Electricians

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Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Electrical home amperage upgrade

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    Oct 16, 2023

    Hello! We have plans to do a couple of projects at our home, including adding an electric car charger, installing a heat pump, and possible putting in an ADU. The heating company advised that our house could currently handle one of the above projects, but would likely need to have the amperage increased to handle more than one of the projects. I believe he said that we have 100 amps service right now. The house was built in 1928 and has had a recent electrical panel upgrade, is not on knob & tube anymore. 

    Do you have any experience with making such a change? Any advice on electricians who a great for this project, and rough ideas about cost?

    Oct 16, 2023

    We did a lot of similar work that you're looking at doing and I would highly recommend https://www.berkeleyelectric.com/  Zalman is the head person over there and he was fantastic.  He did a walk through of the house and talked about the various projects we wanted to do and helped us understand the pricing etc.  Cost is going to be relative to what aspects you want done.  We spent 30k but got a new 200amp panel, extra spaces on the panel for future electrical projects, new wiring in the house, overhead lights since our house practically had none etc.  We also had to hard wire in smoke detectors because of the scale of the work we were doing.  Call Zalman and he can get you a fair and comprehensive estimate.

    Oct 18, 2023

    Hi, my mother had a similar upgrade and used Uzoh Electric.

    He's honest and thoroughly explains everything. He's put in alot of car charges for neigbors in my moms south bay community 321-439-9469

    Oct 18, 2023

    We recently completed a kitchen renovation with a significant electrical upgrade (upgrading main panel to 200 amps, rewiring kitchen to bring it up to code as it hadn't been upgraded since probably 1970, electrical for a heat pump, adding circuits in preparation for a full transition induction appliances/HVAC, new subpanel, installing new circuits and lighting) and I can highly recommend Smart Electric. The owner, Mohammad Millad, is a gem. Highly professional and meticulous in the way you want your electrician to be!  His number is: (510) 990-4677.  https://www.instagram.com/smart___electric/?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg%3D%3D

    Oct 18, 2023

    In July of 2022, we increased our electrical service from 100 amps to 200 amps because we eventually will have: heat pump, heat pump water heater, induction stove, electric dryer, and solar with battery backup. We were advised that 200 amps were enough. The cost, including permits, was $10,300. We used Guerreros Electric Inc and were very happy with them. They were not the cheapest quote we got, but they were professional, organized, easy to communicate with, and did quality work.

    Oct 19, 2023

    We just upgraded from 125a to 200a this summer. Note that the cost is going to vary hugely depending on whether your power is overhead or underground. If it's underground and you have to trench to upgrade the service (you may not need to) it can get quite costly and involves PG&E permitting that can take some time. We have overhead lines and the total cost with permits was $4K; the PG&E and city permitting processes were both very quick. This was on the higher end cost-wise, but we did it as part of a solar installation and opted to use an electrician who regularly worked with our solar installer for ease of streamlining the work.

    Oct 25, 2023

    Wanted to be sure you are aware of the tax credit available for this work, if it meets certain requirements. https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits/electric_panel_upg…;

    Any improvement to, or replacement of, a panelboard, sub-panelboard, branch circuits, or feeders which:

    1. is installed in a manner consistent with the National Electric Code,
    2. has a load capacity of not less than 200 amps,
    3. is installed in conjunction with, and enables the installation and use of:
      • any qualified energy efficiency improvements, or
      • any qualified energy property (heat pump water heater, heat pump, central air conditioner, water heater, furnace or hot water boiler, biomass stove or boiler)

    And be sure to get the BayREN rebates for your other upgrades. https://www.bayren.org/rebates-financing

    If you happen to live in Albany, they also offer  a number of related rebates. https://www.albanyca.org/departments/sustainability/sustainability-reso…

    Nov 1, 2023

  • electrician for low-amp electrification

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    Oct 5, 2023

    We're looking at electrifying our home to the extent possible. We have 120 amp service, and upgrading it would be difficult and costly because we would need to move the breaker box. Redwood Energy has a booklet, A Pocket Guide to All-Electric Retrofits of Single-Family Homes, discussing methods of electrifying without upgrading the electrical service. This requires analyzing electricity usage and employing items like circuit-sharing devices and tandem breakers.

    We're hoping somebody reading this knows a good, patient, available electrician who can help us -- that is, somebody familiar with electrification on a limited-current basis.

    Thanks!

    Oct 5, 2023

    I don't have an electrician to suggest, but as you consider your electrification options, you might consider the Harvest Thermal system.  Using just 15 amps in your panel, it provides super efficient, heat-pump heating and hot water in one system. (A typical set-up with one heat pump for HVAC plus another for hot water uses much more than that). It is programmed to use electricity when it is cheapest, and I think it can probably be programmed to run only when some other draw isn't going - though I'm not sure about that. https://www.harvest-thermal.com/

    We did not have to upgrade our 125 amp panel to install it, and we've been assured there is still room for an EV charger in the future (though possibly not an induction range - which we're not planning at the moment).

    Oct 11, 2023

  • Experience upgrading PG&E transformer

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    Aug 9, 2023

    We are upgrading our electrical panel to 200 amps. We own a duplex (two separate houses on one lot), so it is not a new service, just upgraded. PG&E says that we need to upgrade the transformer in our neighborhood to get this new service. We have to pay a $1500 design fee, wait 5-7+ months, then get a quote for the work necessary, and finally wait another 3+ months for the work to be done. 

    I would love to hear from anyone in Berkeley that has gone through something similar. What was the all-in cost and wait time? I'm also wondering if I even need to upgrade to 200 amps or just wait for someone else on my block to do it first. It feels like a luxury right now since we don't have solar or an electric car. My contractor says that Berkeley code requires us to upgrade to 200 amps since we have to upgrade the panel (its currently 30amps for the guest house and 40 amps for the main house)....but that doesn't sound right to me. Any insight is appreciated. 

    Aug 9, 2023

    HI Kate -- just did it. they rescheduled 3 times and it took almost a year but it got done. Cost was $75 in the end, though I paid the $1500 and got that refunded. Also had to get trees trimmed (stupid cause they also trimmed them) for a cost of $1000. It was incredibly confusing but worked out in the end. Happy to tell you anything else but there is not much more to the story.

    Aug 16, 2023

    https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/vq475q/pge_transformer_upgrad…

    Aug 16, 2023

    There are a lot of folks starting to use "smart panels" while still electrifying in order to avoid 200-amp panels and PG&E service upgrades. See: https://www.alamedaca.gov/CITYWIDE-PROJECTS/Climate-Action-and-Environm…

    and 

    https://www.peninsulacleanenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Design-…

    Have you explored this option yet? If possible, best to avoid PG&E! Note that even if you don't have an EV or solar, other home electrification will most likely be required down the road (BAAQMD just passed rules for space and water heating starting in 2027), thus best to be prepared ahead of time. If you need help planning all of this, https://www.quitcarbon.com/ is also a great resource to get multiple quotes and find experts.

    Aug 16, 2023

    So we upgraded our panel to 200 amps because we have a fair amount of appliances that run at once.  Also, we wanted to future proof it for solar stuff and possibly a heat pump.  We didn't have to pay PG&E for anything but they did run a new line to the house which the electrician supervised.  I highly recommend you check out berkeley electric, they did amazing work on our place.

    Aug 16, 2023

  • Looking for certified electrician to replace my knob and tube

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    Apr 27, 2023

    Hello neighbors,

    I own my house and finally decided to hire an electrician to remove my knob and tube wiring for new.

    pretty much the entire house….

    I am having a really hard time finding a certified electrician to do it.

    any of you had a similar experience and have someone I can call?

    much appreciated.

    Apr 27, 2023

    In spite of their hokey name, I, and several people on my street, have had a good experience with Five or Free Electrical

    https://5orfreeelectrical.com/

    They upgraded my electrical panel and did such a good job that the PGE inspector commented on how good the work was.

    Apr 28, 2023

    Guerreros Electric in Berkeley. They have done major work on my former house and current house (including whole house re-wire because of knob and tube.) I would trust them with even the most complicated job. They are totally trustworthy and professional.

    May 3, 2023

    I am guessing that they decided they didn't want the job because it is going to take more than an electrician. If it is most of the house, probably some of the wires can be fished, and others cannot. Which means holes will have to be made in walls and ceilings, and then patched. You could try working with an electrician yourself, finding out where the walls need to be opened, then hire a handy person to open and patch the walls. Or perhaps a general contractor would be a better bet. They could figure out needs to be done and hire the appropriate trades people at the appropriate time to get the job done. 

    Keep in mind that knob and tube is not necessarily bad, and is in some cases better than replacement wires. If you don't need to replace it for your insurance company or to put in new insulation, you might just want to leave it. 

    May 3, 2023

    I used Guerrero's Electric to remove my knob and tube.  They were very professional and the price was quite a bit lower than another quote I got.  I used them for a second project more recently, and again was pleased with their service.  

    May 3, 2023

    We spoke to a couple of different highly experienced, strongly recommended electricians and a contractor when we bought our 1926 Oakland house about replacing the knob and tube.  They all suggested that if the knob and tube hasn't been tampered with and is in good condition, it probably doesn't need to be replaced.  We also did a kitchen remodel recently and of course had to put in all new electrical for that room, but the city inspector agreed we didn't have to touch the undisturbed knob and tube running through the kitchen to other locations.  I can highly recommend electrician Ann Detzner who is very experienced and will give you an honest assessment of whether and how much of your knob and tube needs to be replaced.  Her phone number is 510-644-1050. Don't assume you need to replace it all.

    May 10, 2023

    Agreed with others--if it hasn't been spliced into, you don't necessarily need to replace knob and tube. We did ours in two phases (2008 and 2014), mostly because we wanted to move our home to our long-time insurance company, who wouldn't insure knob and tube even with a clean inspection. (We were very happy with State Farm for the years until we completed the replacement, though, and they had no issue with it.) We have a single-story house so opted to leave all the knob and tube wiring in place and just disconnect it, since removing it would have meant opening all the walls. The electricians we used wired all the ceiling fixtures from the attic and fished up all the outlet wiring from the basement, which minimized the holes. We just patched the few that were needed ourselves, though you could easily hire a handyman for that too. We used Tinpa Electric in Alameda for the second phase of work and highly recommend them.

    May 15, 2023

  • Electrician/Contractor for Recessed Lighting

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    Apr 12, 2023

    Anyone has recommendations for installing recessed lighting in bedrooms, please?

    We have an attic fan but it is no longer working, maybe this electrician can repair/replace it as well.

    Apr 12, 2023

    We installed recessed lighting in our living and dining rooms and were very happy with Guerrero’s electric. They also replaced our knob and tube wiring which was a big project and we had nothing but positive experiences both times. 

    Apr 19, 2023

  • Electrician to remove knob and tube wiring?

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    May 18, 2022

    Hi - I'm looking for an electrician who's experienced in removing knob and tube wiring from an old house, including in attic areas. Any recommendations would be welcome. Thank you! 

    May 18, 2022

    We hired Guerreros Electric to replace the wiring in our house, including removing knob and tube and other old/questionable wiring throughout the house. Carlos did a great job and explained everything he was finding and doing - he's based in Berkeley and very familiar with the quirks of old houses with old wiring. Highly recommended.

    May 18, 2022

    I worked with Nasar from Real Electricians. He and his brother are incredible and removed all the knob and tube from my house. Their pricing is really fair. He is very very busy (as we found with all electricians), so he may take a while to respond. 510-302-8799

    May 18, 2022

    I can recommend Sam Sottile at Illuminate Electric, who replaced the knob and tube wiring in our attic two years ago.  We found him to be professional, competent, personable, and very easy to work with.  We would absolutely hire him again for future work! 

    (510) 631-1724

    sam [at] illuminateelectric.net (sam[at]illuminateelectric[dot]net)

    May 18, 2022

    I'm looking for the same thing and I'd be interested to hear what electricians people recommend.

    I had the Fighting Amish electricians out to the house yesterday to give a bid on rewiring, and they were friendly, courteous, and seem to know a lot about rewiring.  I'll get their written bid back next week.

    May 18, 2022

    Kosta at Nicola Tesla Electric removed our knob and tube wiring and rewired our entire home. He’s awesome— super responsive and down to earth, easy to talk with, honest, and high-quality. We call him whenever we need an electrician and have referred him to friends and neighbors. 

    May 18, 2022

    Basic Electrical, 510-978-9437

    May 18, 2022

    K&T is almost never "removed", instead the old wires are abandoned in place.
    Why would you remove knob & tube wiring?
    What's motivating the desired removal?

    Knob & Tube (or K&T) wiring does not "wear out", it carries electricity just like more modern wire.  And the workmanship in the heyday of K&T with trained electrical guilds is far better than the low bidder average today.  The main issue with K&T is that the number of outlets and the capacity of some outlets is no longer sufficient for modern needs.  But at the same time, with LED bulbs and laptop style computers, electrical needs are going down rather than up.

    Rewiring a house, which is done, involves cutting many holes in the walls and ceilings to pull brand new wire, then patching the holes later.  A complete removal is tens of thousands of dollars.  A removal including lighting circuits is extra expensive and offers very little benefit (there's no "third prong" that's super relevant for a ceiling fixture).  Complete removal introduces new risks that you don't have today -- your electrical system has survived for 50 years or more without any problem -- consider it battle tested.   It's good for another 50 or 100 years or more.

    The alternative is selective upgrade.  Leave all the knob & tube active, and instead have new circuits run to the kitchen counters and the laundry.  Then for good measure add a whole house surge protector to take the place of the third prong you won't have at any computer or electronic device plug.  Have the entire system inspected by a professional electrician who is K&T friendly.  Replace worn out sockets.  Consider adding an AFCI breaker to any MWBC on K&T (and do not hire any electrician that does not know what those terms mean).  Add GFCI protection near sinks.  Add outlets to walls where there are no outlets, that might in the future grow a bad extension cord.  And if you're using space heaters, stop right there and fix that problem first.

    Perhaps instead of removing knob and tube wire, you really need to upgrade an old fuse panel?  What is incredibly dangerous are fuse panels with the wrong size fuses screwed in.  Or, houses with non-professional extensions to the electrical system typically done without benefit of a City permit or inspection.

    Signed, a professional and certified home inspector and electrical engineer.

    May 19, 2022

    We like Garcia and Son Electric.

    As for removing knob & tube: We needed some work done and had a few electricians by. Only one recommended removing the K&T, and gave us a bid for $40,000, without actually going up in the attic or bidding on the work we actually wanted done.  So far as we can tell, the bid was on a square-foot basis, and works out to $40/sq ft.  The failure to inspect is important because part of the house was built after 1970 (no K&T), part of the house was already rewired, yet the bid was for the whole house. Obviously we didn't hire that firm.

    My understanding about K&T problems:

    -  Americans use a lot more electricity than we used to, and putting too much demand on a wire causes it to heat up, creating a fire hazard. As another commenter noted, this isn't a problem for some circuits, such as ceiling lighting.  It does mean addressing circuits where demand may exceed the wire's capacity, no matter the type of wire.

    -  Old K&T may have gotten damaged at some point, for example, if attic rats have chewed on the wire, so it's a good idea to get it (and other types of wiring) periodically inspected.

