In the first homes in our area wired with electricity, receptacles were in the baseboards. It continued that way right up through the 1930s. If you really want that look, you can pay the bit extra for the trim carpenter to cut or rout out the openings. Personally, I find the receptacles much more convenient higher off the ground. Especially if I have to install them!!

What you say Worthy makes sense. Why would you want to bend that low to plug something in? What was the purpose of them doing it that way in the past, do you know? I think I read something one time, but it has slipped my mind (like a lot of things LOL).

I do remember one poster making a good point about flooding. If ever the house flooded, which would be a rare occurance, having the plugs that low would not be good.

Flooding is pretty much a non-issue as there are other much larger concerns in the wall.

From a purely aesthetic point of view, in the baseboards looks so much better and refined. You also get a much cleaner wall. There are very few who still do it this way as it is easier/cheaper in drywall.

our house is semi-custom by a higher-end national builder and all outlets are set into a wide baseboarde. I really like it-looks very discreet

I didn't think people put them in baseboards anymore. Shows how much I've been paying attention ;)

I was told they wired thru the baseboards when houses first started getting electrified -- it was easier to run wire along the floor and cover it up with trim than it was to cut thru the plaster and lath.

It's also done in log homes. They rout a chase in the bottom log for the wiring, then cap it with a baseboard. I would like it for things that are more or less permanently plugged in, such as a lamp, but it would be a hassle for things such as the vacuum cleaner. As I get older, the floor seems to get further away!

Well part of putting them in the really tall baseboards of the past was retro-fitting and re-wiring of an old house it make it easy to remove the trim and re-do behind it without tearing up visible plaster on the walls.

I'd rather not have to bend that low to plug things in. Also the baseboard sticks out further so any furniture against a plug will stick out even further.

Even the higher-end spec homes in my area eschew baseboard plugs.

Downtown Toronto homes were supplied with coal gas for lighting in the 1880s. When electricity supplanted gas, the wiring was often snaked in beside the 1/2" diameter gas pipes and electric sconces were simply attached to the gas outlets without boxes. (At least the many I've seen.)

logista, that makes perfect sense.

We are having outlets in the baseboards, most of the show homes around here have them and I love them. It makes it look less busy and more elegant. We are having the built in vacuum so I am not worried about plugging that in, and that is the only thing I plug and unplug constantly besides appliances that are plugged in at counter height. Our baseboards will be 10 inches tall, the builder told me the trim guy would complain, but that's his problem! I think things like light cords look less noticable.

Our architect specified baseboard outlets, but our builder said it was against code.

I didn't really care, but now I wonder if he was lying, as he did about oh so many things.

Your builder surely lied -- they're in drywall because it's easier to cut drywall than wood.

Builder was lying.
There is NO NEC code rule against placing receptacles in a baseboard.

When electrification occurred a lot of existing houses had large enough baseboards to place receptacles.
The baseboard was popped off, studs drilled, cables pulled, then holes cut for the boxes.
Very fancy tools were even designed to cut most of all four sides of the box hole using a brace, followed by final clean up with a keyhole saw.

our builder said it was against code

The Ontario Code only says "convenient" height.

If you believe you should do your part to build a society where disabled people can live comfortably, you should put receptacles at a center height of 15" to 48"

There are reasons why Codes interfere with everyday living. Some electrical codes make sense and others don't. Now codes are been approved for energy savings that all bathrooms shall be provided with Occupancy Sensors, they are looking to make it legal, do we really need it? Do we really need that all circuit breakers in all panel boards shall be Arc Fault type?

If we don't follow the Codes as intended, a Field Inspector will not give you a Certificate of Occupancy, so what do we do? follow the Code.

If there is no wall space, you are required to install a floor mounted receptacle 18" from the bottom of the wall, however, you cannot install a face mounted receptacle on the counter top. Does it make sense? I don't know.

Just updating, I now see that some higher end builds (C$6m+) here are moving to the baseboard placement.

Listed at C$13.5m

Entry foyer.

But others aren't...

l. C$23.5M 38 Park Lane Circle, Toronto.

Entry.