Residential Electrical Services
Basement Wiring
in Vancouver, WA
Your basement is probably the biggest unused space in your house. Finishing it means adding bedrooms, a home theater, a gym, a wet bar, an office, or all of the above. But none of that works without the right electrical. You need circuits, outlets, lighting, and switches where there are none right now. Newman Electric does basement wiring for finish-outs and remodels across Vancouver, WA. Ryan has wired basements from simple rec rooms to full luxury buildouts with home theaters and wet bars.
Basement Electrical
What Your Basement Needs Depends
on What You're Building
An unfinished basement and a finished basement have very different electrical requirements. The NEC treats them differently, the wiring methods change, and the number of circuits goes up fast once you start framing walls and adding rooms.
Unfinished Basement
- All receptacles must be GFCI-protected (NEC 210.8(A)(5) requires it for unfinished basements)
- At least one switched light fixture for basic illumination
- Dedicated circuit for the sump pump (if you have one, it should not share a circuit)
- 36 inches of clear working space in front of the electrical panel at all times
Finished Basement
- AFCI protection on all 15 and 20-amp living space circuits (NEC 210.12 treats finished basements like any other living area)
- Recessed lighting on separate circuits per room (home theaters, bedrooms, bars all need their own lighting)
- Dedicated circuits for entertainment systems, mini-fridges, wet bar appliances, and exercise equipment
- Egress window requirements for sleeping rooms affect outlet placement and lighting plans
Do You Need a Sub-Panel?
A finished basement can add 8 to 15 new circuits. If your main panel is already close to full, Newman Electric can install a sub-panel in the basement. The sub-panel feeds off the main panel and gives you room for all the new circuits without overloading what's upstairs. We'll look at your existing panel capacity and tell you if a sub-panel makes sense for your project.
The Process
How Basement Wiring
Comes Together
Basement electrical follows the same rough-in and trim-out stages as any remodel, but the starting point is different. You're working from an open space with exposed joists and concrete walls. That actually makes the initial wiring easier because everything is accessible before framing starts.
Plan the layout and pull the permit
Newman Electric reviews your basement floor plan with you. We count rooms, mark outlet locations, figure out lighting layouts, and decide whether you need a sub-panel. The permit gets pulled through Washington L&I or the City of Vancouver, depending on your location.
Rough-in before framing closes up
With the ceiling joists exposed, we run all the circuits from the panel (or sub-panel) to each room. Outlet boxes get nailed to studs, recessed light housings go in the ceiling, and switch boxes get placed at the right height. The rough-in inspection happens before insulation and drywall.
Trim-out after drywall and paint
Once the walls are finished, Newman Electric comes back to install all the devices. Outlets, switches, dimmers, recessed trim kits, light fixtures, and anything else that mounts to the finished surfaces. We test every circuit and schedule the final inspection.
Code & Permits
Basement Electrical Code in
Vancouver, WA
Washington state follows the 2023 NEC under WAC 296-46B. A finished basement is treated the same as any other living space, which means the same code requirements apply. Newman Electric pulls all required permits and knows what the local inspectors look for.
- AFCI Protection (NEC 210.12)
All 15 and 20-amp branch circuits supplying outlets and devices in finished living spaces must have arc-fault circuit interrupter protection. That includes finished basement bedrooms, rec rooms, home theaters, and offices. Newman Electric installs AFCI breakers on every required circuit.
- GFCI in Unfinished Areas (NEC 210.8(A)(5))
Any portion of the basement that stays unfinished still needs GFCI protection on all receptacles. If your finished basement has an unfinished utility room or storage area, those outlets get GFCI breakers or GFCI outlets.
- NM Cable Protection (NEC 334.15)
Non-metallic sheathed cable (Romex) must be protected where it's subject to physical damage. In a basement, that means the wiring behind finished walls is fine, but any exposed runs in unfinished areas need to be protected or run through conduit.
- Egress for Sleeping Rooms (IRC R310.1)
If your basement finish includes a bedroom, it must have an egress window. This affects the electrical layout because the window location determines where outlets go on that wall. Newman Electric coordinates outlet placement with your egress window plan.
Customer Reviews
What Customers Say About Newman Electric
"These folks helped us with a basement remodel. Super friendly, timely, and easy to work with. They went above and beyond in helping with a few problems that weren't even their fault. Highly recommended, great partners that care a lot about quality of work and customer satisfaction."
"Newman Electric is top notch. We use them for our personal projects and have used them for 10+ remodeling projects for our business and they have always showed up on time and been honest with pricing. Ryan and his crew are professional and friendly! I highly recommend."
"We continue to be super happy and impressed with Newman Electric! We are thrilled that we found such a reputable company to work with as we continue to upgrade the electrical needs of our home. Highly recommend!"
Common Questions
Basement Wiring FAQs
It depends on the size and what you're putting down there. A basic rec room with a few outlets and overhead lights is at the low end. A full buildout with a home theater, wet bar, bedroom, bathroom, and multiple zones of recessed lighting is significantly more. Newman Electric gives free estimates. We walk the space with you, look at your plans, and give you a price.
Yes. Basement finishes that include framing, electrical, and plumbing require permits. The electrical permit gets pulled through Washington L&I or the City of Vancouver, depending on your address. Newman Electric handles the electrical permit and all required inspections.
Not always, but it's common. If your main panel has enough spare breaker spaces and the load calculation supports the additional circuits, we can run everything from the main panel. But a lot of finished basements add 10 or more new circuits, and if your panel is already close to full, a sub-panel makes more sense. Newman Electric looks at your existing panel and tells you what you need.
Recessed LED cans are the most popular choice because basements have lower ceilings and you don't want fixtures hanging down. Newman Electric installs IC-rated recessed housings on dimmer switches so you can control the brightness. For home theaters, we add wall sconces or LED strip lighting for ambient light that doesn't interfere with the screen.
Yes. Newman Electric has wired home theaters with dedicated 20-amp circuits for the projector and receiver, in-ceiling or in-wall speaker wire runs, HDMI conduit, LED accent lighting, and dimmable recessed lights. We also install outlets behind the screen and at each seating location so everything stays clean.
The rough-in usually takes one to two days depending on the size. Newman Electric comes back for the trim-out after drywall and paint, which takes another day or two. The timing depends on your contractor's schedule for framing, insulation, and drywall between those stages.
Related Services
Other Work for Your Basement Project
Remodel Electrician
Full-project electrical coordination
Electrical Panel Upgrade
More capacity for basement circuits
Lighting Installation
Recessed cans, sconces, pendants
Dedicated Circuits
Circuits for theater, bar, gym
Smart Home Wiring
Smart switches and lighting control
Outlet Installation
Outlets and USB receptacles
Surge Protection
Protect your theater equipment
Bathroom Electrical
Basement bathroom wiring
Service Area
Basement Wiring Across
Vancouver & Clark County
Newman Electric wires basements in homes across Vancouver, WA and Clark County. A lot of newer homes in Ridgefield and Battle Ground have full unfinished basements ready for a buildout. Older homes in Hazel Dell and east Vancouver sometimes have partial basements that need updating. Whatever the situation, we handle the electrical.
We also serve Cowlitz County for basement wiring. Longview, Kelso, Woodland, and Kalama.
Finishing Your Basement?
Get the Electrical Planned First.
Newman Electric wires basements for finish-outs and remodels across Vancouver, WA. Recessed lighting, home theater wiring, wet bar circuits, and sub-panels. The estimate is free.