    -  K&T wiring generally runs in the bays between the ceiling joists, and gets buried under blown-in insulation.  If the wire heats up (too much demand) or the wire insulation is damaged (rats), there is potential for the blown-in insulation to catch fire. 

    We got blown-in insulation over 30 years ago which buried the old K&T, and we had a problem.  This year we had Garcia and Son inspect the wires in the attic (which were fine) and clear the insulation away from them.  At some point we may have rigid foam insulation installed on top of the joists in the areas where the insulation was removed.

    May 25, 2022

    I also used Guerrero’s electric to remove our knob and tube from our attic and half our house and was very happy with their service. Their quote was significantly less than another electrician I contacted. Carlos is brusk, but knows what he’s doing! 

    May 25, 2022

  • Electrical Service Upgrade

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    Mar 23, 2022

    We are looking into upgrading our electrical service from 100 to 200 amps. Any suggestions on electricians? Any experience with costs for this work? Thanks in Advance!

    Mar 23, 2022

    Fighting Amish Electric did ours. We also got quotes from Guerreros Electric and were similar in price. The work itself by the Electricians should only take a day or two. Most of your time waiting will be on Permits and PG&E. I think it took about 2-3 months for them to finally approve and come inspect the work. Cost will depend on how big your house is and where they can put the panel. We unfortunately couldn't put it in the ideal location due to the gas meter and so had to move the box. You also can't have it like the old way that most houses have it where it is kind of "hidden" inside the walls. I'd budget somewhere in the 10-15k range.

    Mar 30, 2022

    I am curious whether either the OP or the responder lives in Berkeley? We may want to upgrade in the future, but were told that because we live in Berkeley we would have to have whole electrical system checked and upgraded if any old knob and tube remained. So, would be a much more involved and expensive process that just upgrading the panel. Would love to hear from homeowners in Berkeley who upgraded!

    Apr 6, 2022

    For  kjporfavor, an internal wiring or K&T replacement is not required by a main panel replacement.
    In Berkeley you're encouraged to get a K&T inspection, then mark the attic prior to adding attic or wall insulation.  A number of the local electricians will inspect your older electrical system and recommend spot upgrades, then give clearance for the insulation job by others.

    May 19, 2022

  • Looking for an Electrician recommendation

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    Jan 4, 2022

    Hello BPN,

    I am looking for an electrician for a simple job - installing pendant lights over dining room table.

    I'd appreciate referrals/recommendations. Thanks!

    Jan 4, 2022

    Hello, I hired Natalie from Valencia Electric to do a job like this. She was great! Here's here website: https://valenciaelectricinc.com/

    Jan 5, 2022

    We recently worked with Garcia and Son.  Good work, good price, attention to aesthetics, five stars on Yelp.

    http://www.garciaandsonelectric.com

    Jan 5, 2022

  • Electrician knowledgeable about EV charging

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    Mar 3, 2021

    We are in the process of purchasing our first electric vehicle and looking for an electrician in the East Bay who is knowledgeable about electric vehicle charging at residential homes. In particular, whether electrical upgrades are required and whether a wall charger vs other options would be best. So far the electricians we've spoken with admit to not having extensive experience with this. Does anyone have recommendations for an electrician that works in El Cerrito and is knowledgeable about EV charging?

    Mar 3, 2021

    not an electrician, but EV owner and I've installed my own charging stations.

    First, one can often be just fine with a regular outlet (assuming it's reasonably wired, not ancient knob and tube). It's slow, but your car is also there all night. Unless you're driving a lot everyday and/or really need fast recharge for some reason, the basic outlet might be enough.

    If you decide you really want faster charging, you essentially need an electric dryer outlet. You could also hardwire the charger, but the outlet approach has the added benefit of being easy to remove/upgrade your charger.

    Mar 10, 2021

    We worked with EV Charger Expert to install our charger at our house and they were great! Would recommend reaching out. https://www.evchargerexpert.com/

    Mar 10, 2021

  • Seeking an electrician

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    Dec 7, 2019

    In January I will removing all the sheetrock in our basement rooms to start a remodel and turn the area into living and recreation spaces. During the construction I will need the services of a good, experienced electrician to take care of most of that part of the project. It would be preferable to hire someone who has lots of knowledge as well as some creativity with light fixtures (some recessed in the ceiling) and plenty of patience in dealing with me as we will need to work together to make sure the spaces are well built. I do have some architectural drawings and a permit but we might need to make some changes as we could discover some unforeseen issues which need to be dealt with. Many thanks in advance for your thoughts and recommendations.

    Dec 7, 2019

    Hi-we have used Raul Zavala for several jobs at our house including a bedroom/bathroom remodel and a tesla charging station.  He is prompt, reasonable and works well with other contractors, etc.  He is used extensively in our neighborhood in Rockridge and can provide plenty of references.  He is licensed and insured.  His number is  (510) 798-7303‬.

    Dec 11, 2019

    I have to give a shout out to Garcia and Sons Electric. I think we might have found them through BPN. They did a bunch of electrical work on our old craftsman last year and were great to work with. Everything was clearly communicated, finished when they said it would be done, and there were no last minute unexpected invoice changes (which happen so much with various contractors/services). We couldn’t be happier with the work they did and would hire them again in a heartbeat!

    Dec 11, 2019

  • Electrician recommendation for installing outlet and EVSE

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    Aug 21, 2019

    Hi there -- we just purchased a new Nissan Leaf and are looking to have an electrician install a 240v outlet on the side of our house -- and potentially also install an EVSE.  Does anyone have any recommendations? 

    Also, does anyone have any tips or suggestions about applying for permits for this type of work.

    Thanks

    Aug 21, 2019

    Hey, we are in the process of installing solar and updating our whole house's electric, and getting the charging station for our E-Golf. We hired Green Air for the work and they've been incredible. The price is reasonable too - based on 2 quotes on the electric and 5 quotes on solar.

    https://www.yelp.com/biz/green-air-concord

    Good luck!

    Aug 28, 2019

    I suggest calling Fighting Amish Electric, and scheduling a (free) quote appointment as a first step. They can give you a better idea if permits would be required for the work (my guess would be yes). 

    We used them for our service upgrade, as well as a number of other projects, and have been really happy with the work.

    Aug 28, 2019

    John Merriman is the best! He replaced an electrical panel in our home and was great to deal with in every way. We have never owned a home before and were completely clueless - he  helped me figure out weird old wiring in our house and was very patient with all my questions. His contact info is:

    JM Electric|510-295-5765|www.JMelectricworks.com| J_merriman [at] att.net|

    Aug 28, 2019

    We use Mars General Electric - 415.412.6798

    They are great but are in San Francisco.

    Aug 29, 2019

    You will need a Level 2 charger and the work has to be permitted. Our was done by Metin at Ally Electric and Solar and they pulled the permit. 

    You can reach Metin at 510.559.7700 or email msaglam [at] allyelecteicandsolar.com.

    Sep 1, 2019

  • Hiring an electrician

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    Feb 15, 2017

    We just moved into a new "old" house and have a list of about 2 dozen electrical tasks that need done around the house. I spoke with one electrical services company about doing the work, and they quoted me $135/hour for the first hour and $120/hour after that, and said they couldn't give me an estimate of materials cost until after the job is done. Have others been quoted a similar hourly rate? And is it the norm to not be given a materials estimate until after? I can see how with a long list like ours, a materials cost quote might be tricky, but even a general range would be helpful. Advice?

    Feb 15, 2017

    That's ridiculous.  Get in touch with Sid Sattler.  http://www.sattlerelectric.com/contact.html  He did a lot of work for me in a 1920s Berkeley bungalow, and was always up front (and reasonably accurate) with an estimate of the costs -- replacing an old fuse box with circuit breakers, bringing wiring in the basement up to code, etc. 

    Feb 15, 2017

    We used Garcia and Son Electric about 1 year ago for several small jobs that took about 1 day total to do-- they came over and then sent us an a single quote for the 3-4 items that needed fixing. They are booked out 1-2 months in advance a lot, but I really appreciated their approach so that I could budget properly so I liked working with them.

    Feb 15, 2017

    Try Earle at 510-436-4787. He is an old timer who has been around for a long time and his prices are very reasonable. I have used him numerous times for various projects.

    Feb 15, 2017

    We hired Fighting Amish Electric to help upgrade our old electrical setup, and it was a great experience. They provided a very detailed estimate up front (quite different from what you're describing). I highly recommend! (Although I get the impression that they're busy, since many others have also heard that they do great work - so they might not be able to get started right away). 

    Feb 15, 2017

    This doesn't sound quite right.  We use Garcia and Sons.  We walk them through the list of things we need done and they give us an estimate.  They will talk through different options with us, giving us an idea of cost on the spot.  I would call them!!

    Mar 9, 2017

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Electrician/Contractor to install bathroom fan

May 2014

I need to install an exhaust fan in my bathroom and am looking for recommendations for either an electrician or contractor who can advise me on my choices and do the work. I prefer working with an individual or small company, and I do want someone who's licensed. Thanks!

Mike Grin at Power + Light---(510) 654-9968---and his crew are excellent. He seems to prefer larger jobs, but if he can fit you in he does excellent work. Don

We would like to recommend the electrician Matt Wilson, wilson.electric [at] live.com. We've found him to be very courteous, eager to help, prompt, and fair. A pleasure to work with. He believes in giving people professional work at an affordable price. Please feel free to contact us if you need a reference. 616 Donna Mae Ct El Sobrante, CA 94803 (510) 417-1203 wilsonelectric-ca.com/
lmac

Hi There, I'd recommend Walter Liebe (walterliebe.com)in a heartbeat-he installed a combo bathroom fan/light for me a couple of years ago and was prompt about returning phone calls and scheduling work, pleasant to have around and did immaculate work.
Walter Liebe fan (no pun intended)

I highly recommend Bebe Construction. Bebe has done a number of projects, large and small, including a full bathroom update. He installed a new bathroom fan and updated the related electrical as part of the update. Bebe can be contacted at 510-566-6685 and he is always prompt in responding! Thanks, JK

Licensed Electrician to repair light fixture

March 2014

I am looking for an electrician to repair a light fixture in my kitchen. Please recommend license professional that you have personally used. Thank you Pam

I have used Ally Electric and Solar and am happy to recommend them. They have always ben responsive, timely and professional. Maggie

I'd like to recommend Bob Reed of Reed Building Innovations out of El Sobrante. He has done amazing work for us repeatedly on a variety of remodeling projects including consultation prior to endeavoring projects in our own home. His rates are comparable to other Electricians we've seen but his expertise and capabilities are what provides extra value. Bob's phone number: 925-595-6984 -Renee

Electrician- help!

Feb 2014

Can anyone out there recommend an excellent, responsive electrician? We need outdoor lighting for steps, plus rewiring for an original, very old, outdoor post lamp. I have really struggled for years to find a go to electrician. I've tried highly rated ones on yelp and thought I found a great company, until they completely blew me off, even after I thought I was an established client. I just don't know who to ask anymore. Help! anon

Try David at Tinpa Electrical in Alameda--we loved working with him! He's a solo shop but very reliable and upfront/honest about his availability. We also searched for years for our go-to guy, and he's it. Happily rewired

I can strongly recommend ALLY electric and solar - they do great work at a good price with nice, experienced, helpful people! I would not use anyone else! Maggie

We have had the good fortune to call on Matt Wilson for electrical help on many occasions. He's a fully bonded and insured electrical contractor, and we found him wonderful to work with and very economical and honest. If you need someone to troubleshoot or do more involved work, check him out. lmack

Electrician Wanted!

Dec 2013

Hi there, We need recommendations for followings: Plumber, to install sink faucet, garbage disposal and dishwasher. Electrician, to install our electric cooktop. Painter, to paint kitchen cabinets, walls and baseboards. Please email me your recommendations if you are a homeowner who has worked with any of above or a contractor with any of these specialties. Thanks, Sam

Hi Sam, We completely renovated our home last year and can recommend the following contractors: Electrician: Fred Saraj, Amber Electrical: 925-324-2455 (complete interior rewiring)

Electrician needed

Oct 2013

I need a recommendation for an excellent, reliable and available electrician. Anyone have a suggestion?

I highly recommend Ed Garcia at Garcia & Son Electric. Ed is reliable, honest & trustworthy, not to mention being a really nice guy and family man. Contact him at 510-239-8245 or Ed [at] Garciaandsonelectric.com Jill

Electrician to replace the fuse box

July 2013

We've just bought a house in Upper Rockridge that needs some small up-grades. Wondering if anyone can recommend an electrician to replace the fuse box and bring the wiring up to 125. Any recommendations would be gratefully received. Thank you! a

For the electrical work:
Sid Sattler
Sattler Electrical Service
484 Lake Park Avenue #47
Oakland, CA 94610-2730
(License #590534)
510.531.4525
He did for our 1930's Berkeley bungalow exactly what you're talking about. Also spotted some non-code wiring that he replaced. Very responsible & reasonable prices.

Electrician to bring wiring up to code

Feb 2013

Anyone have a trustworthy, meticulous, reasonably priced electrician that they would recommend? I need to get recessed lights put in and clean up wires and bring up to code.

I recommend Ron Perry . Nice, efficient, and honest. Grounded & Green Electric 925.408.2668 groundedgreen [at] yahoo.com Amy D

Mike Grin (Power + Light) did extensive re-wiring and related work for us when we purchased our house, and has done work for us since then. He and his crew are excellent: thorough, knowledgeable, and responsive. I highly recommend him. (510) 654-9968. Don T.

Walter Liebe is extremely skilled and meticulous. He's done several small and medium sized jobs for us. He's not inexpensive, but he is so well-organized and efficient that he gets the job done in half the time of other electricians. http://walterliebe.com/ Ginger

Electrical work for an old condo

Nov 2012

Hi. I have an old small condo (600sf) that has an old-fashioned fuse box. For safety reasons and to get more reliable power (hoping not to blow so many fuses this winter), I'd like to upgrade my fuse box and maybe add a few more electrical outlets. I've had a couple estimates. One electrician said that I'd have to spend 7K to get everything rewired. Is there another option? Can I just replace the fuse box and maybe add an electrical outlet in the bathroom and bedroom? How much should this cost? Thanks! Seeking electrical advice

The more experts you talk to, the more educated you'll get. Consult at least three electricians and ask for bids, making sure they bid the same scope of work so that you know what you are committing to and can make an accurate decision. Good luck- Chris

Hard to do better than Chris Davis at Amber Electric 510-725-8893. I've referred several friends and colleagues to him and all have been happy. He's fast and very experienced, and always makes a competitive offer. He's also good at problem-solving and trimming back on non-essentials. He seems to understand how to work with homeowners on a tight budget. Good luck! Berkeley parent

I purchased my home in 1999. It was built in 1940 and had fuses. The first improvement I made was to have someone put in an electrical box and add three new outlets. The idea of rewiring the entire house was never mentioned. I have since added 4 additional outlets. Have not encountered any problems. The initial expense was $1100.00, which included a city permit, of course, this was 1999. d

I've worked with Amber Electric for many years. Always exceptional service, great pricing and great people. I get great a real partner in my remodels with Chris Davis, thinking through concerns and alsways coming up with the best solution and very timely in their work. Amber Electric (Chris Davis) 510-725- 8893. samaria

Security Savvy Electrician

Nov 2012

Any updated recommendations for a security savvy reasonably priced electrician to add some motion detector/flood lights and potentially help with the installation of some security cameras? Anon

Chris Davis at Amber Electric is a great electrician who takes security seriously. He installed motion sensors and lights at our house and our neighbors that we're very happy with. He made several suggestions that we hadn't considered, and actually saved us money! Competitively priced and very efficient. 510-725-8893 amberelectricberkeley.com Berkeley mom

Please, think carefully before you install any 'motion sensor' lighting ! You come to your front walk at about 10PM, walk toward your front door, the 'motion sensor' lights you had installed flash on, blinding you, the bad guys (who've been waiting for you to come home, waiting in the dark under your 'motion sensor' lights) whap you up side the head, grab your cell phone, snatch your wallet, and run away. Because you were blinded by your 'motion sensor' light, you saw nothing but the fist that hit you.

