Bathroom Remodel Electrical in Vancouver, WA (Hazel Dell, 1920s Home)

Newman Electric ran the bathroom electrical scope on a remodel in a 1920s home in the Hazel Dell neighborhood of Vancouver, WA. The work was handled for a general contractor partner who brings us in when their remodel pulls electrical out of 100-year-old walls and back into current code. This one had all of the typical old-house surprises.

What old bathrooms look like before a remodel

When the drywall came off, the walls told the usual 1920s story:

• Old newspaper and shavings insulation packed into the stud bays
• No dedicated bathroom circuits: lights, fan, and outlet all sharing one 15-amp branch
• Vanity outlet not GFCI-protected
• Bath fan either missing entirely or vented into the attic instead of outside
• Switched receptacles instead of a dedicated fan circuit

In a finished kitchen or bathroom this is all invisible. In a down-to-studs remodel, it all has to come up to the 2023 NEC that Washington adopted in April 2024, which is why remodels almost always end up being a rewire-in-miniature.

What we did here

• Bath fan circuit installed with a humidity-sensing switch so the fan runs until moisture drops, not just on a timer
• Ducted termination tied into the existing metal ductwork the GC’s HVAC sub installed, so the fan actually exhausts outside (not into the attic)
• GFCI protection at the vanity outlets per 2023 NEC 210.8(A)
• Dedicated 20-amp bathroom circuit for the receptacles, separate from the lighting and fan circuit per NEC 210.11(C)(3)
• AFCI protection on the lighting circuit where modified, per NEC 210.12

None of that is visible in the finished bathroom. That’s the point: code-compliant wiring in an old house is invisible work that makes a renovated room safe for the next 50 years.

Why a GC calls an electrician they trust

On a remodel, the electrician shows up multiple times:

1. Scope visit before demo to flag the surprises (knob & tube, shared neutrals, undersized service)
2. Rough-in after framing to land all the boxes, cans, switches, fan, circuits
3. Inspection with the permit jurisdiction
4. Trim after drywall and paint to put in devices, fixtures, fan, and test

Each of those has to land on a day that works for the drywaller, painter, and tile setter, or the whole schedule slips. That kind of coordination is why GCs keep a short list of electricians and don’t rotate through cheapest-bidder. Our contractor page covers how we work with GCs in Clark and Cowlitz counties.

If you’re a homeowner thinking about a bathroom remodel

Three things worth flagging up front, because they change the price:

1. What’s the service size? A 100-amp panel in a 1920s house may not support adding a bathroom, a heat pump, and an EV charger in the same year. A 200-amp service upgrade may need to be sequenced first. If you are not sure, our guide to signs you need a panel upgrade covers the warning flags.
2. Is there already a dedicated bathroom circuit? If yes, the trim-out is cheaper. If no, a new circuit gets pulled during rough-in.
3. Where does the bath fan duct to? Venting into the attic is out of code. If the existing fan does that, plan on a new duct run to an exterior wall or roof cap.

Planning a bathroom remodel in Clark or Cowlitz County and want an electrician who can handle code-compliance on older homes? Call 360-828-7143 or send us your project details for a free estimate.