fan work.
Call 778-708-0451 or request a callback. It helps to tell us what is on the ceiling now, whether there is an attic above, roughly how high the ceiling is and how many fans you want.