Austin Electrician — 78738
78738 is the ZIP code for Austin in Travis County, Texas. Electricians working this route handle everything from a dead outlet in a 1950s bungalow to a 200-amp service upgrade for a new heat pump, and the price of those two jobs is not close.
If the symptom is a burning smell, sparking, smoke or water contacting live wiring, treat it as an emergency and cut the circuit at the panel. Everything else is a scheduling question rather than a safety one.
Free referral service · no charge for the call · written quote before any work starts
- Written quotes before work starts, with a flat price per task rather than an open hourly meter.
- Permits pulled where the job requires one, so the work is inspected and documented for resale.
- Repairs tested under load before sign-off, not just switched on and left.
- Licensed electricians only — ask for the licence number and confirm it before work begins.
- Local crews who know your area’s permit office, inspection timelines and housing stock.
Electrical work local to 78738
Austin is served by licensed electricians working across 70 ZIP codes and 2 counties. The city page for Austin lists every covered ZIP, and each service page explains what the job involves and what drives the price.
What people in Austin call about
- A lightning storm or utility event has already killed devices
- Half the house lost power but the main breaker is still on
- Outlets that feel loose, or that smell faintly of hot plastic
- A GFCI will not reset or keeps tripping with nothing plugged in
- Too few outlets, so extension cords run across rooms
- A circuit that dies randomly and comes back on its own
- Battery-only alarms that are past their ten-year service life
If any of those are happening now, treat the circuit as suspect: switch it off at the panel and have it tested rather than resetting a breaker repeatedly.
Ceiling Fan Installation in Austin — what it costs
Mounting, wiring and balancing ceiling fans on properly rated boxes, with remote, wall control or smart switch integration.
| Work | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling fan install on an existing rated box | $150 – $350 | Straightforward single-story room |
| Ceiling fan install with new box and brace | $220 – $500 | Includes attic access work |
| High or vaulted ceiling fan installation | $350 – $600 | Lift and downrod included |
| Remote or smart wall control wiring | $120 – $300 | Depends on switch availability |
| Outdoor or damp-rated porch fan | $250 – $550 | Weather-rated fixture and box |
Duration: typically 1-3 hours. Full Ceiling Fans guide for Texas.
Services available in 78738
Whole-House Generator Installation
$4,000 – $18,000Electrical Panel Replacement
$1,300 – $4,000Outlet, Switch & Receptacle Installation
$120 – $500Recessed & LED Lighting Installation
$150 – $90024/7 Emergency Electrician
$150 – $850Whole-House Surge Protection
$300 – $900Smoke & CO Detector Installation
$100 – $800Aluminum Wiring Repair
$300 – $9,000Ceiling Fan Installation
$150 – $600What moves the price in Austin
Things that lower it
- An existing circuit that can carry the new load
- Open access — attic, basement or crawlspace runs
- Bundling several small jobs into one visit
- Spare breaker positions already in the panel
Things that raise it
- Fishing new cable through finished plaster or drywall
- A panel that is full, undersized or a recalled brand
- Permitted work with inspection and utility coordination
- Damaged service entrance, meter base or mast
Local notes for 78738
- Located in Travis — the authority that issues electrical permits for this address.
- Time zone: Central — emergency and after-hours availability follows local time.
- 70 ZIP codes inside this service area.
- Service radius is local: the crew dispatched is working in this area, not travelling from out of state.
Map of the Austin service area
Amber marker: Austin, TX 78738. Blue markers: nearby covered cities. The shaded ring shows a typical 15-mile local service radius — actual dispatch areas vary by contractor.
Nearby ZIP codes
Adjacent ZIP codes with licensed coverage. If your address sits on a boundary, either ZIP works.
Electrician FAQ for 78738
Do you charge for estimates?
Many contractors give a free estimate on planned work such as a panel replacement, charger install or rewire, while diagnostic visits for an unknown fault usually carry a trip fee that is often credited toward the repair. The exact policy varies by contractor, and it should be confirmed on the phone before anyone travels.
Is 24/7 emergency service available for 78738?
Emergency requests are taken around the clock. Central time applies locally, and after-hours availability depends on the contractor on duty — genuine emergencies such as burning smells, smoke, sparks or water contacting live wiring are prioritised over routine work.
Is a permit needed for electrical work?
Permits are commonly required for panel replacements, service upgrades, new circuits, and work in wet locations like kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors. Simple device replacements often do not need one. Because requirements are set locally, the safest approach is to ask the contractor who will pull the permit and confirm the inspection record afterwards.
Which county handles electrical permits for 78738?
This ZIP sits in Travis County, Texas. Permit and inspection requirements for panel changes, service upgrades and new circuits are set locally, so confirm with the contractor whether a permit is required for your specific job and who is filing it.
What does an electrician charge in Austin, TX?
Expect the same structure as the national market: roughly $50-$150 per hour for licensed residential work plus a trip fee of about $75-$200, with most common jobs priced flat-rate per task. Local labour rates in Texas move the national ranges by roughly 10-25% either way, and panel capacity work starts around $1,300 and rises from there.
Do you handle both homes and small businesses?
Most local electrical contractors take residential work and light commercial work such as retail, restaurant and office premises, including three-phase distribution, lighting retrofits and dedicated equipment circuits. Larger commercial projects are quoted from a site survey.
Do you have electricians covering the 78738 ZIP code?
Yes — 78738 (Austin, Texas, Travis County) is inside the coverage network, and requests from this ZIP are routed to licensed electrical contractors working the Austin area. Give the dispatcher the ZIP and the street so they can confirm the visit window.
Other ZIP codes in Austin, TX
70 covered ZIP codes in Austin. Jump straight to the one closest to your address.
- 73301
- 73344
- 78701
- 78702
- 78703
- 78704
- 78705
- 78708
- 78709
- 78711
- 78712
- 78713
- 78714
- 78715
- 78716
- 78717
- 78718
- 78719
- 78720
- 78721
- 78722
- 78723
- 78724
- 78725
- 78726
- 78727
- 78728
- 78729
- 78730
- 78731
- 78732
- 78733
- 78734
- 78736
- 78737
- 78738
- 78741
- 78742
- 78744
- 78745
- 78746
- 78747
- 78748
- 78749
- 78750
- 78751
- 78752
- 78753
- 78754
- 78756
- 78757
- 78758
- 78759
- 78760
- 78761
- 78762
- 78763
- 78764
- 78765
- 78766
- 78767
- 78768
- 78769
- 78772
- 78773
- 78774
- 78778
- 78779
- 78783
- 78799
Need an electrician in Austin 78738?
Free phone triage: describe what is happening and find out whether it needs a visit today or can be scheduled. No obligation, no charge for the call.
Call (619) 877-0478Call (619) 877-0478 any time. Ask for the licence number, the trip fee and a flat price for the job.
Nationwide Electrician is a free referral service connecting Austin homeowners with licensed electrical contractors. We do not perform electrical work and we do not set the prices contractors charge. Coverage data for 18,671 US ZIP codes, last verified September 23, 2026.