GFCI outlet installation
Need GFCI outlets added or old outlets replaced? The Wire Guys installs GFCI and tamper-resistant outlets in kitchens, bathrooms and outdoor spaces across British Columbia, and pulls any required electrical permit.
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Licensed Electrical Contractor
Licensed and insured in British Columbia.
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Accredited since 2023.
Canadian family owned, working across British Columbia since 2019.
Get a quoteWhat does fitting a GFCI involve, and what does it protect you from?
GFCI outlet installation puts an outlet in place that cuts the power when current leaks where it should not, such as through a person's wet hand at a kitchen sink. The outlet compares the current going out with the current coming back, and it trips when the two differ. A Class A GFCI, the standard type in Canadian homes, trips on a ground fault of about 5 milliamps.
- We charge $135 an hour for a Red Seal electrician plus a helper, and the estimate is free.
- We fit tamper-resistant outlets as standard, so a child cannot push a key or a pin into one slot.
Can I install a GFCI outlet myself, or do I need an electrician?
Installing a GFCI outlet yourself is realistic when the job is a straight swap: an existing outlet replaced in the same box, with one cable coming in and a ground wire present. Many handy homeowners do that swap with the manufacturer's instructions. The rule that lets an outlet be replaced without a permit is written for licensed contractors, so check whether your own swap needs a homeowner permit before you start.
Call us when you find any of these, because each takes the job past a straight swap and is where most people bring in an electrician to install GFCI outlets:
- The old outlet has only two prongs, or there is no ground wire in the box.
- You want to add an outlet or move one, rather than replace one that is already there, and that work needs a permit.
- More than one cable runs into the box, and you cannot tell which one brings the power in.
- The new GFCI will not come on after you fit it.
The three questions
GFCI outlet installation cost: what changes the price
We price GFCI outlet work on time: $135 an hour for a Red Seal electrician plus a helper, with flat rates on many jobs. The estimate is free, whether it is one outlet or a full rewire, and you get the quote in writing before any work starts.
A swap into the same box is the quickest job, while a new spot needs new cable and an electrical permit. An old two-prong outlet or aluminum wiring in older homes adds work before the GFCI goes in, and so do finished walls and outdoor outlets.
A quote is priced on what we can see, and if the scope changes we tell you before we do it, not after. The free estimate does not cover tracing a fault. Tracing an electrical fault in an existing GFCI that has stopped working is $165 for 45 minutes, and it tells you what is wrong and how we will fix it.
We can do other rooms on the same visit, including a new electrical outlet installation where there is none today. For a quote, tell us how many outlets you need, which rooms they are in, whether each is a swap or a new spot, the age of the home, and whether the outlets take two prongs or three. Call us on 778-708-0451.
Where do you need GFCI protection, and does every outlet need its own?
The Canadian Electrical Code as adopted in BC sets three places where outlets installed today need it:
- Any outlet within 1.5 m of a kitchen sink needs it.
- Any outlet within 1.5 m of a bathtub, shower or bathroom basin needs it.
- Outdoor outlets within 2.5 m of finished grade need it.
Beyond those three, electricians commonly add GFCI protection in damp or unfinished spaces such as garages, unfinished basements and laundry areas.
Not every outlet needs its own GFCI, because one GFCI can protect the outlets wired after it on the same circuit. An outdoor GFCI outlet also takes a weather-resistant receptacle and an in-use cover.
If a home inspection flagged outlets missing GFCI protection, we add it, and we carry out a full electrical safety inspection when the report raised more than that.
Tamper-resistant outlets: why a plug won't go in
Spring-loaded shutters open only when both prongs press in together, which is why a plug can feel stuck until it goes in straight.
Canadian homes are required to have them, and we fit them as standard every time we install or replace an outlet in a home. They are childproof outlets built into the receptacle, so no plastic plugs are needed.
Do you need a permit, and what happens if it fails inspection?
In Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission and Langley, electrical permits come from Technical Safety BC, and its rules let a licensed contractor replace an existing outlet without one. Adding or moving an outlet does need a permit, as with new counter outlets in a kitchen or bathroom renovation. In Vancouver, the City issues its own electrical permits.
