Outlets / Switches for Los Feliz homes
Los Feliz spans 1920s Spanish-revivals, Storybook cottages with steep peaked roofs, and mid-century moderns on the hillside near Griffith Park. Many original homes still have their original chrome push-button switches and decorative ceramic-base receptacles in the dining and living rooms — classic 1920s period detail that homeowners often want to preserve rather than replace. The decision is preserve-or-upgrade for each room: original chrome push-button switches are mechanically sound and visually iconic, but they cannot dim modern LED bulbs, and they have no smart-home integration. The pro will inspect each switch, test for warm spots and arcing, and recommend per-room.
Pricing for like-for-like outlet or switch swap on copper runs $90–140 per device. Original chrome push-button restoration (cleaning, tightening, verifying contact) runs $40–80 per switch when the switch is mechanically sound. Reproduction period-correct push-button switches (Classic Accents, House of Antique Hardware) run $70–130 per device installed. Lutron Caseta dimmers with period-appropriate cover plates run $160–250 per switch. Smart switch in primary rooms with original push-button preserved in formal rooms is the typical compromise. Mention preservation preferences and any rooms with original ornamental detail when you book.
About outlets / switches
Outlet and switch installation is the work of replacing, upgrading, or adding the small electrical devices behind every cover plate in your home — the receptacles you plug things into, the toggles and dimmers that control your lights, and the smart controls that connect them to apps. The job sounds trivial because each device is cheap and small, but the wiring inside the box is doing serious work: pushing 15 or 20 amps of 120-volt current through copper conductors, terminating onto small screw lugs that have to be tight, and protecting your home from the most common cause of residential fires — overheated electrical connections. A clean install means devices that work for 30 years; a sloppy install means a connection that arcs, melts the receptacle face, and starts a fire inside the wall.
Read the full Outlets / Switches guide →Pricing in Los Feliz
$80–220 typical range for Los Feliz jobs.
Standard outlet replacement in Los Angeles runs $80–130 for the labor on a single device, and standard switch replacement is in the same range. This assumes a like-for-like swap on a copper-wired box where the existing device comes out cleanly and the new one goes back in without surprises. Most pros price the first device higher and additional devices on the same visit lower — so two outlets in the same room is usually $130–180 total, not 2x $130. Ask for a multi-device quote if you have a list.
Los Feliz outlets / switches FAQ
Can I keep my original 1920s chrome push-button switches?+
Yes if they test mechanically sound and have no warm spots or arcing. Original push-buttons from the 1920s often work for decades when not abused. The pro will pull the switch, inspect the contacts, tighten terminations, and verify operation. Cost runs $40–80 per switch for the inspection and cleanup. Replace any that arc or feel warm.
Will smart switches work alongside original push-button switches?+
Yes if you split rooms by aesthetic. Many Los Feliz homeowners keep the original push-button switches in formal dining and entry rooms and install Lutron Caseta or Leviton Decora Smart in bedrooms, kitchen, and family rooms where dimming and scenes matter most. The two systems coexist on different circuits without conflict.
Can I dim my LED bulbs with original push-button switches?+
No. Original push-button switches are on/off only — they have no dimming capability. To dim LED bulbs in a room with original push-buttons, replace that single switch with a Lutron Caseta or other CL-rated LED dimmer. A period-appropriate cover plate over the modern dimmer keeps the visual look mostly intact.
Where can I find replacement push-button switches?+
Classic Accents and House of Antique Hardware sell period-correct reproduction push-button switches for $40–80 per device. They install on standard modern boxes with the original 1920s aesthetic. The pro will install the reproduction and verify operation. Originals can sometimes be sourced from architectural salvage yards for $60–150 per switch when in working condition.
Every outlets / switches pro verifies their identity
Government ID + selfie liveness check via Persona — required for every listing. Pros may earn additional Insurance Verified and License Verified badges by uploading documents we check. Read our standards →