This type of 'smash and grab' is getting to be far more typical in these hard times, and, in the EastBay where there are so many homeless. In many cities, now, 'motion sensor' lights have been discouraged (or outlawed) because 'motion sensor' lights HELP the bad guys. A down-light with a law-wattage bulb that comes on at dusk and goes off at sunrise (or just stays on all the time) will use far less electricity and will light your way WITHOUT MAKING YOU A TARGET ! Our low-wattage low-energy lights are on 24/7/365

Electrician experienced with cable internet

May 2012

I'm looking for an electrician who is experienced in working with cable internet. We have a cable jack in our office that is not getting a signal strong enough for cable internet; we've had Comcast come out and they can't solve the problem and recommended we get an electrician to do it. I'm in the Oakland Hills. Erin

In thirty years of experience in Berkeley, the very best local electricians, the most knowledgable and careful, is: Daan Rottger and his brother Inder Rottger. 510.847.5577 drottger [at] yahoo.com fighting_amish_electric [at] yahoo.com Careful property-owner

In most homes the cable wire is 'daisy chained' from room to room to save wire and do it cheap. This results in bad connections and loss of shielding. If you have another computer in a room next to the desired room that could cause the signal issue. Probably need to open each box and check connections or run a new line from modem direct to room you need it in via attic or crawlspace--------or go wireless which may be cheaper. I have both solid wire and wireless and they both work fine. wired

I use Earle's Lo-Cost Electric for our rental properties. His number is:510-436-4787. He is licensed and insured and does very good work. Earle uses a crew and supervises it. He is always professional and takes care to do finish a project right the first time. Roger

I would like to recommend Tim Wright Electrical. They do stellar work and are reasonably price, while ensuring that the best choices are made. They did our complete home wiring, including internet and cable. Very pleasant to work with! 510-547-8286. Richard

He has been recommended on this site before (in fact I think I found him here). Dave Zhu, 510-220-8013. Not sure where he's based, but he's been quick to arrive at my home in Oakland. I've liked him most because he's reasonable, quick, AND doesn't mind me looking over his shoulder (happy to teach me while he works). Dan

Electrician for recessed lighting in old house

Jan 2012

We'd like to do have some recessed lighting installed in various rooms of our two-story house. The house was built in the 1930s, so it's old lathe and plaster, not new sheetrock. I'd love a recommendation for an electrician who is familiar with old houses/wiring/needs so we can do it with a minimum of mess and expense. Thanks! Let there be light

We have a house from the 30s with lath and plaster too. Andre Shoy of Blue Star Lighting and Electric did a great job adding interior (and exterior) lights. He also grounded our ungrounded plugs, and cleaned up some scary-looking old wiring under the house. His email is ads [at] bluestar-electrical.com. His phone number as of a year ago was 510-904-7340. Ed

I highly recommend Fighting Amish Electric. Responsive, reliable, just great. Good luck. Seems to be hard to find a good reliable, electrician. anon

Walter Liebe is extremely fastidious, efficient and great with old houses. http://www.walterliebe.com (510) 508 4095 MV

I just had Tony of Spartan Electric come out and do some long-put-off work for me. I can not rave about this gentleman enough! Fast, efficient, friendly, clean/tidy - no mess, and not overpriced!! Amazing. Anyway, he can be reached at 925-330-5955 Jari

New review for electrician

Dec 2011

I have been trying to hire an electrician for months now. I have searched BPN archives and Yelp for reviews and contacted a few people, but have found them to be unresponsive or just flaky- not showing up when they said they would, not sending me an estimate etc. So I am looking for a new review from people who have a really good, reliable and responsive electrician. Thank you. ks

We were very happy with Power+Light: Power + Light 5250 Lawton Ave. Oakland CA 654-9968 mgrin [at] pwrnlt.net Mike (the owner, I believe) has high standards and I felt comfortable trusting him and his team with a large rewiring job on our house, including new circuit breakers and a lot of cleanup of misc wires and junk in our crawlspace. Also we got a cash discount which was nice. Berkeley Home

We love Tony at Spartan Electric - I think I found him through a BPN recommendation. He's conscientious and responsive and reasonably priced. JP

We had Darius Kraus do electrical work at our house. Very professional, did very good work and was reasonably priced. I would hire him again in a minute. He can be reached at dkrauselectric [at] sbcglobal.net or 510-847- 6148. kawa

I highly recommend Mike Trifan with Elco Bay Area. He is licensed electrical contractor and his rates are competitively priced, he has over 25 years of commercial and residential experience, and specializes in troubleshooting , new construction ,rewiring older homes. He takes on small and large projects, is reliable and knowledgeable.Call hin at 510-427-8370. Tim

There is one electrician who I would not recommend: Walter Liebe. He has many positive reviews on BPN, which is how I found him, but he did messy, incomplete work and charged me for more hours than he worked.

I wouldn't work with anyone but Walter Liebe, and he is very busy! He is definitely worth the wait. He has decades of experience (not an exaggeration), he's a great problem-solver, he has good relationships with other tradespeople (in case he has to put a hole in your wall), he is EXACT. He will tell you everything he can up front. He's great with kids. He works quickly. He cares about your safety. He has a sense of humor. He gives free estimates. http://www.walterliebe.com/ 510 508 4095 anon

I have worked with Troy Neil of Neil Electric on a number of my design/build projects in the East Bay. He does meticulous work and is a licensed electrician who can do small projects for a reasonable price. Ian

Want Electrician to replace 2 smart meters

Sept 2011

I bought 2 refurbished old PG smart meters from Real Goods and now need an electrician who will switch them. Does anyone know of one?

I highly recommend Walter Liebe. His is a licensed and insured German Master Electrician. He is honest, capable, diligent and a very nice guy. His phone is 510-508-4095 or email: Walter [at] walterliebe.com. Shoey

Affordable electrician to run wires & install ceiling fan

Aug 2011

I'm looking for a recommendation for an affordable electrician to run wires and install a ceiling fan in my daughter's room. We live in Pleasant Hill. Thanks in advance. k

We've used Tony at Spartan Electric a number of times for projects around the house and he's great - friendly, conscientious, not out to overcharge you, willing to answer silly questions and happy to come out and take care of several small projects at once, not just the big ones. His # is 925-691-9393. Working Through the Honey-Do List

Andre Shoy, who owns Blue Star Lighting and Electric, is great! He did a lot of new wiring, fixture installation, and improvements to get our old house up to code. His number is 510-904-7340 Ed

We have had the good fortune to call on Matt Wilson for electrical help on many occasions. He's a fully bonded and insured electrical contractor, and we found him wonderful to work with and very economical and honest. If you need someone to troubleshoot or do more involved work, check him out. lm

Electrician Reccommendation for recessed lighting

June 2011

We're looking to have recessed lighting installed in the majority of our house and I'd like a recommendation for a professional electrician who can take appropriate precautions while working in our 100+ year-old home. I want to make sure appropriate steps are taken to contain/cleanup ceiling dust as we've got two kids under the age of 5 and I am pregnant. Don't know what is in our ceiling, but we can't take any chances. We'd prefer to live here while the work is being done if that is feasible. Thanks! N

I have know Peita Hirovonen for a long time. He is an amazing electrician. His work is a piece of art. He is not the least expensive, but it is probably the best I have ever seen. He is also honest and fully backs it up. Electrical is probably the most important aspect of construction that you don't want to skimp on. People who get a good deal can also end up with a fire or ongoing problems that will drive them crazy. Choice a good electrician. Peita Hirovonen's phone number is 510-883-0988. Steve sms

I recommend Eugene Jones of Jones Electrical. He worked on my friends house and did a great job. His contact number is 510-917-0754.

Licensed electrician for small jobs

June 2011

Hi, we're looking for recommendations for a licensed and bonded electrician who is willing to work on small jobs - replacing a ceiling vent and possible partially updating the electrical system in our kitchen. If you have someone reliable who might take on a minor project, please let me know! Berkeley Resident

Iosif from Danios Electric does small and big jobs alike. He is licensed and very reliable. He did work on my house and I am very happy with is. Some of my friends had electric work done by him too. You can contact him at 510-828-6570 Diana

Electrician for Lamorinda home

March 2011

I am looking for a relaible electrician that is willing to work in Lamorinda. I have a few small jobs for now such as fixing one of the recessed lights on the ceiling of the kitchen and fixing the plug for the hair drier in one of the bathrooms (wires burned and electrical had to be totally turned off in this bathroom). I also will be remodeling another bathroom this May and will need an electrician to redo the electrical work in this small bathroom, including installation of recessed lights, new over the sink lighting and rewiring the plugs. Thank you. Lisa

I highly recommend Westwind Electric in Alamo. 925-855-0540. Mike is the owner, and a very good, honest electrical contractor. Berkeley mom of 3

I can highly recommend Mike Trifan with Elco Bay Area. He is licensed electrical contractorand his rates are competitively priced, he has over 25 years of commercial and residential experience, and specializes in rewiring older homes. He takes on small and large projects, is reliable and knowledgeable.Call hin at 510-427-8370 Tim rim

Call Sorin Feraru at 510-228-7366. He is a licensed general contractor working with a great crew of knowledgeable and very well trained people. His prices are reasonable and he is reliable and covers the Lamorinda area. We are very happy with the worked he has done for us (remodel the house, including changing the main panel) and highly recommend him and his company.

Thank you to all that replied to my request for an electrician willing to work in Lamorinda (Moraga). I ended up having to find one before reading the postings since the issue with the electrical plug in my bathroom got worse (smoke coming from wall). I had to turn off all power in the bathroom and find someone ASAP. For those living out here, most of the Berkeley and Oakland electricians recommended by the old BPN postings were not willing to come to Moraga. I ended up using Redwood Electric, owned by Jothi Param. Jothi came out on the same day, was courteous, fixed the problem (and a few other electrical maintenance issues that I had around the house) and was not expensive. I recommend him. He also has great Yelp reviews. You can reach him at 925-360-3167. He also has a web site under Redwood Electric. Lisa

2009 - 2010 Recommendations

Electrician to install standby generator

Oct 2010

We seek a recommendation for an electrician to install a natural gas standby generator. We are also looking for advice on which brand to purchase (e.g., Kohler, Briggs and Stratton, Generac, etc.). Has anyone experience with such an install and advice to share? Has anyone used AAAA Generator and associated contractor from Hayward? InAlbany

Try Chris Davis at Amber Electric 510-725-8893 - He's a BPN member. I just did some work with Chris (I'm a general contractor) and I was very impressed with his professionalism, knowledge and work ethic. Jim

Our lights are dimming; electrician is stumped

Aug 2010

Our lights have been dimming intermittently for 2 months. In the last month electronics (especially when the TV and game console is on) will turn off as the lights dim, and it will happen often. Our usual electrician (who is very good) is stumped. PG checked the wires, and don't have a clue either. Anybody know a genius electrician? Stumped in Berkeley

PLEASE GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF IMMEDIATELY.

What you are describing is very dangerous. Get this looked at immediately as it can/will cause an electrical fire. (My opinion ? Your electrician is an idiot ? fire him/her for not protecting you.) If the lights are dimming or flickering it means there is a faulty connection that is overheating. It could be caused by faulty material, crummy workmanship or animals eating the wires. Overheating is what causes electrical fires. You did not post if this is for your entire house, part of the house or specific outlets.

You could actually figure this out yourself safely, and it's easy to do. For $20-$25 buy a Kill-a-watt at Fry's or from Amazon. Plug it into a wall outlet and measure the voltage. (It should be 119-121) When the lights flicker see if the number has decreased. If it has that means you have a voltage drop and something is else (that should not be) is heating up which is causing the voltage drop. Try it in different outlets throughout your house. If it's one outlet, it's probably the circuit breaker/fuse). If it's several outlets but not the entire house a sub-panel circuit breaker or fuse. If it's the entire house then it's the main breaker or a problem with PG

You need to get this figured out. Every time the lights flicker the insulation on the wires gets hot and breaks off. Eventually enough insulation will have burned off it will cause a fire. You should know how to flip the breakers or pull the fuse for your house. If a fire should occur it will be in the wall don't use water you get a shock. Instead flip the breaker or pull the fuse then put the fire out. Sad to say something like this just happened 3 months ago and 2 men in our neighborhood suffered third degree burns. PLEASE GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF IMMEDIATELY. ANON

Give Walter Liebe a call. He's a German master electrician with over 25 years of experience. He's fully licensed and insured and has a knack for figuring out quirky electrical situations. He's punctual, his work is very clean, very thorough, and he will provide you with a very reasonable and realistic estimate. People (including me) rave about him. He is a gem. His website: www.walterliebe.com. His phone number 510-508-4095. Rosie

We had an issue like that actually for a few years. Our dining room lights would dim and the microwave would have less power. I had PGE come out to look but they couldn't find anything. Then last year the transformer up the street went out. PGE came out to repair it and, voila! Our lights and microwave no longer dim! Maybe call PGE again. Bright lights

I can highly recommend Chris Davis, licensed master electrician. His rates are competitively priced, he has over 25 years of commercial and residential experience, and specializes in rewiring older homes. Chris helped us fix a mess created by another electrician (who tried to rewire our house), and friends have hired him upon our recommendation and been very happy with his work (including renovations and additions). He takes on small and large projects, is reliable and knowledgeable, and is an all around great guy. And, he's in Berkeley! You can contact Chris Davis at 725-8893. Julie B

Chris Davis is a great licenced electrician, responsive, creative, super trouble-shooter, and all around great guy! He's easy to work with, trustworthy, and does a thorough job. He hasn't rewired my house, but he has done a variety of jobs for us dealing with old wiring and outdated sockets and figuring out how to solve odd problems. I highly recommend him: Chris Davis: sivadsearch [at] gmail.com Raissa

Hi we would like to recommend our electrician Chris Davis - (510) 725-8893. He recently completed some work for us and it was an all around satisfying experience. We gave him a list of the things we needed done (add additional light switches and outlets, troubleshoot quirky circuits, install additional lighting) and told him how much we had to spend and he helped us prioritize it. He got through the entire list and came in under the estimated cost despite the fact that he did extra work (like changing out the fuse box for a newer safer one and installing a safe outlet on its own circuit for the sump pump) that wasn't on the list. His work was excellent. He left everything very clean and tidy. He has young children of his own, and he never left tools around and made sure the work area was safe. He was also very pleasant and understanding. Veronica

