Wyckoff is a township of about 6.6 square miles in northern Bergen County. It was a small place in 1950, with 5,590 residents. By 1960 it had 11,205, and by 1970 it had 16,039. Today it has about 16,600.
That kind of growth usually means a lot of houses were built in those decades, so many Wyckoff homes are likely 50 to 75 years old by now. About 90 percent of Wyckoff homes are owner-occupied, so most projects here are families improving the house they plan to stay in.
In a house that age, a kitchen, bathroom or addition means opening walls and floors, and that is when older wiring, plumbing or framing shows up. That is why the first visit matters: we look at the house before we talk about the work.