Heating, coolingand electricalsized for the house to come.

A gut renovation is the one opportunity to replace the electrical system rather than extend it: a new service and panel sized for how the house will actually be used, circuits run to current New Jersey code throughout, dedicated circuits where appliances need them, and GFCI and AFCI protection where the code requires it. Every run happens while the walls are open, which is the difference between a rewire and a lifetime of surface conduit and compromises.

Heating and cooling are sized from a load calculation for the finished house — insulated, air sealed, with new windows — not for the draughty one being demolished. That distinction matters: a system sized for the old envelope will be substantially oversized for the new one, and oversized equipment short-cycles, dehumidifies poorly and wears out sooner. Zoning is decided at the same time, because an open plan downstairs and bedrooms upstairs rarely want the same thermostat.