Electrician who has re-wired old houses

Aug 2010

My house needs to have all the old knob and tube wiring removed and new wiring put in. There is also some more recent electrical work that I have been told may be unsafe. Can anyone recommend an electrician who has rewired old houses? Thank you! LL

I just finished a remodel that included a lot of new lights and some replacements in my 1932 house. I've been very happy with Andre Shoy - www.bluestar-electrical.com .He's been clever about finding solutions (e.g. wiring up complicated multi-switch ligts on a motion sensor, and snaking wire through my lath and plaster walls) and his attention to detail is really superior. Ed

We have a house built in 1940 and recently had all the old knob-and-tube wiring replaced (prompted by smoke coming from the old fuse box!). There was also more recent substandard work done about six years ago that we were concerned might be unsafe. After getting three estimates for the job from electricians recommended on BPN we selected Commercial and Residential Electric (S. Eric Bromburg), who did a very fine job. He is straightforward and sets clear expectations (in fact he is a published author on business ethics!). Not only did he work with the city with the permit process, he took the time to thoroughly explain the various options available to us each step of the way - the cost and potential benefits. And he did a good job of preserving existing walls and minimizing patching, and explained safety issues. NP

Walter Liebe, the German Master Electrician, would be the guy to do the rewiring of your house. He's got tons of experience, and he's fully licensed and insured. He's a third generation electrician who's passionate about his work. He's detail-oriented, provides excellent customer service, is on-time and reasonably priced. www.walterliebe.com or 510-508-4095. You can also find him on yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/walter-liebe-oakland-2. Lots of happy customers! He's done a partial rewiring of my over 100-year-old house and I couldn't be happier with the quality of his work. He always cleans up after he's done, and he's very pleasant to have around. Truly, look no further! Rosie

Tim Wright Electrical re-wired our old Elmwood home (as well as those of most of our neighbors). He has been an electrician in the Bay area for more than 20 years, is a small, nimble and cost-effective operation. He will certainly not have you re-do any work that does not need to be done or any work that is not a safety hazard. He's really smart and great. Good luck! Re-Wired in Elmwood

I can highly recommend Chris Davis, licensed master electrician. His rates are competitively priced, he has over 25 years of commercial and residential experience, and specializes in rewiring older homes. Chris helped us fix a mess created by another electrician (who tried to rewire our house), and friends have hired him upon our recommendation and been very happy with his work (including renovations and additions). He takes on small and large projects, is reliable and knowledgeable, and is an all around great guy. And, he's in Berkeley! You can contact Chris Davis at 725-8893. Julie

Call Walter Liebe. He is a great electrician with exactly the experience you want. He's done work for me. He's on time, reasonably priced, friendly, and really good to work with. See Walter's website at walterliebe.com - Phone is (510) 508 4095, or email walter(at)walterliebe.com David

I recommend Mike with Elco Bay Area - he is an electrical contractor - call him at 510-427-8370 Mike is very knowledgeable, reliable, thoughtful, and fair. I appreciated the way he worked with me to make sure I got the results I wanted for a reasonable price.

We recently hired a general contractor for the remodel of our house, however I would like to recommend him to you as his specialty is electrical work and we absolutely love the quality of his work, and his thoroughness. His name is Andrew Sonnemann, his company is Sonnemann Construction, and we can not say enough good things about him and his crew. Our house is a 1921 farmhouse with part original wiring, part very badly done wiring by previous homeowners (e.g. uninsulated wiring in the attic) and I was quite nervous about the safety of it all, especially as we have two small children. However, I needn't worry, as Andrew is extremely knowledgeable and would never do anything less but the safest, most high quality work, especially with something as important as electrical work. He put in new wiring where necessary, outlets that will break the circuit immediately if any inappropriate object is inserted into them by the kids, and an extra sensitive circuit breaker just in case (one that will actually become code later this year in Oakland). They are very easy to work with, on time, thorough, neat, respectful to owners living in the house while work is being done, and very reasonably priced. We would hire them again for anything. Andrew can be reached at 925.457.7710. Happy Client

Someone to add an electrical outlet

June 2010

We've upgraded our living room TV set-up so we now have a wall-mounted flat screen set-up with surround-sound speakers. We're looking for someone who can help us get all the wires into the walls and leave it all looking neat and clean. Suggestions? I'm not sure we need an electrician, since the wiring is all low voltage, but we're not sure. diana

it sounds like you don't want any visible wires, which means you need an electrical outlet put in behind the TV. i had something similar done in my office for our computer and printer cables. we had an electrician put in a new floor outlet and run all our wires under the floor. we called chris at Amber Electric based on a recommendation, and were very happy. he was quick and straight-forward, competitive rates. he does commercial and residential. 510-725-8893. good luck! local physician

Electrical contractor to design/install solar

Feb 2010

Any recommendations for an electrical contractor who can also design and install solar on our home? We want to go solar and also need a panel upgrade and would like the project all done at once if possible. carly

For electrical work and solar panel installation, use Tim Wright Contracting. I thought it was going to be very complicated and he made it seem easy. He was great to work with and his crew was great too. He can be reached at 510- 547-8286. Good Luck. anon

Hi There - I can highly recommend Joel Baron of Baron Solar and Electric 510-206-0073. We converted our garage into my office and needed complete rewiring and panel upgrade. He was neat and friendly and came in at budget. He also installed solar at our friend's house in Richmond. They were also completely satisfied with the quality of his work and the results of their new system. He's a good guy, does quality work and is easy to work with. Julie

i know of a great electrical contractor in berkeley. he's done work on our home and in my office and i've been very happy. quick, efficient, very knowledgeable and diligent about code law, and less expensive than our other bids. his name is chris, company name is Amber Electric at 510-725-8893 good luck! berkeley parent

Soneone to hook up hot tub

Feb 2010

We are located in El Cerrito. We just got a used Tiger River Bengal hot tub. We are looking for someone to install the electrical outlet for the tub and to see if it works. Any recommendations for an electrical contractor and hot tub repair person? Von

You should contact Tim Wright Electrical contracting for electrical work. He will make sure your job is done right and will only do what is necessary, so it ends up being more cost effective. He has been working in Berkeley, Oakland, El Cerrito, Piedmont, Albany for the past 20 plus years so he has a lot of experience, and a lot of happy customers. 510-459-8438 Another happy customer

Need a good and reliable electrician

Nov 2009

Hello, We are relocating to Berkeley at the end of the month and will need to have some basic electrical work done at the place we are moving to. Can anyone recommend an electrician that is professional, reliable, and reasonably priced? Thanks. Greg

We recently used Ioseif Adamache again for some lighting issues on our home. He is the most recommended electrician on BPN, and that is how we found him. He has worked on nearly every home in upper rockridge in our area and he is not only nice, but reliable and honest and very knowlegeable. He explained the repairs and charged us a lot less than we anticipated. I will definitely use him again. heather

Sesco Electrical is a great locally owned company here in Berkeley. They have done a lot of work for our business, and we have always been very happy with the results. Plus, they are really sweet people and very easy to work with! http://www.sescoelectrical.com/ (510) 883-0988 (office phone) Amber

We have used the services of Tom Johnson (Richmond based) for nearly 20 years, with total satisfaction, for jobs big and small. 510-234-4055 The only problem is that, as with most excellent professionals, he is generally quite busy. John B

I recommend Kenny Duncan, he can be reached at(510) 410-9558 or (510) 835-4006. We hired him to hard-wire and install lighting fixtures. He is extremely professional, courteous, and his rates were very affordable. If he runs into any problems, he will give it 100% to find a solution. We were so pleased the first time, we hired him the second time we needed electrical work done. Feel free to let him know we recommended him. Loft owner in Jack London Square

Tracy Inouye was referred by my daughter and has done good work for me. He is reliable, responsive and has reasonable rates. He has installed track lighting in the kitchen, rewired and replaced fixtures throughout the house. His company also does painting. Contact me for his phone number. carol

Electrician to install new outlets and cable hookups

June 2009

We need an experienced electrician who can install a couple new outlets and cable hookups (for satellite TV) on interior walls in our home. We want someone who will do the job to code. lm

I reviewed Iosif Adamache in June 2004 and I'm enthusiastically updating my review now. Since 2004 he has done two small repair jobs and one larger remodeling job for us, and as before I've been happy with his good work, honesty, reliability, and good cheer. I should add that since 2004 his English has progressed from ''only OK,'' which is how I described it then, to excellent. I provided a phone number for him in the 2004 recommendation, but it was wrong and in any case he likes to be contacted at iosifadamache [at] sbcglobal.net. John

We hired EarthFirst electric to overhaul the electrical system in our house in 2008. We are very happy with the quality of the work and found it a pleasure to work with Jeff Smith, the proprietor. He worked on a fixed bid, completed everything we expected and kept to the timeline. (415-254-5908; www.efelectric.com)

Our 1904 bungalow was wired with very old knob and tube. Needless to say, the circuits and wiring were woefully inadequate for our plugged-in 21st century lives, not to mention a serious fire hazard. High power appliances like toasters, laser printers and microwaves would dim the lights, or sometimes trip a breaker. Jeff and his partner put in a new service panel, rewired the main circuits and added lots of new outlets. In addition, they installed a ventilation fan in the bathroom and motion-activated ceiling lights in three bedroom closets (a great idea that saved us the cost of opening the walls to wiring a switch). From the start, Jeff was great at understanding our goals and tastes and giving us options to choose from. He was very good at helping us find ways to stay within our budget.

Though we spent quite a bit, we could afford to replace all the knob and tube wiring. Just the electrical work was beyond our budget, not to mention the carpentry to repair a lot of lath-and-plaster walls. The important thing from a safety standpoint was to take the load off the old wires by adding new outlets. For the original outlets that are still connected with knob and tube, you can avoid overloading them by replacing the old outlets with ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Ceiling lights throughout the house are also still wired with knob and tube, but they draw very little current, especially since they now have florescent bulbs.

As the the EarthFirst name suggests, Jeff is passionate energy conservation and loves to intall solar system. We regret that we couldn't afford to install a solar system this time around, but he has plenty of expertise we would not hesitate to hire him when we're ready. In addition to being very reliable and personable, Jeff bonded with our dog and kept him happy while we were at work. maryann

Gill's Electric for a large electrical job?

May 2009

We're considering Gill's Electric for a large electrical job, but their rates seem pretty high compared to other companies. Any experience with them? Knowledgeable? Professional? anon

Gill's is one of the best. I believe that they are union, which probably explains the cost difference. I think that they mainly do commercial as well, but I could be wrong about that. I wouldn't hesitate to use them if my budget allowed. Mike

Here are a few stories of our experiences with Gill's electric:

When we first bought our 1911 craftsman we hired a contractor who used Gil's as a sub-contractor. One of the many projects Rick (of Gil's) did for us was double the electrical service and ground the house.

One day I arrived at the house and the lead on the job informed me that Rick had his son and son's friend doing work on the house. They were definitely NOT employees of Gil's and I couldn't get an answer as to whether or not either of them was a trained or licensed electrician.

One of the features of our house that inspired our purchase was all the old craftsman wood - wainscoting, beamed ceilings, baseboards, doorways, etc... was still wood and had NOT been painted. The same day I discovered son and friend working in my house, I found very sloppy holes had been drilled in the baseboards to put in the grounding wires for the outlets. New holes are necessary, but these holes were OUTSIDE of the cover plate on the outlets. My beautiful old growth wood baseboards and walls had sloppy holes with wires showing. Rick told me I could patch and paint all the wood and NEVER apologized.

We had Cat-5 wiring installed throughout the house (it still had the original phone wiring, no cable, and we needed a second phone line and to use new fangled things like computers, internet, televisions, etc..). One of the twisted pairs in the Cat-5 cabling was punched down backwards at the box, so the whole system failed to work until each outlet had to be trouble shot individually and rewired in a non- standard manner to make it work. My husband led the technician through the correction process, outlet by outlet.

We needed power to be extended to the back of the house for an irrigation system (there were no outside outlets). Instead of Rick, Kris was sent out. Due to previous experience and advice of contractor, I asked Kris to show me any and all drilling and cutting in wood he wanted to do and have it cleared by me first. He completely ignored my request. (Who's house is this?) While I was in the house playing with my daughter, he started drilling and sawing under the house. Then Kris announced he had to rush off to another job and didn't care how long I believed his appointment to be. This did not please me as I had dirt being moved and rock walls being built in the back yard by contractors on the scene. He set an appointment for the next working day (I think we were on a Friday) and promised he would be there to finish the work. I started calling Gil's an hour after Kris's appointment time came and went - Kris was on another job and wouldn't be free all day. They could send someone out in two days. I had contractors waiting on the work. I went to the mailbox and in the mail there was a bill for Kris's work for the Friday before AND FOR LABOR DONE THE DAY I RECEIVED THE BILL.

Then, I'm guessing 9 months later on a Sunday, I am home with my toddler and taking care of a friend's toddler - and the power goes out. I can't figure out anything in the circuit box. I put the girl's down for a nap and ask the girl next door to come over while I ran to Home Depot. I replaced ALL of the breakers in the box. Still no power. I call Gil's. They tell me they will call back. Neighbor brings over this little electric checker pen thingie, and we discover that there is no power after where the PG lines connect to the house. I call PG They arrive, request the cherry picker truck, it arrives and they fix it ALL BEFORE Gil's calls me back.

Turns out that Gil's had never requested and/or dealt with getting the new system inspected and signed off by PG - our new box and meter did not have the PG sticker on it. ITs some big green sticker. This is usually done in a more timely and quick manner because the connecter between the PG lines and the house need to be weatherized, but PG has to check the connection first. PG never came, so the connector rusted out and we could not receive electricity.

Gil's admitted their failure in getting PG approval to happen. Rick showed up for the inspection. He didn't believe that there was any fault with his work, the failure was our problem. I showed him the connector that had rusted out. He threw it on the ground, yelled ''That was a $25 part!'' and proceeded to have a tantrum and then left. The system did pass the PG inspection.

There is more, but I think you get the picture.
Julia

Electrician for bathroom remodel

April 2009

We are remodeling our bathroom and looking for a good and reasonably priced electrician who works in the east bay. anon

We recommend Pietsa Hirvonen, of SESCO Solar and Electrical. He did a number of jobs for us up on San Lorenzo in our 1928 home. He is friendly, did a great job, and easy to work with. 510-883- 0988. kathryn

We had the good fortune to call on Matt Wilson today for electrical help. He's a fully bonded and insured electrical contractor, and we found him wonderful to work with and very economical. If you need someone to troubleshoot or do more involvedwork, check him out. lmackenzie

Haluk Arikan is an excellent electrician and also a licensed contractor who can help you with other remodeling work if needed. He works fast and has reasonable rates. He has done electrical work and various other projects for us and friends (repairing a fence, putting a new kitchen in an apartment). He's at 415-577-1201. Karen

I highly recommend Tony Souza, Spartan Electric. He's terrific at what he does, so clean it makes me nervous, and reasonably priced. He also checks other things while he is working to be sure everything is safe and operational. He also returns his calls! He can be reached at (925) 330-5955. My husband and I are extremely pleased with his work, which he does himself. Julie

Jorge Rodriguez just finished redoing the electrical for our entire house and did a fabulous job. He can do anything!! He is great to work with. 650-219-2955
Tajalli

I highly recommend Tim Wright (510) 459-8438. His work was top notch and the price was much better than the other bidders. Our contractor even remarked that his work was ''elegant.'' I was especially grateful for the lighting design that he did for our kitchen. Good luck. anon

We hired Iosif for the first time a few years ago based on the great reviews we read from BPN at that time. Back then we hired him to install our kids' bedroom light fixtures and were very happy with his work. Recently, when we needed more electrical work, we hired him again. This time, Iosif also had to redo some bad electrical work by the home's previous owner. Iosif installed some bathroom fans, outdoor light fixtures, added new outlets, and much more.

