Electrical Inspections
Explanatory information on electrical installations related to laneway houses
The following information is intended to assist the electrical permits applicants for installations related to laneway houses:
1. Service
1.1 As a single supply service is provided by the BC Hydro for a residential lot that includes a main building and a laneway house, consumer's service conductors between the BC Hydro point of attachment and the duplex meter base must be sized in accordance with Rule 8-200(2) of the CE Code. [See diagram with examples of service and distribution arrangements 
(477kb)].
1.2 Ampacity of the duplex meter base must comply with requirements of Rule 8-200(2).
1.3 Grounding of the consumer's service equipment may be done at the meter base or at the service box in each building.
1.3 Ampacity of consumer's service conductors between the meter base and the service box of the laneway house must be based on Rule 8-200(1) of the CE Code.
1.4 Installation of service panelboard in the laneway house must comply with Rules 6-206 and 26-402 of the CE Code.
1.5 The meter base must be located in accordance with Rule 6-408 of the CEC in order to accommodate location of the BC Hydro revenue meters. Note: The metering equipment shall be installed according to BC Hydro’s current standards.
1.6 Clearances of the laneway house from the existing BC Hydro pole mounted dielectric liquid-filled transformers and overhead high voltage conductors must conform to the requirements described in Bulletin 2003-016-EL (33kb).
1.7 Clearances of the laneway house from the existing secondary (low voltage) overhead conductors must meet applicable requirements of Rules 6-112 and 12-310 of the CE Code.
Notes:
- Although the overhead or underground consumer's service is acceptable in accordance with the CEC, the power supply authority must be consulted for the purpose of clarification of available O/H or U/G service that has to be supplied by the BCH as the result of the service ampacity upgrade. (Diagram (477kb) depicts only examples of the overhead consumer's service run by the contractor to the BCH point of connection)
- Location of the meter base and type of meter base used in accordance with the BC Hydro "requirements for Secondary Voltage Revenue Metering (750 V and less") must be confirmed with the BC Hydro [see Bulletin 2007-003-EL (31kb)].
- Checklist must be completed by an applicant for an electrical permit before the permit is issued [see Checklist for Electrical service and distribution arrangements related to laneway houses (26kb)]. BC Hydro may also require a copy of the completed checklist when applicant applies to BC Hydro for service connection.
- A "dual lug" meter base specifically "approved" for the purpose [see Figure 1 of the diagram (477kb)] could be acceptable only under a special permission in accordance with Rule 2-030 of the CE Code [see Bulletin 2009-004-EL (88kb)]. BC Hydro may not accept use of "dual lug" meter base due to the specific "one meter per single family dwelling (SFD)" policy. The BC Hydro considers a laneway house as 2nd SFD on the lot and mandates metering of the laneway house being separate from the metering of the main house.
- A service arrangement shown on Figure 2 of the diagram (477kb) could be acceptable only under a special permission in accordance with Rule 2-030 of the CE Code [see Bulletin 2009-004-EL (88kb)].
2. Installation of electrical equipment and wiring methods
Installation of electrical equipment (luminaires, switches, space heaters, receptacles/tamper resistant receptacles, permanently connected appliances, ground fault circuit interrupters, arc fault circuit interrupters, etc.), provision for branch circuits and wiring methods in a laneway house must conform with all applicable requirements of the current edition of the CE Code adopted for use in BC. Note: Although the requirements of Bulletin 2008-003-BU (59kb) mandating that installed luminaires must utilize at least "40% non-incandescent/halogen bulbs" is not administered under the BC Safety Standards Act by the Electrical Inspections Branch, the applicants should be aware that this requirement is enforced by the Building Inspections Branch in accordance with the VBBL.
3. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms
3.1 Smoke alarms must be installed in accordance with Article 9.10.19. of the VBBL and in conformance with Rule 32-110 of the CE Code.
3.2 Actuation of a smoke alarm in a laneway house must activate a strobe light located outside the principal entrance to the laneway house.
3.3 If required, a permanently connected carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in a laneway house. [See Bulletin 2007-007-BU/EL (26kb)]
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