Electricians in Ottawa

The ESA notification fee is a real line item, usually between $100 and $400 depending on scope, and it is normal for it to be passed through to you. A quote that omits it entirely is either absorbing it or not pulling one - worth clarifying which.

Job	Typical range
Service call / diagnosticTroubleshooting an intermittent fault can take longer than the fix.	$100 – $200
Hourly rateSome contractors quote per-device instead for repetitive work.	$90 – $150 / hour
Add an outlet or dedicated circuitCost is driven by how far the run is and whether walls are finished.	$200 – $450
Pot lights, installedPer-fixture cost drops noticeably past six or eight lights.	$150 – $300 each
Panel upgrade, 100A to 200AIncludes the ESA notification and inspection. Utility coordination can add time.	$2,200 – $4,500
Level 2 EV charger installDepends on distance from the panel and whether you have spare capacity.	$1,000 – $2,800
Knob-and-tube removal / full rewireThe wide range reflects house size and how much finished surface must be opened.	$8,000 – $25,000
Generator transfer switchExcludes the generator itself.	$1,200 – $3,000

Planning estimates for Ontario, not quotes. Always get written quotes against the same written specification.

Questions to ask before you hire

What is your ECRA/ESA licence number? (Then look it up before you sign anything.)

Will you file the ESA notification, and is the fee included in this price?

Will I receive the Certificate of Acceptance when the work passes inspection?

Is my panel at capacity? If this job needs a service upgrade, I want to know now rather than halfway through.

Who is physically doing the work - a certified electrician or an apprentice under supervision?

Does the quote include patching drywall where you cut in, or is that a separate trade?

Warning signs

No ECRA/ESA number anywhere on the quote, vehicle or website. This one is non-negotiable.

An offer to skip the permit to save you money. That saving is borrowed against your next insurance claim or home sale.

A handyman offering to do panel work. Regardless of skill, they cannot file the notification.

Quotes that vary by thousands with no explanation. Usually one of them has scoped a service upgrade and the other has not.