He is very knowledgeable, a walking title 24 encyclopedia, and did not mind presenting alternatives and explaining pros and cons. He was willing to get city permits and work with inspectors. We also liked that he was very good at communicating with us by either telephone or email. Both times, we have hired Iosif we noticed that he is punctual, responsible, professional and very easy to work with.

We are very satisfied with the quality of his work and would hire him again for electrical work. The city inspector was also very impressed with Iosif's work and told us it was excellent. We hope you find this helpful as we know that it is very hard to find a trustworthy contractor. We believe Iosif works all over the East Bay. If you need an electrician; we would highly recommend Iosif. His business name is Danios Electric; he is the owner and he does the work himself. Lic #874914. Cell (510) 828-6570 or Business (510) 889-7114. Lamorinda mom

Hi , I would like to recommend Cazden Electric for your bathroom remodel. John is reliable, reasonable, honest and gave us good advice on our electrical issues. He did a bunch of attic work and rewiring when we first bought our home and he has been back since to do smaller jobs. He can be reached at 676-6659. shojo

i just hired Erik Bromberg (510) 393-1446) to do a multitude of safety upgrades to my older home. He is honest, reasonable and a consumer advocate. I found him through BPN. Kathy

I can highly recommend Berkeley electrical contractor George Bulterman, who rewired my 1912 Craftsman bungalow when I bought it six years ago, and did all the electrical work for my bathroom remodel in 2007. George is very knowledgeable, reliable, thoughtful, and fair. I appreciated the way he worked with me to make sure I got the results I wanted for a reasonable price. His phone number is 510/908-3732. Barbara

Electrician to hook up doorbell

Jan 2009

I need an electrician to hook up a new door bell Jonathan

For projects as small as a doorbell or as large as a yard cleanup, I strongly recommend a handyman named Denis Contreras at (510) 491-3964 or (415) 261-5191. He and his small crew can master any project at a very economical price. Personally I have hired him for yard work, a complete irrigation installation, hauling, and some plumbing and wiring, but he can also do painting, decks, paving, etc. I found him to be very quick with good follow-through. -Tiff

I recommend Peitsa Hirvonen, of SESCO Electrical Contracting for jobs big and small, included photovoltaic. 510-883-0988. He is located in Berkeley and is very active in green building. Licensed, friendly, and very professional. No shorts electrical work! Robert

2007 - 2008 Recommendations

Electrician to install bathroom fixtures

Dec 2008

We are in need of an electrician to install a fan/overhead light, bathroom fan, and sconce. Just some small around-the- house jobs. Could someone recommend an electrician, ideally who won't break the bank, that they have used before? Thanks! Sarah

We have been fortunate to count on Jeff Rogers of JR'S HANDYMAN SERVICE for all kinds of repairs in our house. He does small electrical work AND many other types of repairs. HE IS GREAT! His number is 510 918 9472.
Eliana

I can recommend a wonderful electrician. He has done really small jobs for us as well as worked with us on two large remodeling projects. He also fixed a dining room chandelier we had with a complicated short problem, saving us from having to replace it. He is very reasonable and extremely reliable. He is: Cristian Dirnu, 510-343-4478.
Janelle

I highly recommend Carlos Guerrero as an electrician. He really knew his stuff from full upgrade on a house to energy saving appliances. He was very affordable, dependable, friendly, efficient, clean and licensed. I highly recommend! He has done big and small projects for us. Carlos Guerrero 510-409-3627
patrick

Jeffrey Smith of EF Electric is great!! We've known Jeff for a couple of years now, and he has always been consistent in time and cost estimates. Definitely a pleasure to have come over and update an old fixture, diagnose a faulty switch, or even help change our garage into a useful workspace. (415) 254-5908 His business website is www.efelectric.com To top it off, our dog loves him, and that is rare for our picky pooch.
Rose

I highly recommend Matt Wilson for electrical repairs and installations. He is an excellent electrician, very nice guy and has reasonable prices. He is competent, efficient and cost effective. Wilson Electric 510 417 1203
Susan L

Electrician in the Lamorinda area

Sept 2008

I am looking for a reasonably priced, competent electrician for a (hopefully) small job in Lamorinda. The archives don't show much for the Lamorinda area, but if anyone knows of someone who is either local or willing to cross the tunnel, I would so appreciate it! Many thanks!! les

Erik Bromberg at (510) 393-1446 has always done a great job for us. He only wants to do what work is needed and is very reasonable in price. I recommend him highly. We live In Lafayette and he has done several jobs for us. Francis

Electrician to install ceiling fans

July 2008

I am looking for a good but not too expensive electrician to install ceiling fans in my home. I am in the Dublin/Pleasanton area. Any referrals much appreciated. thanks! Tina

Hi Tina, I can highly recommend Walter Liebe. He is a Master Electrician -- second generation (his father was an electrician as well) -- highly knowledgeable and very reasonable. Walter is in Berkeley. Phone: 421-7944. Email: walter [at] walterliebe.com. Website: walterliebe.com David

We used Tony Espinosa, owner of STS Electric, for a small project at our house in Oakland last year and we were very impressed with his service (prompt! and professional) and his pricing. He is at (925)708-4537 or stselectric [at] comcast.net. I think he is based in Pleasanton or San Ramon area. Carol

Electrician to replace knob & tube

 

July 2008

We have a home built in the 1940s that still has some knob and tube wiring. We've updated the main panel and parts of the house as we've remodeled, but need to replace the the rest of the knob and tube.

We're looking for a competent, reasonably-priced electrician (the estimages we've gotten are sky high) who can replace the rest of the knob and tube so that we're completely up-to-date.

Also looking for some advice on whether to permit the job or go without. We've updated a couple areas of our house without permits and are now unsure whether we can/should permit the rest or if we're better off just getting it done without permits. The main panel was replaced with permits, so we have done some of updating via the permit process. Thanks! KB

I had a great experience in late 2007 working with Earle at Earle's Electric, 510.436.4787 office, 510.867.4436 mobile. He's very competent and reasonably priced.

I urge you to do major work, especially electrical, with a permit! I've heard too many horror stories about people having to tear out everything their first contractor did, or getting caught by an inspector in the neighborhood and having to suspend work, pay fines, start over, etc. In the case of electrical work, the risk is way too high to mess with.

I've pulled several permits in Berkeley and found the people at the Permit Office to be incredibly helpful and the process to be relatively straightforward. That being said, using the low end of an estimate rather than the top will help mitigate the permit cost.

I also worried that one previously un-permitted project would be ''discovered'' but found the inspectors to be very focused on what they came to look at. Maybe I was just lucky, but I also haven't heard of other people running into problems like this. In any case, I'm now convinced that pulling permits is a safeguard against oversight or incompetence . . . and worth paying for. Anon

Several months ago, we had the knob and tube wiring in the attic of our turn-of-the- century Alameda house replaced by Metin (''may-teen'') Saglam of Arco Electrical. He did a great job; we did it off permit (our choice), but he seemed very knowledgeable about safety and insisted on doing things up to code. He's based in Berkeley, reasonably priced, and friendly. He's at (510) 559-7700 or metin [at] arcoelectrical.com Amy

Tim Wright Electrical. He has worked in the area for years and has done all my neighbors homes. We love him because he tells you what you do need, and what you don't need. And because he's independent, he's reasonably priced. 510-459-8438. Happy

I replaced all the knob and tube wires in my 1915 era craftsman home. Did it myself, over a period of several years. In doing the work, I pulled several electrical permits (Oakland).

The job means crawling around in tight spaces, fishing Romex wire where once were single wires, sometimes drilling through walls and occasionally opening small holes in plaster walls. Lots of time in the crawlspace and attic.

The Oakland electrical building inspectors mainly checked the work that was easy to get to - the boxes that he could see. He didn't crawl around the attic to make sure that I'd done a good job there!

The job expanded somewhat, as I installed more electrical outlets around the house, and put light switches next to most doors. Along the way, I also replaced the old steel pipes in the house with copper, and insulated the joist spaces. Grungy work, but it's finally finished. Whew!

To do this job right is quite challenging, especially when you don't want to open up walls. And there are plenty of places where you're tempted to take shortcuts: After spending four hours to fish a wire into a living room wallswitch - you say to yourself, ''Why not just leave this one old wire or put up a length of ugly surface wiremold?'').

So I'm not surprised that your quotes are so expensive; the electrician will be performing minor surgery on your home. Cliff

A really friendly, affordable and competent electrician is ADVANCED HOME ENERGY (510) 540-4860. They were so nice to work with that I would happily recommend them. The job was done quickly and the price was less than the other quotes I received. Marci Marci G.

We had a minor electrical failure in our kitchen, and so I called electrician Erik Bromberg at 5:45pm on a Wednesday evening, hoping he would be able to come by within a week or so. He actually answered when I called, and then he showed up in 45 minutes, fixed the problem carefully and methodically, and answered all my questions patiently. Reasonable rates as well. A positive experience. His phone is 510 393 1446. David

Good independent electrician

June 2008

We need a good independent electrician and a plumber. When we lived in Washington DC we were horrified to see that 1/2 hour of one of these might cost two hours of company time with overhead, while independents were both cheaper and more reliable. North Berkeley Lee

John Cazden of Cazden Electric has performed numerous electrical jobs at our home. His professionalism is outstanding. He adds personal lighting knowledge to create a more sophisticated lighting palette to our home. Though he is not a lighting designer, he has developed his natural sense. Also, John Cazden works independently with careful and detailed focus. His work is outstanding in competence, delivery, quality, time, cost and reliability. His focus and natural hard-working nature combine with his thoughtful personality to make a very unobtrusive impact on your work place or home. I highly recommend Cazden Electric and am happy to answer any questions you might have regarding my experience with Cazden Electric. shojo

Electrical Contractor recommendation I'd like to recommend Erik Bromberg of Commercial and Residential Electric. Erik came recommended to me by the company that did my foundation and retrofit work. Erik not only replaced and upgraded the electrical outlet box and outlets in the house but later, when another contractor working on an addition did something unsafe he came by to check it out and then corrected it. Erik is honest and expert in his craft and his pricing and has the highest ethical standards of any tradesperson I've ever dealt with. You can write me further if youmd like more information. Erik Bromberg, Commercial and Residential Electric, License number C-1 540247, bonded, and insured. His shop phone number is 510-393-1446. ina

We've worked with Carlos Guerrero twice and have nothing but raves for him. His prices are reasonable, he is prompt, professional, creative in his solutions and impeccably honest. I think that it speaks worlds for him that when I went to the electrical store to order some fixtures and told them that Carlos would be picking them up, the guys at the store congratulated me on my luck in finding Carlos (I found him on the BPN) and praised the quality of his work. He's really top-notch. You can reach him at: carlosgue at msn.com or (510) 409-3627 Laura

Iosif Adamache is a great electrician, & very professional. I hired him to assess a situation with my electrical services & billing. He even brought a very sophisticated digital camera with him, which I had not thought to request. Iosif made a very clear & detailed analysis of my situation, taking pictures of each area of focus. He was very professional & pleasant in his manner, & was obviously an expert. Afterwards, he wrote me a very professional report along with an excellent presentation of the colored photos, all clearly identified. I would recommend Iosif very highly as an electrician! iosifadamache at sbcglobal.net. lanev

Affordable electrician that will get the job done

April 2008

i need an electrician that will get the job done up to the code and for an affordable price. can anyone recommend a good one? rebecca

Eric Bromberg (510) 393-1446 is a very ethical electrician who is very honest and extremely competent. He won't try to do anything that isn't necessary and will charge you a much lower price than most electricians. He's done electrical work at my house and I couldn't be happier with the results. Larry

We work with Leo Portugal of Elecix Electric. He is extremely reliable and friendly. He has been recommended on BPN before and we use him for all of our electric work. Call 510-393-4038. O

EarthFirst Electric did a great job putting in new outdoor fixtures and updating our kitchen outlets. We're considering solar panels at some point, and will definitely call Jeff to help us out. From what I can tell, Jeff runs the show at Earthfirst - he's great! Easy to communicate with via email or phone and very clear re: price estimates. We always assume contractors will be at least 15% over bid, but Jeff came in under budget. However, no surprise, we discovered some other things we wanted to change in the process of having him at our house, plus he suggested some reasonable safety updates (no pressure though, he knew we were on a budget), so we had him out for another job that wasn't part of the original bid. But you gotta figure, that's construction! Not only is Jeff local to the bay area, but he works mostly (only?) in the east bay and SF/Marin...He has already worked for two of our neighbors - one on a rec from us, and one who found him on their own! They're online at www.efelectric.com or (415) 254-5908. Can't wait for our new solar panels so we can see the meter run backwards!! --SK

Iosif Adamache with Danio Electric is a great electrician. I've hired him for several remodeling jobs and he comes through every time. He's the person who I steer all of my clients to. If you don't believe me, look him up here. He's probably the most listed guy in the electrical section. iosifadamache at sbcglobal.net

I can recommend Clay Bartley. His company name is Complete Electric. He's great. Reasonable rates. He worked long hours to make sure my home office was back up and running asap. .He's done 4 or 5 jobs on our home, from replacing the main Federal panel to wiring up a hot tub and extending circut lines to adding new lighting in our kitchen. He's a nice guy too. He's the electrician I call first. He can be reached at 510-325-7462 Peter

Hi, we have had a wonderful experience working with Marty at Voltwright. You can check out their website: www.voltwright.com Very reasonably priced, good communicators and thorough in their work. Highly recommended! L

I'd like to recommend Jeff Bloomfield of Eclectic Electric. He has solved a number of electrical and phone problems that have occurred in our old house. He has also installed new work for us. He is responsible, focused and dedicated to the task having stayed ''late'' several times to complete work so that we wouldn't be inconvenienced. I think his rates are resonable as well. Call him at 510-649-7614 or 510-541-4778. Kathy

I found Jeff Smith of Earth First Electronics on BPN in the fall. He did work for us then in our kitchen, which we were really happy with. We just asked him back to do more work, and we're really happy with that. Jeff is extremely personable, was quite open to us picking and choosing some of the less expensive aspects of his bid over the more expensive, he did excellent work, completely to code, and generally walked on water. We trust him with our house key. I am not convinced that he is the cheapest electrician out there, but his bids were always reasonable. We live in a house that has been remodeled many times, and his suggestions for approaches were always based on safety. He improved upon several dubious choices made by previous contractors. He sometimes work with his brother, who is also very competent, on larger jobs, fyi. Ellen

