Holiday porch Outlet

Feb 4th, 2021 7:22 pm

#1

otaknap [OP]: Deal Addict; Feb 26, 2016; 1130 posts; 265 upvotes; Vaughan

Feb 4th, 2021 7:22 pm

I'm wondering whether a holiday porch outlet is something that's easy to do after closing? My builder is charging $460 for the exterior plug and another $190 to make a switch. To clarify, this would be an electrical outlet on the ceiling of the porch. My current house has it and its convenient for plugging in cameras and such. Not sure how difficult it is to do after closing as I presume it would require drilling a hole into the brick and inside the house and then installing the switch. Assuming, the electrician would have to pull the line from either the porch light or exterior outlet.

Last edited by MrDisco on Feb 8th, 2021 8:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: updated title

Share:

Feb 4th, 2021 9:01 pm

#2

xxxray: Deal Addict; Jan 19, 2008; 1317 posts; 910 upvotes; Etobicoke

Feb 4th, 2021 9:01 pm

for less than #700...I would get the builder to do it

+1

Feb 4th, 2021 9:02 pm

#3

ChicoQuente: Deal Addict; Jun 21, 2003; 4124 posts; 1502 upvotes; Stoney Creek, ON

Feb 4th, 2021 9:02 pm

I would have the builder do it as well. It’s much easier for them to do it. I would say that cost is pretty high for what it is however it’s the easiest time to do it and there’s a chance doing it afterwards may result in some extra holes in the wall or ceiling to get the line out there.

+1

Feb 4th, 2021 9:32 pm

#4

altezza86: Member; Mar 9, 2009; 319 posts; 100 upvotes

Feb 4th, 2021 9:32 pm

That's relatively expensive for sure. Our builder is only charging $250 for both switch and plug. I was also contemplating to do it after with my electrician but he said he might run a pvc pipe on the exterior wall and that threw me off.

Feb 4th, 2021 10:57 pm

#5

Jerico: Deal Fanatic; Jan 25, 2007; 9639 posts; 5036 upvotes; Paris

Feb 4th, 2021 10:57 pm

There is no easy way to do this after which is why the builder is going to soak you for it. Let them do it.

+1

Feb 4th, 2021 11:18 pm

#6

nataliya64605: Sr. Member; Apr 4, 2012; 535 posts; 201 upvotes; Toronto

Feb 4th, 2021 11:18 pm

That's steep, why not something like this https://www.amazon.ca/Home-Luminaire-31 ... 9171&psc=1

+4

Feb 5th, 2021 9:12 am

#7

GoodFellaz: Deal Addict; Jun 24, 2015; 4524 posts; 1335 upvotes; Woodbridge, ON

Feb 5th, 2021 9:12 am

*
i would recommend one, my house has one on the front porch and its own independent switch to control it

Last edited by MrDisco on Feb 8th, 2021 8:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: thread cleanup

Hi

Feb 5th, 2021 10:51 am

#8

GoodFellaz: Deal Addict; Jun 24, 2015; 4524 posts; 1335 upvotes; Woodbridge, ON

Feb 5th, 2021 10:51 am

they call it holiday they dont want to offend certain people?

Hi

+1

Feb 5th, 2021 11:00 am

#9

bubuski: Deal Addict; May 23, 2009; 2788 posts; 1254 upvotes; Mississauga

Feb 5th, 2021 11:00 am

$650 for both by the builder is pricey especially since it is all being done while the house is under construction. That said it will cost you more than $650 to get it done after and you might have fishing holes cut in your drywall. Get the builder to do it.

+1

Feb 5th, 2021 12:09 pm

#10

GoodFellaz: Deal Addict; Jun 24, 2015; 4524 posts; 1335 upvotes; Woodbridge, ON

Feb 5th, 2021 12:09 pm

Some builder came out with the smart idea to charge $600 -$800 to put the outlet somewhere in the Veranda most commonly on the ceiling soffit, and solve the problem, it also has its own independent switch, which your fridge or sprinkler outlets do NOT have.

Last edited by GoodFellaz on Feb 9th, 2021 8:49 am, edited 3 times in total.

Hi

+1

Feb 5th, 2021 12:48 pm

#11

otaknap [OP]: Deal Addict; Feb 26, 2016; 1130 posts; 265 upvotes; Vaughan

Feb 5th, 2021 12:48 pm

Thanks everyone for your feedback! It sounds like the general consensus is that I should probably just do the upgrade with the builder despite the cost being a bit ridiculous.

It seems that the thread got out of hand a bit with why it's called a holiday porch outlet. I didn't understand the builder upgrade at first either which is why I explained that it's just an electrical outlet on the ceiling of the porch. I suppose it's just marketing on why the call it that. Sorry, I didn't mean to get people's blood boiling with the thread title..

