Outlets / Switches for Westwood homes
Westwood spans pre-war apartment buildings near UCLA, mid-century single-family homes south of Wilshire, and faculty-owned traditional homes in the residential pockets. The work splits sharply by ownership and building era. Pre-war student rentals and faculty rentals near UCLA need landlord-approved swaps — typically GFCI upgrades for new tenants, three-prong conversions on original two-wire circuits, and standard outlet replacement on aging devices. Faculty-owned homes south of Wilshire support full smart-home retrofits and modern USB-C outlet upgrades. Many pre-war buildings still have original two-wire ungrounded circuits and occasional knob-and-tube in attic runs.
Pricing for landlord-driven new-tenant upgrades (a few GFCI outlets, two-prong-to-GFCI conversion, replacing scorched or sparking devices) runs $300–600 for a typical 1-bedroom apartment when the landlord books a batch visit. Owner-occupied like-for-like swap runs $80–140 per device on copper. Smart switch retrofits run $140–220 per switch. Whole-home Caseta on a faculty home runs $1,400–2,200 for 8–14 switches. Tenants needing hardwired changes need written landlord approval and the pro will bag and label the original device for storage. Mention rental status, building era, and whether the booking is landlord-driven when you arrange the visit.
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 Westwood
$80–220 typical range for Westwood 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.
Westwood outlets / switches FAQ
I am a Westwood landlord — what should I upgrade for new tenants?+
GFCI on every kitchen, bathroom, and exterior outlet (code requires it and inspectors flag it). Replace any device showing scorch marks, melted faces, or that feels warm. Convert original two-prong outlets to GFCI in older buildings. A typical 1-bedroom turnover-batch visit runs $300–600 for 4–6 devices. Apartment-batch pricing is cheaper than per-device booking.
Can I get a smart switch in my faculty home south of Wilshire?+
Yes. Most faculty homes south of Wilshire are post-1950 with copper wiring and modern grounds, which makes Caseta install a 30-minute job per switch. Whole-home retrofit runs $1,400–2,200 for 8–14 switches plus hub. The hub plugs into your router and pairs with the app in 10 minutes.
I rent in a Westwood pre-war building — can I install a USB outlet?+
Only with landlord written approval, and the original device is usually expected back at move-out. Plug-in USB hubs and surge-protected charging strips are renter-friendly alternatives that need no approval and no wiring work.
What is the legal way to upgrade two-prong outlets in an old apartment?+
GFCI receptacle in place of the two-prong, with the GFCI itself and any downstream outlets labeled 'GFCI Protected, No Equipment Ground.' Cost runs $100–150 for the first device. Fully code-compliant and the cheapest path. Standard three-prong on an ungrounded circuit is illegal.
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