I recommend Jeff Bloomfield, whose Berkeley phone number is 649- 7628. He has performed work for us on a number of occasions over the past few years. He will do jobs large and small, and is very good at troubleshooting difficult circuitry and old wiring problems, as well as doing new work. Annette

We worked with Leo of Electix Electric. He met our budget and was a pleasure to work with. We trusted him in our house when we were not home and will be the only electrician that we work with in the future. He did a major re-wire job as well as upgrade the service to our house. Reach him at 510-393-4038. And he showed up on time every time - this is unheard of! Steve

Jan 2008

we have used clay bartley, 510-325-7462,for various electrical projects in our home in berkeley: replacing light fixtures, rewiring circuits he is personable, efficient, clean, well-priced he seems to be a popular contractor but he has always manages to fit us into his schedule and works to fit himself into ours... i highly recommend him for electrical work... lr

I highly recommend Metin Saglam of Arco Electric in Berkeley. Metin recently replaced all the old knob and tube wiring in our attic, installed several new outlets, and performed numerous small electrical jobs (installing lights, etc.) in our 1896 Alameda home. He is knowledgable, very safety conscious, punctual, and reliable, in addition to being an overall nice guy. We were very happy with his work, and will hire him again for future projects. He can be contacted at (510) 559-7700 or METIN[at]arcoelectrical.com. Amy

We also highly recommend Dave Zhu (510.220.8013). We recently upgraded the attic insulation in our 1925 house. Dave inspected and brought the wiring in the attic up to code in preparation for this project. He has done other work for us in the past and we have always been extremely pleased with the results. He is efficient, professional and a great troubleshooter. Jose

Nov - Dec 2007

Any recommendations for an electrician? I want to install some outdoor lighting (motion sensor, pathway, etc.) and some other small electrical work in the house. Erik

For an excellent electrician, call Erik Bromberg at (510) 393- 1446. He was just here at our home doing some electrical work and did a superb job. He's very honest and reasonably priced too. Lynch.larry

We have used Jerry Pokorny from JP electric and have been very happy with his services. His phone number is (925) 708 7738. Silvia

I highly recommend electrician Jose Trinidad. I found him on Angie's List so it's not just me who thinks he is great. He is professional, thorough and courteous. He will work hard to get to the root of a problem and charges very reasonable rates. His number is 408 394 8972. tracey

Iosif Adamache did a great job changing my fuse box to circuit breakers and running a separate line to my garage and laundry room. He was very neat, prompt, stayed within his extremely reasonable estimate and did work that was up to code. His spoken English is very thick because he is from Romania. He prefers to be contacted by email at iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net Rebecca

Richard Smith is an experienced electrician. I'm not sure if he has a license, but he really knows his stuff. He has installed exterior lights and even builds beautiful fencing. His phone is 295-9670. Stuart S

I read many good reviews of Iosif Adamache and so I had him come out to give me a quote on installing a 240 outlet. A week later and he still did not email me the quote. After I wrote him and he sent the quote I asked him if I could get a breakdown of cost for materials and labor. He replied that to protect himself from ''labor/price competition'' he would not provide a detailed invoice until I signed the contract. Fal

Dave Zhu just fixed some electrical work for me that had been botched by a handyman recommended on BPN, and he was competent, quick, and reasonable. I highly recommend his services. His number is 510.220.8013. Terry

I highly recommend Daan Rottger from Fighting Amish Electric (510 847 5577). I called Daan after my general contactor failed to correctly wire a cross switch. Daan was able to diagnose that the issue was a missing wire between two switches. I was afraid that will require some cuts in the sheet rock, but Daan was able to use existing recessed lighting to pull the wire. He also inspected the rest of the work, pointed to a few mistakes, and also a few things that the general contactor did in a way that professional electrician wouldn't, but that were not unsafe or against the code. Overall Daan left an impression of being knowledgable and creative. He was also very professional, showing up on time, being responsive, and doing the work promptly. All that for a very reasonable rate. Felice

Oct 2007

The short version of the story below is: Call Leo, he's great! 510-393-4038 - tell him Alec and Heather sent you. We had leo replace all the Knob & Tube in the house. During and at the end of the job, Leo was very communicative about progress and the problems he encountered. If I wasn't around on a given day, he usually called me that afternoon to give me a status update. He was very friendly, easy to deal with, and accommodated our 2 kids' nap schedules easily for the 5 days of the job. He was also very firm about adhering to the contract, and called me before beginning additional work. I always felt like he was being very honest upfront with me about all issues he encountered. A month after the job was complete, one overhead light started flickering on and off. I called Leo and he was there a day later. He found a loose wire in the switch and fixed it with no charge. While he was there he offered to send me the RECO paperwork for if/when we want to sell the house... Alec

Sept 2007

We are in search of a reliable, cost efficient, knowledgeable electrician to upgrade the wiring in our old home. We called one who was highly recommended and he turned out to be a flake (lacked basic communication/follow-up). It's a basic job, but we want someone who is a professional--not some electrician who and talks too much about his personal life and then takes a month to return a call. Also if anyone has used Plaza Electric in Albany or Blue Electric would appreciate your comments. anon

Gustavo Cota is a good electrician. He's reliable and his rates are reasonable. He's also creative and hard-working. I saw the installation that he did on a recent remodel in Berkeley and he went way beyond what the city inspectors require, making the installation boht safe and very practical, with well-planned installations, etc. His number is 510/289-4315. anon

I'd highly recommend calling Paul Lashley. He remodeled both our kitchen and bath this summer. His specialty is electrical work and he does lots of straight electrical jobs. He did a terrific job in lots of rewiring on our house. He's really great and does nice, clean work. Paul Lashley 510.910.1028 jvincent

Sept 2007

I got the name of an Electrician, Iosif Adamache, from the BPN website and was so happy I did! He and his team were amazing. I even found him sweeping my kitchen one day! His number is 820 6570 and iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net don't hesitate! He was very reasonable as well! Diane

July 2007

Can anyone recommend a good, honest, reliable (I know I'm asking alot) electrician that they have used in the Oakland area? I have a small and possible medium level job. I contacted Iosif Adamache who was highly recommended here on BPN, but after several emails and Phone calls, he has not responded. Thanks DM

I was really dismayed to find that electrician Tim Wright did not live up to my expectations. I saw numerous recommendations for him on BPN and was eager to have him upgrade my house's fuse box to circuit breakers since it shorts out and is a fire hazard. He returned my initial call, came by the next day and looked at the work in my house I needed to have done. He told me he would call early next week to give me an estimate. A week passed after the time when he had said he would call so I called him. I told him my name and address he said that he didn't remember me! He also said that he would be busy until August with another job so he couldn't take on the job (something he did not mention when he looked at the job). I told him that it would have been nice if he had called me when he said he would and he just said,''good luck!'' He did not apologize. parent in need of an electrician

May 2007

I'm looking to upgrade my fuse box to a circuit breaker panel. I expect it may be expensive, since the electrical system is antiquated, and am looking for an honest and competent electrician to recommend and perform the necessary work. Thanks Aaron

Erik Bromberg is your man. He's not only a highly experienced electrical contractor, he writes books on ethics! 510.393.1446 ann

Tim Wright Electrical Contracting, 510-547-8286, is very honest, will tell you what you need and what you don't, and high quality work. lynn

Jeff Smith of EarthFirst Electric is wonderful! He is a first-rate electrician, union-trained (so everything he installs is perfectly aligned and all up to code), honest, and upfront about all the possible options and how much they will cost. He is very friendly and respectful, and even good with the kids running in and out of the house! His prices are reasonable, and he is willing to do big or small jobs... www.efelectric.com or (415) 254-5908 Signed, Happy Lights Now!

We highly recommend Josef Adamache as an electrician. We had a botched knob and tube wiring job that left us with a dangerous fire hazard. He took care of this, (also documented the mistake made by the previous guy well enough for us to get our money back). He wired our office with additional outlets and for high speed internet, redid the entire fuse box, made our bathroom outlets safe, hung exterior lights to illuminate the back yard, and put up a chandelier. The inspectors loved his work (my friend's retired electrician father also affirmed everything he had proposed to do before he started working for us so we knew he was honest), he is very puntual, organized, and unimposing to have around the house. He explains in clear laymen's terms what needs to be done, his rates are reasonable, and he actually patches up if he has to open up drywall. We have had several workmen in our old house for various reasons and he is one of the Only tradespeople that we can recommend without reservation. His number is (925) 932-4838 or cell: (510) 828-6570
Kelly and Steven

May 2007

I would like to add a glowing recommendation for Iosif Adamache at Danios Electric. He and his small crew were cordial, punctual, professional, and worked very fast in replacing the main breaker panel, adding new circuits, grounding, and light fixtures. Peter

Having been frustrated by unresponsive and/or inept electricians for years, we would like to recommend De Mega Electric out of San Leandro. Gerardo Moreno and his staff were efficient, reasonable and prompt. Though we subject Gerardo to the usual homeowner indecision and mid-job changes, he was affable and understanding. He also stuck to the estimate, which is a near miracle given past experiences with contractors. Most important, his emphasis was on CUSTOMER SERVICE, and lets face it, most contractors don't seem to know what the word means. Call Gerardo at 510 - 483 3784. John

April 2007

Daan , worked on my kitchen and it was a pleasure to work with him. He was on time, within budget and told me where I could save money and where not to. He worked well with me and my wife, which is saying a lot because my wife is tough on contractors. I will be calling Daan for my main panel upgrade, spa install and any other electrical work I need. He has been gracious in informing me of errors I have made in my own attempts at wiring projects that I'd done. I thought I knew what I was doing. Anyway I can't say enough good things about him and his brother. Daan (Don) Rottger 510-847-5577 Contractors license #: 836134
Mike

March 2007

Great Electrician!! Donmar Electric 510-710-4537
Great service, fast, dependable and the project passed inspection. Donmar Electric 510-710-4537 Ann

March 2007

I would like to recommend El Cerrito Electric, specifically James, for anything electrical. James put in a new main panel at our house that we had just bought. We had a time limit because the seller was paying. He did it in a day with no hassle. But the best part was that when the inspector came for the inspection and he saw who had done the work, he barely looked at it!! He said, ''Oh, El Cerrito Electric? I know they did it right.'' And he signed off on it! If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is! --Still have power

Feb 2007

I would like to recommend my wonderful electrician, Iosif Adamache, and add this updated review from February 2007 to the others that have appeared on the BPN website. Iosif completely rewired my 1926 North Berkeley home, completed the job in a timely fashion, completely explained everything that he was doing, and priced the job very reasonably. He prefers to be contacted by e-mail, and his e-mail address is iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net. If you have any trouble reaching him through e-mail, you can contact him at his phone 510-828-6570. Not only is Iosif a fine electrician (and I am continuing to use his services for additional electrical work I need) he is also a good guitarist--if you are lucky you may be able to persuade him to play some of his Romanian songs for you. Signed: Julie

Feb 2007

I want to recommend our Electrician we used for redoing the wiring in our old house. His name is Carlos Guerrero, 510-409-3627. He did a fantastic job. Great at recommending and designing new lighting; and knowledgeable of energy efficient products. He was punctual, clean, very courteous, fast and affordable. No complaints! He showed up on the first day and we went over my plan. He had many suggestions and improvments to my ideas. He finished it all on time and on budget. I love what he suggested and the new fixtures he put in. He is an independent contractor, sweet, and family oriented guy. I really enjoyed working with him and would like to see him succeed. Signed: patrick

Feb 2007

NEED A GOOD, HONEST ELECTRICIAN, FAST? Call Tim Wright! We found his name here, on BPN. His was the lowest of 3 estimates, and he started working within 3 days of our first phone call. He did creative ''troubleshooting'' for us, in an attempt to find the cause of flickering lights in our 1951 home. He worked his way through the wiring, replacing dangerous outlets, wires that had melted together inside the wall (!), and updating switches. Our house is now flicker-free, has updated, safe wiring, and we were VERY happy with Tim's work. He's licensed, and has a small team of workers, and all of them were courteous, friendly, and prompt. We highly recommend Tim Wright for any electrical work you might need. Tim's numbers: office: 547-8286, cell: 459-8438. heidi

Jan 2007

I just had a great experience with an electrician, and want to highly recommend the services of Iosif Adamache (LIC. #874914). Iosef was truly a pleasure to work with on this small job (adding a few circuits to increase the electrical capacity of my cottage). He was prompt, professional, clearly very skilled, and just a really nice guy. And he was also the most reasonably priced quote I got. Not only that, but he came up with an creative and affordable solution which enabled me to get twice as much extra capacity as I had hoped for. Once inside the circuit box, he identified a wiring problem which was a potential fire hazard, and I know this could have been an opportunity to charge me a lot more. He offered to add on that work at a very nominal fee, mostly just cost of the parts. I felt very comfortable with him and really respect his integrity. I also appreciated his willingness to explain things to me and how he didn't leave a mess. His number is (510) 889-7114 or (510) 828-6570 (cell), or you can email him at iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net.
Rachel Z.

Jan 2007

Can anybody recommend a decent electrician either in or serving Alameda please? This shouldn't be so difficult. Cheers!! John

Gordon Stevenson 510-865-7071. We haven't used in a couple of years but I assume he is still in business. Very good and very nice. Not cheap but then what is these days!
Anon in Alameda

Tim Wright Electrical Contracting 510-547-8286. He does very good work. Lynn

We had Tom of TEC in Alameda do our electrical stuff. They've just finished up our job. They were highly recommended by someone else. Tom and his guys are great! They are in the phonebook. jennifer

Hi, I've had great work done by Jeff Smith, of EarthFirst Electric. His prices are very reasonable and he is one of the most pleasant contractors I have worked with. Everyone I have referred to him seems to be very grateful and appreciative of his handiwork. It's also great to know that he is conscientious of being ''green'' / environmentally-friendly. I think he works all over the bay area, but is based in SF. You can find him at: www.efelectric.com or (415) 254-5908. Sara

I want to recommend our Electrician we used for redoing the wiring in our old house. His name is Carlos Guerrero, 510-409-3627. He did a fantastic job. Great at recommending and designing new lighting; and knowledgeable of energy efficient products. He was punctual, clean, very courteous, fast and affordable. No complaints! He showed up on the first day and we went over my plan. He had many suggestions and improvments to my ideas. He finished it all on time and on budget. I love what he suggested and the new fixtures he put in. He is an independent contractor, sweet, and family oriented guy. I really enjoyed working with him and would like to see him succeed. Signed: patrick

2005 - 2006 Recommendations

Sept 2006

My husband and I highly recommend Iosif Adamache from Danios Electric whom I found in the Berkeley Parents Network listing. He did some work for us 2 weeks ago. We have an old house that needed new grounded wiring and he and his team did an excellent job. They also installed new circuit breakers and they even helped us install a new hood and power outlet. Iosif is very affordable, very efficient and professional. His phone number is 510-828-6570 lial3

Sept 2006

I'd like to recommend Jake Nelson, electrician. He responded quickly to my call, and was able to show up in a few days. He did a nice job installing lights and was more than willing to do small jobs. He also worked on a holiday to get something done I needed right away. Overall hems very reasonably priced, straightforward, and easy to talk to and work with. Jake can be reached at (510) 712-1224. Ted

