Newman Electric · Longview, WA
Reliable Electrician
in Longview, WA
Longview is the biggest city in Cowlitz County and one of the farthest stops on our regular route. About 45 minutes north of our Vancouver shop on I-5, Newman Electric has been handling residential and commercial electrical work here for years.
Ryan and the crew make the drive because the work is steady and Longview's older housing stock keeps us busy. Homes from the 1920s through the 1950s with original panels and wiring that needs updating. If you live in Longview, we can help.
~45
Minutes from our shop
90+
Five-Star Reviews
A+
BBB Rating
24/7
Emergency Service
Cowlitz County's Largest City
What Longview
Homes Need
Longview was built as a planned city in the 1920s, and a lot of that original housing stock is still standing. The bones are good. The electrical systems are another story. Newman Electric has worked on homes in every Longview neighborhood, from the craftsman bungalows near Lake Sacajawea to the split-levels in Columbia Valley Gardens.
Historic Longview
St. Helens · Civic Circle · Lake Sacajawea
These homes have charm and character, but the wiring has limits. Knob and tube wiring, fuse panels, and 60-amp service are common. A 200-amp panel upgrade and rewiring bring these homes into the modern era without losing what makes them special.
Mid-Century Neighborhoods
Columbia Valley Gardens · West Longview
Ranch homes and split-levels from this era have 100-amp panels and copper wiring, which was fine for the time. Add a home office, air conditioning, and a couple of space heaters and you start tripping breakers. Dedicated circuits and panel upgrades are the most common fixes.
Newer Development
East Longview · Mint Valley area
Newer Longview homes have modern panels but homeowners want additions. EV chargers, generators, outdoor lighting, and smart home wiring are the top requests. The panel can handle it, but you still need proper circuits and disconnects.
Longview Businesses
Newman Electric handles commercial electrical for Longview businesses too. Restaurants, retail spaces, offices, and industrial properties. If you need tenant improvement work, a commercial generator, or three-phase power, we handle it all.
EV Charger Installation
Level 2 EV Charger Installation in Longview, WA
EV ownership is growing in Longview, and the first thing new owners realize is that a regular wall outlet isn't going to cut it. A Level 2 charger gives you a full charge overnight instead of waiting two days on a standard 120-volt plug.
The challenge in Longview is the housing stock. A lot of the homes near Lake Sacajawea and in older neighborhoods have 60 or 100-amp panels. That's not enough to add a 40-amp EV circuit without upgrading the panel first. Ryan will check your panel during the free estimate and let you know exactly what's needed. For homes on the east side with newer panels, adding an EV charger is straightforward.
Older Homes
Pre-1960 Longview homes usually need a panel upgrade before an EV charger can go in. We handle both in the same project so you're not scheduling two separate jobs.
Detached Garages
Older Longview properties often have detached garages. We run conduit from the main panel to the garage for a clean, code-compliant charger installation.
What Your Install Includes
- Free estimate at your Longview home, no trip charge
- Panel capacity check and upgrade recommendation if needed
- Dedicated 240-volt, 40 or 50-amp circuit
- Charger mounting with clean conduit and wire routing
- Cowlitz County L&I permit and inspection
Common Panel Upgrades in Longview
Knob-and-Tube to Full Rewire + 200-Amp
The 1920s and 1930s homes near Lake Sacajawea and Civic Circle still have knob-and-tube wiring in the walls and attics. Insurance companies are increasingly refusing to cover these homes. A full rewire with a 200-amp panel brings the house to modern code and makes it insurable again.
Fuse Panel to Breaker Panel
Plenty of Longview homes from the 40s and 50s still have screw-in fuse panels. We remove the fuse box, install a modern breaker panel with proper grounding, and add arc-fault protection where code requires it. No more hunting for the right fuse size at the hardware store.
100-Amp to 200-Amp Upgrade
The ranch homes in Columbia Valley Gardens and West Longview came with 100-amp panels in the 1960s and 70s. If you're adding an EV charger, heat pump, or just running out of breaker space, a 200-amp upgrade gives you everything you need.
Service Entrance Replacement
Older Longview homes sometimes have sagging overhead service lines or corroded weather heads. When we upgrade the panel, we often replace the service entrance, mast, and meter base at the same time so everything is new from the utility line to the breaker box.
Electrical Panel Upgrades
Panel Upgrades & Rewiring in Longview, WA
Longview has some of the oldest residential wiring in the region. Homes built in the 1920s and 1930s as the city was first established are still standing, still occupied, and still running on electrical systems that were designed for a radio and a few light bulbs. Even the 1960s ranch homes are starting to show their age.
Newman Electric works on Longview panels every month. Ryan reviews every job because panel work is the foundation of everything else in the house. We handle the Cowlitz County L&I permit, do the work, and schedule your inspection. Most panel upgrades take one day. Full rewires take two to four days depending on the house.
Troubleshooting & Repair
Electrical Troubleshooting & Repair
in Longview, WA
Century-old wiring creates problems that newer neighborhoods never see. Cloth insulation crumbling inside walls, corroded connections in fuse panels, and circuits that were spliced together over decades by different homeowners. Newman Electric traces the problem and fixes it properly.