We pull the permit whenever GFCI work needs one and meet the inspector. If our work does not pass inspection, we put it right, call the inspector back and cover the cost.
Before the new outlet goes in
GFCI outlet replacement: what we check
A quick swap drops a new device into the old box and stops there; a proper replacement checks three things first:
- Which outlets it covers. A GFCI protects the outlets wired after it, so a kitchen GFCI outlet in the first box on the circuit can cover the counter outlets downstream.
- An old two-prong outlet with no ground wire. A GFCI is commonly used to add shock protection there, but it does not add a ground and typically needs a warning label. Whether that is enough, or whether older two-wire circuits need new wire, depends on what we find in the box.
- Line and load the right way round. Modern GFCI receptacles are designed not to reset when the incoming and outgoing wires are reversed, so a new GFCI that stays dead is often wired backwards.
A GFCI that trips straight away after a reset usually points to a fault rather than the install. The estimate for new work is free, and tracing a fault is $165 for 45 minutes, which tells you what is wrong and how we will fix it.
- The GFCI senses current leaking to ground and cuts the power.
- Outlets wired after it on the same circuit are covered.
- In the first box on the circuit, it can cover the outlets downstream.
We install GFCI receptacles from brands such as Leviton, Eaton and Legrand.
Our GFCI installation process
Before we fit a GFCI, we explain where it goes and which outlets it will protect. 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 the GFCI, test it, and show you how its buttons work before we leave.
Knowing how to test a GFCI outlet comes down to its TEST and RESET buttons. Press TEST and the power at that outlet cuts, then press RESET to bring it back. Leviton's guidance is to do this once a month, because a GFCI that no longer trips looks exactly like one that still does. On many self-testing models, a green status light means the device is working.
What happens if something is wrong after we leave
If a GFCI outlet we installed is not right, call 778-708-0451 and we come back to it. Our guarantee runs for one year on new construction and six months on renovations.
If something we installed is not right, we come back.
What our customers say
We hold 4.7 stars across 137 Google reviews. Two of them mention outlet work:
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Jas and his team did a great job installing new landscape lights for us and also fixing the deck lights that haven’t worked in years. They also added another electrical outlet outside on our deck for us which we have been wanting for a while. Efficient and very reasonably priced. Highly recommend!!
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I am thrilled with the top notch job The Wire Guys (Jas and Guri) did for me - wall plug replacement, troubleshooting & fixing a chronic breaker issue, AND installing the proper support hardware for a ceiling fan. These guys were knowledgeable, polite, thorough, clean, and met their ridiculously reasonable quoted price. Would I recommend them? Absolutely!!! Thank you thank you thank you!
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 GFCI outlet or GFCI receptacle, and is a GFI outlet the same thing?
A GFCI outlet, a GFCI receptacle and a GFI outlet are all the same device. GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter, and GFI is an older, shorter name that many people still use. Receptacle is simply the trade word for an outlet, so a quote that lists a GFCI receptacle means the same outlet you have in mind.
Can GFCI outlets go bad, and how long do they last?
Yes, GFCI outlets can go bad, because the part that senses a ground fault wears out. There is no fixed lifespan, but outlets in wet areas such as bathrooms are often replaced after about a decade. Newer GFCI outlets with a self-test feature check themselves, show a status light, and cut the power once they can no longer protect you.
GFCI breaker vs GFCI outlet: which is better?
Neither is better everywhere, because each one protects a different stretch of wiring. A GFCI outlet protects its own spot and the outlets wired after it, and you reset it right where you stand. A GFCI breaker protects the whole circuit from the panel, and fitting one is much like replacing a circuit breaker. A hot tub is its own case, because its protection is usually part of the wiring for a hot tub itself.
Can I plug a refrigerator into a GFCI outlet?
You can, but a fridge or freezer can trip a GFCI outlet with no real fault present, and you may not notice until the food has spoiled. Normal leakage in the defrost circuit, plus the surge when the compressor starts, is often enough to set it off. That is why many owners give a fridge or freezer a dedicated circuit of its own.
Other electrical services we offer
Same licence on every one of them, with the permit and inspection wherever one applies.
Book GFCI or tamper-resistant outlet work.
Call 778-708-0451 or request a callback, and tell us how many outlets need doing.