+2

Feb 5th, 2021 2:59 pm

#12

Cowboy905: Member; Dec 26, 2012; 275 posts; 233 upvotes; TORONTO

Feb 5th, 2021 2:59 pm

meh, all good. that's mainly what it's for anyways. i'm not climbing a ladder to charge my phone on the ceiling outlet. It's a light outlet (halloween, xmas, whatever).

Feb 5th, 2021 3:05 pm

#13

rocking23nf: Deal Guru; May 29, 2006; 10205 posts; 2762 upvotes

Feb 5th, 2021 3:05 pm

i would just run the extension cord from out the outlet at knee level. not like your ever going to notice. plus if you are decorating the porch railing or anything thats your starting point for your lights.

Feb 5th, 2021 3:13 pm

#14

otaknap [OP]: Deal Addict; Feb 26, 2016; 1130 posts; 265 upvotes; Vaughan

Feb 5th, 2021 3:13 pm

rocking23nf wrote: ↑ i would just run the extension cord from out the outlet at knee level. not like your ever going to notice. plus if you are decorating the porch railing or anything thats your starting point for your lights.

i actually don't use the one i currently have for holiday lights. I have a wyzecam that I've plugged in there. Just a cheap way to put a camera up for security. I find running an extension cord to the roof of the porch is a bit too messy.

Feb 5th, 2021 4:42 pm

#15

Tabooger: Deal Fanatic; Nov 1, 2010; 5331 posts; 1437 upvotes; Kanata

Feb 5th, 2021 4:42 pm

otaknap wrote: ↑ i actually don't use the one i currently have for holiday lights. I have a wyzecam that I've plugged in there. Just a cheap way to put a camera up for security. I find running an extension cord to the roof of the porch is a bit too messy.

If you're using for camera, ask them to just run network cables, lots of CCTV camera are PoE (power over ethernet) where you don't need an outlet. The cameras and the networking would probably cost you less than $700. If you want it to actually use for lights go ahead, but ya that's a steep price. Mine cost $300.

Uh, yeah, I'd like to speak to a Mr. Tabooger, first name Ollie.

Feb 5th, 2021 9:26 pm

#16

bizzyseller: Deal Addict; May 9, 2003; 1591 posts; 789 upvotes

Feb 5th, 2021 9:26 pm

nataliya64605 wrote: ↑ That's steep, why not something like this https://www.amazon.ca/Home-Luminaire-31 ... 9171&psc=1

Why have I never seen this before? ITS AMAZING!

Feb 5th, 2021 9:55 pm

#17

CaptSmethwick: Deal Fanatic; Oct 12, 2007; 5000 posts; 2408 upvotes; Ottawa

Feb 5th, 2021 9:55 pm

bizzyseller wrote: ↑ Why have I never seen this before? ITS AMAZING!

Great if you want everything else to be on while your front house lights are also on. Not so great if you want more control.

Feb 5th, 2021 10:10 pm

#18

bizzyseller: Deal Addict; May 9, 2003; 1591 posts; 789 upvotes

Feb 5th, 2021 10:10 pm

CaptSmethwick wrote: ↑ Great if you want everything else to be on while your front house lights are also on. Not so great if you want more control.

I believe the built in receptacle is always on.

Good for a security camera.

Feb 6th, 2021 7:02 am

#19

CaptSmethwick: Deal Fanatic; Oct 12, 2007; 5000 posts; 2408 upvotes; Ottawa

Feb 6th, 2021 7:02 am

bizzyseller wrote: ↑ I believe the built in receptacle is always on.

Good for a security camera.

Yes, great for a security camera. But if it's always on, how do you turn off your "holiday lights"?

Edit: question number one on the Amazon page: lights have to be on for there to be power to the "oulets". It turns out that this picture is a fake!

Frankly, I cannot think of any application where this will look good. It would look far tidier to have a proper electrical outlet installed in a soffit or positioned closer to where the power is used.

Last edited by CaptSmethwick on Feb 6th, 2021 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

Feb 6th, 2021 7:08 am

#20

ChicoQuente: Deal Addict; Jun 21, 2003; 4124 posts; 1502 upvotes; Stoney Creek, ON

Feb 6th, 2021 7:08 am

bizzyseller wrote: ↑ I believe the built in receptacle is always on.

Good for a security camera.

That receptacle won’t be on without the light in most cases. If you just go and swap out an existing light fixture for this you almost certainly will not have constant power in the box. 99% of the only have a 2 wire cable (switched power and neutral) from a switch. In this case there is no way for the receptacle to be on without the light being on as power will cut out every time the switch turns off.

If you were to build new or run a new line with a 3 wire cable (switched power, constant power and neutral) then the receptacle could be on always but without this it is not possible.

EDIT: As expected after looking in to it a little more my second option is not possible without modifying (and thus nullifying any CSA/UL rating) the fixture. There are only 2 connections so it is not even designed to have constant power and switched power. Light on = receptacles on. Light off = receptacles off.

+1