Cloth Wiring Deterioration
Pre-1960 Longview homes often have cloth-insulated wiring that dries out and crumbles over time. The bare copper underneath can touch framing or other wires and create shorts. We identify damaged sections and rewire them with modern Romex.
Fuse Panel Overloading
Homeowners with fuse panels sometimes replace blown fuses with higher-amp fuses to stop them from blowing. That's dangerous. The fuse is supposed to protect the wire, and an oversized fuse lets the wire overheat. We replace the fuse panel with a proper breaker box.
Corroded Service Entrance
Decades of Pacific Northwest rain take a toll on overhead service lines, weather heads, and meter bases. Corrosion creates resistance, which causes flickering lights and voltage drops throughout the house. We replace the corroded components and restore clean power.
Space Heater Circuit Overloads
Longview's older homes can be drafty, and portable space heaters are everywhere in winter. A 1,500-watt heater on a shared 15-amp circuit trips the breaker every time. We add dedicated circuits in the rooms where you need supplemental heat.
Knob-and-Tube Hidden Damage
K&T wiring was designed to run in open air. When blown-in insulation covers it, the wires overheat. If your attic was insulated at some point and you have K&T, you need it inspected. We check for damage and replace compromised sections.
Mystery Half-Power
You lose power to half the house. The other half works fine. This usually means one leg of the 240-volt service dropped, or a double-pole breaker partially failed. Common in older panels with corroded bus bars. Call us right away.
Worth the Drive
Longview is about 45 minutes from our shop, but we're there regularly and we don't charge a trip fee. When you call with a problem, we schedule it as soon as we have a Cowlitz County day on the calendar. For emergencies, we come that day.
Ryan and the crew have worked on enough Longview homes to know what to expect before they even walk in the door. Old wiring has patterns, and we've seen all of them.
Full Service
Every Electrical Service
in Longview, WA
Beyond EV chargers, panel upgrades, and troubleshooting, Newman Electric handles every type of residential and commercial electrical work in Longview and Kelso.
Residential (22 Services)
Commercial (12 Services)
Additional Services
Real Reviews
What Our Customers Say
About Newman Electric
5.0 on Google · 90+ reviews
"This guy! Newman Electric I cannot even tell you how much Ryan rocks. Called him Thanksgiving Eve because my range caused my whole breaker box (from the 80's) to go out. I was pretty bummed.. what an awful feeling having 20+ people coming over the next day. Not only did Ryan and his co worker come over and make it work. They were also awesome about it."
David Hart
"Newman helped me with a new chandelier install and wiring in our restaurant. Roman and Chris were on time, knowledgeable, and worked quickly and cleanly so we could get opened for our lunch shift. Highly recommend the entire team at Newman Electric for any of your projects!"
Bonnie Whiteside
"Garrett and Anthony came out and added some plugs and moved a couple for our remodel, they were on time, went above and beyond with helping move furniture, cleaned up their mess and were very professional, I will use Newman from here on out for all our future electrical needs and recommend them to anyone else needing electrical work!!"
Gina Thornton
Cowlitz County L&I
Longview electrical permits go through Washington State L&I via the Cowlitz County office in Kelso. Newman Electric files all permits and schedules inspections for every Longview job. You don't need to contact anyone yourself.
Kelso L&I: 360-575-6900
License: NEWMAEL798DR
2023 NEC Requirements
Washington adopted the 2023 NEC (WAC 296-46B) in April 2024. Panel upgrades now require an outdoor emergency disconnect (NEC 230.85). Modified circuits need AFCI protection (NEC 210.12). For Longview's older homes, bringing everything to current code is a major part of what we do.
Newman Electric · A+ BBB · Licensed & Insured
FAQ
Questions About Electrical
Work in Longview
How much does an electrician cost in Longview?
Standard repairs run $150 to $500. Panel upgrades are $2,000 to $4,000+. Whole house rewiring depends on the home. Newman Electric gives free estimates on every Longview job with no trip charge.
What EV charger brands do you install?
Tesla Wall Connector, ChargePoint Home Flex, Grizzl-E, Emporia, JuiceBox, and NEMA 14-50 outlets. Older Longview homes may need a panel upgrade first. We check during the free estimate.
Who handles permits in Longview?
Cowlitz County L&I in Kelso (360-575-6900). Newman Electric handles the permit filing and inspection scheduling for every job.
What do older Longview homes need?
Panel upgrades and rewiring are the most common jobs. Many 1920s-1950s homes still have original wiring that needs replacing to be safe and insurable.
Do you offer emergency service in Longview?
Yes. Call 360-828-7143 anytime for 24/7 emergency response. We can reach Longview in about 45 minutes.
Are estimates free in Longview?
Every estimate is free with no trip charge. Schedule one here or call 360-828-7143.
Service Areas
Beyond Longview
Newman Electric serves all of Cowlitz County and Clark County. Longview, Kelso, Woodland, Kalama, and everything in between.
Newman Electric
Need an Electrician
in Longview?
When you need an electrician in Longview, WA, Newman Electric makes the drive. Free estimates with no trip charge, licensed and insured, 24/7 emergency response.
Newman Electric LLC · WA License NEWMAEL798DR · Available 24/7