Feb 2007

I'm forced to withdraw my previous positive comments on Jake Nelson, electrician. After performing some work to my satisfaction, he started a second job and has not returned after several MONTHS to finish the work. He claimed to be out of the Country and to have had family emergencies, but he has yet to show up despite his many promises that he would arrive on a certain day. He is out of touch for long periods and doesn't inform us that he won't be around. I'd move on except he still has the broken equipment with him that he took to be fixed. Obviously I'd never use him again. Ted

August 2006

Our neighborhood group needed some repairs for some outdoor pathway lighting. On the Berkeley Parents Network, we found strong recommendations for IOSIF ADAMACHE iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net Cell phone 510-828-6570. Message (925) 932-4838. We were very pleased with his services. Prompt communication. It was a small job that was done well for a reasonable fee. So here is another happy-customer adding another endorsement for Iosif.
Ian

June 2006

I want to suggest you hire Jeff Bloomfield as an electrician. We found him through a recommendation on the Berkeley Parents Network. The first job he did for us wasn't a carefully planned upgrade or a room addition, but one of those times when, for no apparent reason, suddenly a large portion of our house lost power. Jeff made room in a busy schedule to trouble shoot and resolve the frustrating situation, while ensuring our needs were balanced with existing client commitments. Shortly afterward, we also hired him to run power to our garage, and he did a fine job, even saving us money by ordering and arranging for delivery of a part his usual supplier didn't carry. He seems willing to do both large and small jobs, is very capable, goes for cost-effective and safe installations...and he cleans up after himself. Jeff is located in Berkeley, and can be reached either on his office line, (510)649-7628, or his cell phone (510)541-4778. Happy wiring, Donna

May 2006

We recommend Daan and Inder Rottger (brothers) who own Fighting Amish electrical services. For us, they installed beautiful recessed can lighting, a bathroom fan, and new light switch/dimmer controls. They also did some DSL, computer wiring, and cable work. For acquaintances, they've done hot tub installs (very safety first oriented!), complete rewiring jobs, radiant floor heating, and tricky must pass inspection jobs. They have a common sense approach--smart, professional, organized--and they're super nice guys. Daan's been doing construction, electrical, and home spa work for over a decade, but they just launched their own business last year so they are still affordable. Their number is (510) 847-5577, and you can usually find their ad on Craig's List under licensed electricians.
J

April 2006

I recently finished a big addition and was my own contractor, and would like to make following recommendations - I spent considerable time finding good and sometimes inexpensive people. Electrician - Jeff Cohen 234-4903. Cheap! and completely competent.

March 2006

We recently hired Joel Baron of ELM Electric to do a service change on our house and rewire our kitchen. He was very easy to work with and did a neat and prompt job at a fair price. We are having him back this summer to do some landscape lighting. I recommend him whole-heartedly. His number is 510-206-0073. Serena

I'd like to recommend an electrician we found on the BPN site and used for a relatively small job recently. His name is Jake Nelson and he's a really nice guy who, as the person who recommended him noted, returns calls and doesn't turn down smaller jobs. He reinstated some overhead lights that previous owners had removed and plastered over, and did a great job, and was reasonably priced. His number is (510)712-1224.
Star

For electrical work we recommend Jeff Bloomfield of Eclectic Electric. When the power in our house failed and all the frozen food in the freezer started to thaw, Jeff stayed working outside in the dead of winter until 10 p.m. to fix the problem. He was prompt, efficient and extremely nice. Jeffb[at]lmi.net 510 541-4778 (cell) or 510 649-7628 (office)
Paul

I highly recommend Tim Wright for electrical work. He helped us with extensive electrical work when we remodeled our house (upgraded service, wiring for an addition, etc.), and he has since done a few smaller projects (e.g. for a new stove). His work is excellent, his prices are fair, and he is very responsive as well as friendly. Timms number is (510) 729-5352.
Kristina

I'd like to further recommend a electrician referred earlier--Jeff Bloomfield of Eclectic Electric. Jeff was one of the few electricians who called me backimmediately after leaving a message about our problem and, even though he had a busy schedule, fit us in right away when we began losing power in our house. Although the work ended up being more extensive than we anticipated, Jeff clearly outlined the problem for us and sent us a detailed estimate via e-mail. Being a licensed electrical contractor, he was experienced with obtaining the necessary permits and working with PG We found him to be very friendly, easy to work with and professional. I highly recommend him! You can contact Jeff at jeffb[at]lmi.net, 510.541.4778 (cell)or 510.649.7628 (office)
Nancy

Feb 2006

Nicholas Arroyos of Electric Restoration recently did an electrical upgrade for me at my home in Berkeley. He's great because he really knows his stuff and had the patience to explain things to me. Not only that, but he is professional, yet isn't overpriced. He works out of Emeryville. His number is 415-370-2332. Nader

I had an electrical problem that PG and another electrician couldn't identify. It was suggested that I'd have to rip out a few walls to address my old wires. I called Earth Star Electric (www.earthstarelectric.com, tel. 510-547-7848), on the recommendatin of others in the Berkeley Parents Network. James and Lisette came out, found the problem immediately (some loose wires hidden in J-boxes in the attic), and did a fabulous, efficient job. Though they seem to be on the pricier side, I'd highly recommend them.
Jessica

After reading recommendations on this site, I hired Jake Nelson to do a small electrical job in our home - fixing a light over the kitchen sink. He did a great job, for a very reasonable price. He's also a nice guy! I highly recommend his services. Jake Nelson (510) 712-1224. Chris

I would recommend Tim Wright for electrical work. He has worked on our house as well as on income property we own, and he is currently helping us with a major remodel of a new house that we just bought. Tim has always been very responsive and his work is top notch. I appreciate that Tim is very straight about telling us when we really DON'T need to do something, or in providing the most economical option. He has also helped us with lighting design.
ina

We remodeled our kitchen and built out our basement recently and used Tim Wright Electrical Construction. He was the best of the subcontractors to work with. He was very timely and his price was very reasonable. I would highly recommend him. His number is 510-547-8286.
John and Lynn

December 2005

About 10 months ago, I turned my garage into an office (with permits), and needed serious help upgrading the electrical. Most bids were way too high--I needed to replace my main box, add a box in the old garage, run four circuits, and have lights and outlets all to Albany code. Not a huge job, but not trivial. I was delighted to find Jeff Bloomfield's ''Eclectic Electric'' recommended by others here on the board. Jeff is great to work with, his prices are quite reasonable, and the work is excellent. Indeed, the building inspector looked around at the electrical, chuckled and said, ''wow, finally someone who really knows what he's doing''--and signed off immediately. I can't recommend Jeff highly enough--he is personable, prompt, and fast. His contact info is:
Jeff Bloomfield Eclectic Electric jeffb[at]lmi.net 510.541.4778 (cell) 510.649.7628 (office)
tango

November 2005

Andrew Vogt is a great electrician. He's very thorough and experienced and is extremely pleasant to work with. He can be reached on his cell at 415/793-0213.
A & S

I highly recommend Albert Chiu (ACC Electrical). 510-748-1298. He separated out some electrical wiring in our house which was previously a single family home but had been converted to a duplex. He also added additional circuits/ outlets. While they even helped with a few minor other electrial problems while they were here which were not originally discussed. His rates are very reasonable. Although he wasn't the lowest bid, he was clearly the best choice. He and his crew were very easy to work with, punctual, and professional. His crew was punctual and professional and completed the job as they had estimated (no surprise delays or costs).
Vonnie

October 2005

After calling several electricians (including one from BPN) I found a fantastic Electrical company that I would love to recommend. The company is called Northern Lights and the president is Rich Gobbell (925) 833-7662. He returned my calls promptly, was courteous, professional, and had reasonable rates. His workers came out on time (imagine that!) and finished the job efficiently. Rich even sent a guy out to do some cosmetic patchwork which we hadn't even noticed. We were so pleased with their work. I have some cards and coupons he sent me for 15% discount on all electrical work, so if you're interested, e-mail me your address and I can send them to you. Or, if you mention that Sandra Franklin in Moraga recommended him he might just apply the discount - as he did for us, even without the coupon. Sandra

We used Kona Electric, out of San Ramon, when we needed an electric upgrade that would allow us to use both the washer and dryer at the same time. Nick, the owner, does the work and was personally recommended to us by friends in Orinda. He was happy to come through the tunnel to our neighborhood, was on time, reasonable rates, and very professional. We have used him twice, and got a bid for upgrading the entire electrical service to our house as well. Nick can be reached at 925-556-1588 and is licensed. nmehta

September 2005

I am very pleased with the work done by Jake Nelson (510-712-1224). He replaced the broken overhead wiring from our 1930-ish house to our detached garage with a new underground line and updated the wiring & lights in our garage and back yard. He also fixed two problems (caused by prior electricians) in our basement. Jake is thorough, flexible, reliable, and honest. In addition his rates are reasonable. I wish all service people were like Jake! I highly recommend that you call Jake to get an estimate. Hal

I want to recommend Iosif Adamache as a excellent, conscientious, and very reasonably-priced electrician. We hired Iosif for a kitchen remodel that we were contracting ourselves, and he impressed on every level: customer service, work performed and price. His work passed inspections perfectly, and he did what he said he would when he said would. He also returns calls rapidly, a huge plus. Yolanda

July 2005

I would highly recommend Amir Jalilvand for small or big electrical jobs. He rewired a new addition for me and did an excellent job. He us licensed and insured. his number is 510)381-0658 sarah

June 2005

We recently employed Jeff Bloomfield of Eclectic Electric to wire a backyard office for us: He not only installed the power wiring, but also wired telephone, ethernet, cable, and configured our wireless internet router. He also made the time to clean up some nagging electrical odds & ends for us. In short, we found Jeff flexible in scheduling and easy to communicate with. We heartily recommend him. His contact information is: Jeff Bloomfield, Eclectic Electric 510-649-7628 (office); 510-541-4778 (cell); jeffb[at]lmi.net (email).
Doug M.

I just wanted to second (or third?) the recommendation I found here, for electrician Josif Adamache. He is great, fairly priced, does excellent work, and doesn't leave a mess behind, either. I hired him last month to replace our old (1950s) sub-panel. He said he'd do it in a day, and was good to his word, even though it meant working until almost 7 p.m. He patched the drywall he had to cut into, swept and vacuumed up everything, and he and his crew were easy to have around. For any electrical job, I couldn't recommend him too highly! Josif's phone # is 510-828-6570. marybeth

Dyno Electric

I called them on a recommendation from this site. He quoted me over the phone approx. $300 to add a 220 dryer outlet in the laundry room. After performing the work (4.5hrs) the bill was $783! Of that about $100 was materials...so doing the math, this is likely the highest hourly rate for an electrican anywhere. He brings a co-worker... so $150/hr for both. Nice enough guy, pleasant conversation and willingness to discuss and explain, but bottom line is if a contractor cannot stick to a bid within reason, and makes no attempt to indicate the job is harder then he first thought or bid on... that's not good in my book. For what it's worth, I had another electrician recommended from this site look at the same job and he indicated I paid 2x the normal cost for that project. casar

March 2005

I want to recommend Jeff Bloomfield from Eclectic Electric. Jeff did a project for us recently and he did a great job. His work was excellent and his estimate was very fair. What was also nice is that some of the work we needed done was small items that Jeff handled along with the larger projects. We have found in the past that some electricians won't handle the smaller work so it was great that Jeff was willing to do so. he can be reached at 510 649 7628 or on his cell phone at 510 541 4778. Malia

Jan 2005

I wanted to recommend a good electrician my husband and I found. Last September,when we called around looking for electricians, all of them were either too busy to return our calls or our job was too small for someone to come out. Finally one of the electricians we called gave us Jake Nelson's # and he's been doing a great job working for us on our rentals since September. He charge's us 35/hr(which we think is reasonable) and he never seems too busy to return a call or get the job done to our satisfaction. Jake's # is (510)712-1224 celeste

2003 - 2004 Recommendations

Dec 2004

On the recommendation of several writers, we called Josif Adamache (510 828-6570) to do our recent electrical installations and repairs. We had put off having two wall heaters fixed because of the projected hassel and expense of buying new equipment. But Josif's knowledge, ingenuity and investigative spirit solved these problems quickly without requiring new appliances. He is very safety conscious and a delight to work with. We're grateful for coming across previous recommendations for Josif--he's a real find. Linda

Oct 2004

I recently had the great fortune and pleasure of finding an electrician through recommendations on this list and I feel compelled to echo a strong recommendation for Iosif Adamache. I've also updated contact info below. The job included removal of knob & tube wiring; extensive new wiring; a new panel; new grounding; telephone, cable & computer wiring. Iosif does large and small jobs. We had a detailed discussion of the job & plans before he made a bid, so it was clear exactly what would be done. His rates were very competitive and his work is excellent. He is flexible, reliable, patient with many questions & details, and easy to work with. He works fast (in fact, he finished ahead of schedule) and is competent, thorough and skilled. It's truly been a pleasure to know and work with Iosif. His new contact number is 510-828-6570--this is his most recent number and updated from the numbers John and Naomi gave previous Nina

We second an excellent recommendation for the certified electrician Iosif Adamache, found through UC Berkelely Parents Network. He has a new telephone number as of Oct. 10, 2004.Please call either cell: (510) 828-6570 or leave a message on his business phone (925) 932-4838. Iosif corrected a job botched by a previous electrician. The first electrician left us with several fire hazards that did not pass inspection (one with the knob and tube wiring in the attic (right near our children's bedrooms). Originally from Romania, his English skills are wonderful and he clearly explains electrical jobs in a way that even I (with no idea about these matters) can understand. He is very polite, soft spoken, puntual, and unlike most other electricians, he drywalls holes after the work is done. So far he has corrected a knob and tube wiring issue, put in new outlets for our office (phone line too), redone our subpanel, grounded our whole system,and, among other things, put in outdoor lights and an outdoor outlet. His rates are reasonable, the work is professional and clean, and as a father of two small children, he is very unimposing in manner. Both my husband and I can highly recommend him. -Kelly and Steven Kelly

July 2004

Daniel Sinotte of Earth Star Electric (510) 547-7848, did a wonderful job with our house, and we couldn't be happier. His crew, in particular, Sola, were very thorough, conscientious, and careful. The great thing about Daniel is that he is very concerned with both the safety issues as well as the aesthetic ones. He SAVED us from making some foolish mistakes, and really updated our ancient wiring system. His prices are very reasonable, and he was very attentive to our needs. His email address is daniel AT earthstardesign.com
Allison and Adam

I would like to second an recommendation given for Daniel Sinotte of Earthstar Electrics. We had a great experience working with him and his crew. They were all extremely competent and pleasant to work with. We had some pretty major projects including a new electrical panel, main, exterior and interior lighting. They spent hours refining the curves on the Monorail Tech Lights until everything looked perfect. We changed our minds 3 times on the fixtures for the recessed lighting, and Daniel patiently did the upgrades and charged us only for the price differences of the fixtures. When a timer did not work perfectly after a few months (basically the manufacturer's fault), they came back and installed a much better one. Again, we were charged a minimum amount just for the price difference of the timers. In short, we had dealt with 6 different contractors in the course of our remodel, and Daniel was the only one who got a perfect score. We were really happy with the results and are now dreaming of doing some fancy landscape lighting in the near future. Daniel can be reached at 510-547-7848. H. Chan

June 2004

I found Iosif Adamache's name in Naomi's June 2003 recommendation of his work in this list. He did two electrical remodeling jobs for me, both superb, and is about to do a third. All the good things Naomi said about him are true, but let me add a few others. He's a wizard at tricky stuff like fishing cable through joists and bending aluminum conduit. When he needs to cut a hole in a wall or ceiling to wire a new outlet, the patching and mudding he does to repair the hole is as good as anything I've seen a good drywall guy do. He loves the sort of challenges that a remodel in an old house presents, and he's very creative with solutions. His English is only OK, but his communications skills are first rate and he and I always understood each other perfectly. I consider myself lucky to have found him. His new number is 925/932-4838 (the number Naomi gave in 2003 no longer works). John

We just had another wonderful experience with Daniel Sinotte and company of Earth Star Electrical (510-547- 7848). We had them back a second time to do some detailed recessed lighting installation in our downstairs where there was no electrical work before. The team was professional, detailed, and finished the job beyond expectations. This has been our best experience relating to our ongoing remodel so far! Give him a call, Kit & Janet

April 2004

This is Clay Bartley posting a message that I've moved. Years ago someone gave me a glowing recommendation and that has lead to many Berkeley parents hiring me. Whomever you are, Thank you. Ohmega II still recommends me for electrical work. I'm licensed as both an electrical contractor and a general contractor and I'm bonded and insured. What's changed is my wife Lisa and I have two children now, Jack 2.5 years and Sophia who is just 14 weeks. We're very pleased to have moved to a larger home in Kensington. My new numbers are Hm. 510-527-5090 and my cell 510-325-7462. If you would like a free estimate for electrical work on your home or if you have any questions, please feel free to call. Clay Bartley l.bartley AT lycos.com

March 2004

I am looking for an electrician that can help get new power service to our 1923 home in Maxwell Park area of Oakland. Currently we still have th 110v 30amp service and are looking to upgrade. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to have someone come out in the next month or two if possible. We are going to begin a remodel of our kitchen and would like to have the power upgraded before we begin that. Thank you!! Lisa

Nicholas Pinette is a great electrician - (510) 595-4051!! We used him two years ago, to upgrade our service in our 1950 house in Richmond.

