How It Works
One phone call, three steps, no charge for the call and no obligation to hire. Here is exactly what happens — and what you should ask for before anyone picks up a tool.
- Free phone triage — describe the problem first
- Licence number and trip fee disclosed up front
- Flat-rate quotes, in writing, before work starts
- Permits handled by the contractor who files them
- You are never obliged to book the visit
Step 1 — Tell us the ZIP and the problem
Coverage is built from a live list of 18,671 ZIP codes. Give the dispatcher your ZIP code and street, and describe what is happening in plain language. You do not need the name of the fault: “the breaker trips when the dryer starts” is more useful than “electrical problem”.
If your ZIP is not in the network, the nearest-area finder shows the closest covered ZIP codes.
Step 2 — Get triaged: emergency or scheduled?
Some symptoms cannot wait and some comfortably can. This is the line most homeowners are unsure about, so it is worth knowing before you call:
Call now, treat as urgent
- Burning or fishy smell near an outlet, switch or panel
- Smoke, sparks or visible arcing
- A panel or faceplate that is hot to the touch
- Water contacting outlets, fixtures or the panel
- Total power loss with the main breaker still on
- Partial power loss — some circuits live, some dead
Safe to schedule
- A single dead outlet in an otherwise working room
- A light that flickers only at one fixture
- A planned panel upgrade or service change
- An EV charger, generator or hot tub to install
- Cosmetic lighting changes
- A quote for future work
Step 3 — Get a written number, then decide
Before work starts you should have four things: the contractor’s licence number, confirmation of insurance, the trip or diagnostic fee, and a flat price for the task. Anything less is a reason to keep calling. Nothing is charged for the call itself, and you are free to decline.
What to have ready before you call
- The ZIP code and street address of the property
- Which breaker or circuit is affected, if you know
- When the symptom happens and what changed recently
- Photos of the panel and the failing device if you can take them safely
- For installations: the model, the amperage and where it will go
- Whether you rent or own — permission and access differ
How to verify an electrician before work starts
- Ask for the licence number, in writing, before the visit.
- Confirm it is current with the authority that issues licences for your address — state level in most places, municipal level in a few large metro areas.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and a workers’ compensation certificate.
- Check whether the job needs a permit, and who is filing it.
- Get the warranty terms on labour in writing on the invoice.
How to compare two quotes
Compare scope, not totals. Two bids for “replace the panel” can differ by thousands of dollars while both are honest, because one includes the permit, the grounding correction, the utility coordination and the haul-away, and the other does not.
- Is the permit fee included, and who pulls it?
- Are grounding and bonding corrections included?
- What brand and model of equipment is being installed?
- Is drywall patching and clean-up included?
- What conditions would trigger an additional charge?
- What is the labour warranty, separately from the manufacturer’s?
What this site is — and what it is not
18,671 ZIP codes, 10,655 cities and 47 states of coverage, all generated from a live contractor coverage list. We are an advertising and referral service. We are not an electrical contractor, we do not perform electrical work, and we do not set the prices contractors charge. The work, the warranty and the contract are between you and the contractor you choose.
The pricing published across this site is national editorial data for 2026, written so homeowners can judge a quote rather than guess at one.
Questions about the process
How quickly can someone get here?
Timing depends on the local contractor schedule and the nature of the call. Genuine emergencies are usually prioritised, often with same-day or overnight response, while planned work is typically scheduled within days rather than hours.
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.
What should I do while waiting for an electrician?
For an urgent fault, switch the affected circuit off at the panel and leave it off. If the panel itself is hot, smoking, sparking or wet, do not touch it and keep everyone away from it. Never pull a meter or open a panel, and never pour water on anything electrical.
What payment methods are typical?
Card, cheque and bank transfer are common, with financing available on larger projects through some companies. Be cautious of anyone demanding full payment in cash up front — a deposit for materials is normal on large jobs, full prepayment is not.
How much does an electrician cost per hour?
Licensed residential electricians generally charge in the $50 to $150 per hour range in 2026, plus a service call fee of roughly $75 to $200. Most companies now price common jobs flat-rate rather than hourly, which means the number you are quoted is the number you pay if the scope does not change.
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.
Can the electrician tell me the price over the phone?
For defined jobs — a charger install, a panel replacement, a ceiling fan on a known ceiling height — a ballpark number is reasonable. For a fault that has not been diagnosed, any honest contractor will explain that the cause determines the price, and will quote the diagnostic first.
Ready when you are
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 for free phone triage. Ask the licence number and trip fee before anyone is dispatched.