Forest Hills Licensed Electrician Durham, NC
Forest Hills was laid out in the 1920s around a golf course that is now a city park. Brian Electric updates wiring, panels and lighting in its bungalows, Colonial Revival homes and mid-century ranches. Forest Hills is in the 27707 zip code.
- Licensed in North Carolina
- Older and historic homes
- Free estimates
The Neighborhood
Durham's First Automobile Suburb
Forest Hills was planned for families who drove into town, not walked. Most of its houses went up between about 1923 and 1955, on winding streets southwest of downtown near University Drive. For a licensed electrician in Durham, NC, that means three decades of building and three decades of wiring in one neighborhood.
"Laid out in circular style surrounding a nine hole golf course."
A 1923 description of the Forest Hills plan
Planned in the 1920s
New Hope Realty hired landscape architect Earle Sumner Draper to lay out the streets.
Built Around a Golf Course
Lots were set in curves around a nine-hole course, now Forest Hills Park.
A Park for the City
After the developer went bankrupt in 1929, the course and the 1928 clubhouse became a city park.
On the National Register
The Forest Hills Historic District was listed in 2005, with 312 contributing buildings.
House Styles
What Owners Add to Each Style of Home
The National Register listing names bungalows and Colonial Revival homes, and later houses include 1950s ranches. Each style tends to call for its own kind of upgrade. Bigger jobs like central air often start with an electrical panel upgrade.
Bungalows and Colonial Revival Homes
Ceiling fans in bedrooms built with a single light, period-style porch lanterns, and outlets on walls that once had none.
Homes From the Depression and War Years
Updated kitchens with new counter circuits, lighting for dark stair halls, and a cleaner panel after years of add-ons.
Mid-Century Ranches
Recessed lights in flat ceilings, more outlets in the family room, and a larger panel for central air.
Around the Neighborhood
Life Around Forest Hills Park
The old golf course is still the heart of the neighborhood. Forest Hills is on the National Register, but it is not a Durham local historic district, so electrical work needs only the normal permit. We pull it for you.
The 1928 Clubhouse
Designed by George Watts Carr, renovated by the city in 2011, and rented out today for meetings and events.
Forest Hills Pool
An outdoor city pool with a sprayground, run by Durham Parks and Recreation.
A New Sprayground and Playground
In 2024 the city sought a team to design and build a new sprayground and playground at the park.
Planning a Budget
What Changes the Size of the Job
Every Forest Hills house is different, so we price after we see it. These are the things that move the number most. The bars show how much each one tends to matter.
Plaster or Drywall
Plaster walls take more care to open and patch than drywall, so they add time.
Attic and Crawl Space Access
Open access above and below lets us run new wire with fewer openings in finished walls.
Size of the Panel
If the panel is full or small, adding circuits may mean replacing it first.
How Much Old Wiring Is Left
A house updated in stages needs less work than one with mostly original wiring.
Permit and Inspection
Most of this work needs a permit, which adds a small fee and an inspection visit.
Renovations
Planning Electrical Work in a Forest Hills Renovation
Many Forest Hills owners update their homes in stages. Planning the electrical work with the rest of the project saves money and patching later. For big wiring jobs, see our house wiring and rewiring page.
Before the Walls Open
Tell us your plans early. Open walls are the cheapest time to replace old wiring and add circuits.
Kitchen and Bath Circuits
A remodeled kitchen needs several new circuits and GFCI protection near the sink. Baths need their own too.
Central Air and the Panel
Adding central air or a heat pump to an older house often means a larger panel. We check that before the HVAC crew arrives.
New Lighting
Recessed lights, under-cabinet lights and new fixtures are easiest to add while the ceilings are open.
Why Choose Us
Why Forest Hills Owners Choose Brian Electric
Older homes reward an electrician who plans first. Forest Hills is not a local historic district, so the work needs only a normal permit, and we pull it for you.
Three Decades of Houses, One Crew
From 1920s bungalows to 1950s ranches, we check how each house was wired before we plan the work.
Care With Plaster Walls
We open as little plaster as we can and use attic and crawl space access to run new wire.
Power for Central Air and Bigger Kitchens
We add up what the house already uses. If the panel is too small, we upgrade it before the new load goes on.
Work Planned Around Your Renovation
Tell us your plans early, and we run the wiring while the walls are open, so you patch once.
- 15+ years of experience
- 24/7 emergency line
- Licensed in North Carolina
Popular Services
Popular Electrical Services in Forest Hills
From 1920s bungalows to 1950s ranches, these are the services Forest Hills homes call for most.
For Forest Hills Homeowners
All home services- Electrical Panel UpgradesA larger panel for central air, a heat pump or a remodeled kitchen.
- House Wiring and RewiringOld wiring replaced and new circuits added, best done during a renovation.
- Lighting InstallationPeriod-style porch, hall and dining room fixtures, hung on boxes rated to hold them.
- Recessed LightingRecessed lights in plaster and drywall ceilings, wired through the attic.
- Ceiling Fan InstallationFans for bedrooms built with a single light, on a fan-rated box.
- Outlets and SwitchesGrounded outlets where the old ones had two prongs, and dimmers for living rooms.
- Landscape LightingSoft light for front walks, porches and the big trees along the curved streets.
- Electrical RepairFlickering lights and dead outlets traced and fixed in older homes.
- EV Charger InstallationA Level 2 charger in the driveway or garage, with a load check first.
- Generator InstallationA standby generator for storms that bring down limbs and lines.
- Surge ProtectionA surge protector at the panel to guard new appliances and electronics.
- Emergency ElectricianLost power after a storm or a hot, buzzing panel? We answer 24/7.
For Landlords and Local Businesses
All commercial servicesFAQ
Forest Hills Electrical FAQs
Renovating a Forest Hills home? Tell us which rooms you are changing, and we will plan the electrical work with you.
Call (984) 271-2113Is Forest Hills a local historic district?
No. Forest Hills is on the National Register of Historic Places, but it is not a Durham local historic district. Electrical work needs the normal permit.
When is the best time to update wiring in an older home?
During a renovation, while walls and ceilings are open. Replacing wiring and adding circuits then costs less and needs less patching.
Can my older panel handle central air?
Sometimes not. We add up the load and tell you if the panel or service needs to grow before the HVAC work starts.
Can you add ceiling fans to rooms with only a light?
Yes. We replace the box with one rated for a fan and wire the fan, often using the existing switch.
Do you match older light fixtures?
We install the fixtures you choose, including period-style porch and hall lights, on boxes rated to hold them.
Do you pull the permit?
Yes. Wiring, panel and new circuit work needs a city permit. We apply for it and meet the inspector when the work is done.
Service Area
Serving Forest Hills and All of Durham
Forest Hills is one of the many Durham neighborhoods we serve. We also work in Hope Valley and the other neighborhoods off University Drive.