We used Jeff Bloomfield to wire our garage which we were converting to an office; he also updated some of our existing funky system. He's an experienced electrician recovering from a stint as a dot-commer, and is very knowledgable and pleasant. Cell 541-4778, office 649-7628. Kitty

Jan 2004

we have a lovely old house and need some advice and electrical work. looking for someone who has the patience and expertise for small jobs (hopefully it's small!) on old homes. luna

I would like to recommend an electrician named Mike Grin of Power and Light. We located Mike through other postings on the Berkeley Parents Network. Mike recently installed a new electrical system in our 1920 house in Berkeley that we are in the process of renovating. He replaced the old fuse system with an upgraded master panel, wired a number of additional outlets throughout the house and replaced all of the light switches. He also responded very quickly to several requests for additional electric work as the renovation progressed. His work was done professionally and quickly and at a reasonable price. Mike can be reached at 510-654-9968. William

Nov 2003

I got Jeff Bloomfield's name from another recommendation. His business is called Eclectic Electric. He is efficient, quick, skilled, and easy to work with, and his price was reasonable for a small job that other electricians were not interested in. His phone is 649 7628. Bernard

I hired Robert's Electric, located at 480 23rd Street in Oakland(510-834-6161) for a small job (putting in 3 recessed power outlets for motorized window shades). They bill by the hour (a little less than $100/hour in September 2003), and charge for the drive time from their previous job to your job. Tom did an excellent job and cleaned up after himself almost perfectly. He did not replace some furniture he moved, but he did vacuum and dust and pick up all debris. I recommend them highly and have already put them in my rolodex. A Broadway Terrace resident

August 2003

My electrician recently told me that he is looking for more work. He's an interesting fellow. A fine artist whose work is selling, a former dot-commer UI person, experience with construction, and experience doing electrical work. I've been extremely happy with him, since we bought our home in 2000 and were kicked back and forth by a lot of the TERRIBLE people who were available for work back then. As a matter of fact, Guy's helped to fix a lot of problems caused by our previous people. Guy is bright, articulate, a perfectionist, easy to work with, and just a gem. Enjoy. Oh, he's also got some of the best rates around.

to discuss your project, repair, upgrade or to arrange for an estimate please call Guy at: 415.652.2939

July 2003

We need an electrician for some simple jobs - wiring in our new garage door opener, installing a fan in our bathroom, and grounding a couple of outlets. We had work done by a local company when we moved in and were not pleased with the quality of their finish work, so we are looking for someone with an eye to quality and detail. Kelly

My husband has been a general contractor for years and we just finished remodeling our house. He's been using Smiley Electric for the longest time and has always been happy with their quality of work. The owner is Ed Tilley and you can reach him at 510-526-6549. Martha

June 2003

I just wanted to send out a recommendation for Richard at Dyno Electric. He's an electrical contractor that has been doing work at our house, everything from changing out light fixtures to upgrading our service and installing new circuits. He has a great aesthetic sense (knows to balance switches on either side of a sink, great recommendations on kitchen lighting, etc.), is very down to earth (he'll tell you his honest opinion about what will work and won't), and he has so far been extremely conscientious. As one example, we had discussed when he first came to look at the house putting in lighting inside some of the kitchen cabinets. When he later gave us a bid, he detailed out all of the tasks with prices broken down for each. He had forgotten to include a price for that work, and feeling bad that he hadn't, he was willing to do that work for a very reduced additional price even though we would have been happy to pay him for the full cost of the extra work. He also found some work that wound up not needing to be done and immediately credited us (I'm sure some contractors would have just never mentioned it or pretended that they had done the work, and we would never have been the wiser). He has a whole crew of people, so he can get work done to meet your deadlines, and he was able to help us on very short notice and work with our move- in date. He also has a great sense of humor and is just a very nice person. I can't say enough good things about him! You can reach him at 655-1696. Please let him know that Jenny Jonak recommended you - I want him to know how pleased we were with his work! Jenny

Last month I was looking for an Electrician and a friend of mine gave me Ray's number. Ray upgraded my service and my kitchen. He was very knowledgeable, he explained my electrical problems in laymans terms and treated me with respect. I didn't get that feeling you get when you go to a mechanic, and you're not sure if you're getting a fair deal. Ray is licensed with the state, he charges $35/hr and his # and email is 978-0408 kasallah

Hello, we recently redid the entire electrical system in our 1940's home and discovered, after an inspector highly praised his work, an electrician who is not only conscientious and kind, but very skilled as well. His name is Josif Adamache and he has done electrical work for over 14 years, does residential and commercial and is very competitive on rates. He is wonderful to work with, soft spoken and with impeccable manners, and we are very pleased with his work - he interviewd us at length about our needs and set up an electrical, cable, and phone line system in every room. His contact numbers are: 510 209 2579 (cell); and 510 276 2928 (home). naomi

May 2003

Hi, Friends of mine highly recommend Kurt Abrams. His # is in the phone book. He's been doing phone jack and lighting, and other electrical work for 20 years, and charges a very reasonable $20/hour. Although I've not used him, for full disclosure, he is currently subletting my apartment and is a good, honest, detail oriented guy. betsy

I would like to recommend Richard Sandefurd an electrician/handyman who is currently available for small electical jobs as well as yard work, garages and basements cleaned out & organized, shelves built, etc. Please phone him directly on his cell phone at 503-805-9741, or e-mail me for more information. leeor

We are very happy with electrical wiring and installation work recently done in our house by Jeff Bloomfield (also an East Bay parent) of Eclectic Electric. Jeff vastly improved the wiring in our 1927 bungalow basement and installed outdoor lighting as well. His number is 649-7628. Jocelyn

April 2003

I wanted to post a recommendation for a journeyman electrician who recently fixed the wiring for my dishwasher. Ray Fikiri has several years of experience and is familiar with the current codes. He was prompt, courteous, and took the trouble to try to educate me about what he was doing. He urged me to contact him if there was any problem with the work (there hasn't been). I would definitely hire him again. He's also a Berkeley resident with a toddler of his own. At $30 per hour, Ray's rate is extremely reasonable. I recommend him highly. He'll do jobs large and small. His home telephone number is (510) 883-0150, and his email address is kasallah AT hotmail.com

Daniel Sinotte, and his co-worker, Sola, just finished the wiring in our new kitchen and they have been amazing. Daniel gave us a fair quote and came through on every detail. We couldn't be happier with the results and give our highest recommendation! Daniel Sinotte, 510 701-1618. Janet & Kit

January 2003

I'd like to recommend Vladimir Bazanov for small electrical wiring jobs. On various occasions, he has done rewiring and new wiring to install fixtures in our home, as well as trouble-shooting of electrical problems. He is available weekends and evenings (he has a day job as an electrician with a local institution), and is very reasonably priced. He can be reached directly at (510) 234-5215. I can be reached evenings/weekends at (510) 528-4408. Nancy

2002 & Earlier

October 2002

Could anyone recommend an electrician? The most recent postings are from 2001. One mentions Joe Metz positively but thats it. thanks in advance, LSG

I would like to recommend an absolutely wonderful (and inexpensive) electrician we have used in our Oakland home. He first came to us via many glowing referrals and he worked out great. He came to do about a half dozen or so jobs and he and his asst were always clean, cheap and did the job we wanted. He is Dick Crowe. He is the best! Vincent
[Editor note: Dick Crowe has retired as of April 2004]

Ed Bussa is a very knowledgeable and reasonable electrician who works in the Berkeley area. His number is: 652-0634. tami

Daniel Sinotte, Earth Star Electrics, 510 701-1618, really knows his stuff. He is conscientious and his work is impeccable. He works both the craft and the business with integrity. I highly recommend him! bodywiz

I can't recommend Clay Bartley enough. I got his name from Omega Too lighting, the upscale store on San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley. I was told he does work for them when they need it in their store.

He upgraded our 1940's electric system to bring our house up to code as required right after we bought it. We also had him do a couple extra projects around the house (and plan to have him back for some more soon!). He did great work, was reliable and efficient, and cost almost half the rate of some others. He charged $45/hr but that was two years ago, not sure of his rate now.

He worked for one of the big firms, but went out on his own and doesn't need to charge the overhead that they do. He was very pleasant, and willing to help us prioritize our needs within a limited budget. (See April 2004 note for current contact info)

2001

Kent Salisbury, 510-523-2065, did terrific electrical work for us at very reasonable rates. I couldn't recommend him more highly.

I highly recommend Roger Hess as an electrician. He did an outstanding job for us. A neighbor, who is a builder, gave me his number. We have a new custom home and were adding a few touches, but he's done work for our neighbors in plenty of older homes as well. He's experienced, professional, very safety minded, doesn't cut corners, his prices are fair, plus he's pleasant to work with. He did a great job. His number is: 276-5895

We used Power and Light in Berkeley to do a rewiring and upgrade of the old knob-and-tube wiring in our 1910 house, and again to wire a kitchen remodel. We found them to be extremely reliable and professional, as well as affordable. It was an entirely pleasurable experience to work with them--and when was the last time you heard anybody say that about a contractor? Also, P was open to allowing us to do some of the easier finish work on the electrical to save money (e.g., wiring outlets and switches in place).

To the people looking for an electrician, we recently used Elvis Cash of Cash Electric. His number in the yellow pages is 652-5385 and I used to have his cell phone too but I seem to have lost it. He did great work for us on two occasions. Although his hourly rate is not cheap (but not unreasonable either), he works very quickly and is extremely reliable in our experience.

Two months ago I upgraded the 50-yr-old wiring system in my house. I chose (Name Withheld) Electric on the advice of a couple of people. It was a costly mistake. Their estimate was high ($4,900), and did not include fixing any of the damage they did to the walls. Their policy is no drywall, no paint, which means that when they make holes in your walls, or when their drill gets away from them and gouges the baseboard, you're responsible for finding and paying someone else to fix them. One of their jobs was to install an outlet in the garage. They drilled through a water pipe (not their fault, they said), and in order to repair the pipe, made a hole about 1 ft X 1-1/2 ft. They refused to repair the hole, but they did send a contractor who offered to fix it, and the other holes they made, for an additional $400. His was the cheapest estimate -- another was as high as $865. The electrician said the work would take a few days; it took 2 weeks, and two return visits to complete what we'd originally contracted for. I found their work and clean-up very sloppy, and recommend that you look elsewhere for an electrician. Get a few estimates, and ask what their policy is about fixing any damage they might do to your drywall.

re request for electrician recommendation: I can highly recommend Joe Metz as an electrician. He has done many jobs for me over the years and has always done a great job - thorough, careful, and makes sure you are happy with his work. He is reasonably priced, great at follow through and has many years of experience as a general contractor as well. His number is 925-228-2359 and he works mainly in the East Bay. - Lucia

We used Steve for installing some outside lighting at our home. He was willing to come on a Saturday, his price was reasonable, and he did a fine job. We then scheduled him for some minor inside work, but he did not show up or return our phone call. We did not pursue him after that to reschedule. Our experience was limited but what he did complete for us works just fine. -Carolyn

2000

I would confidentally recommend Steve Nunn, who does small and large electrician jobs, and seems to be priced very fairly, from what little comparison shopping I've done. His number is: 510-612-4096. Lael

1999

I am behind in my reading of the list, but for the person looking for a recommendation of an electrician in the Walnut Creek area, I can recommend Jeff Daykin, Daykin Electric. He's at (925) 778-5816. We used him recently for the first time on the recommendation of our realtor, who has been in Walnut Creek for many many years and has great contacts. We were very happy with Jeff's work and are planning to use him again for another project soon. He's very laid back and easy to work with. May 1999

We've had Power & Light come out to do major work twice, first upgrading to a safe, modern system (from a 1930's era knob and tube wiring system) and then adding wiring for a complete kitchen remodel. We found the prices reasonable and the workers friendly and prompt (the owner does a lot of the work himself).

They were also agreeable to an arrangement with our kitchen where they roughed in the electrical (i.e., installing new fuses in the box and running the cables to the right spots), and we did the finish electrical (wiring the outlets, switches, and fixtures, which is easy work for the moderately handy person). That little innovation saved us ~$500 in labor.

1998

I recommend Electric Bill's Company, he is out of San Rafael but has done work for us, including re-wiring telephones and outlets, installing lighting fixtures and is very competent. We will be using him later this year when we change our main electrical panel. His number is 415-491-1881. Alice (8/98)

I recently went through a search for an electrician and found a company called Roberts Electric Company (RECO) in Oakland. Their phone number is 834-6161. My daycare provider's brother-in-law has worked for them for many years which isn't much of a technical recommendation but it met my honesty/integrity/legitimate business criteria. They did a very small job for me which I was quite pleased with and I plan to use them for a larger job soon. My only criticism was that they had so much work it was difficult to get my job scheduled. Harlan Family (8/98)

Gill's Electric is an old Berkeley company that I've used once. I didn't have any complaints. They had installed the switch box on my house so I called them when I needed a repair. They charge $78/hour though. Ginger (8/98)

July 2009

Electrician Peter Bogdan has requested not to be reviewed on the Berkeley Parents Network.