Repairs and troubleshooting
Finding out why it stopped working
An outlet that went dead, a breaker that trips every time the microwave runs, a light that flickers in one room. These are usually small causes: a loose connection, a worn device, a circuit asked to do too much.
I start with the cheapest explanation, test it, and tell you what I find before I fix anything.
Testing at the device and at the breaker
Repairs made on the same visit when the parts are on the truck
Billed by the hour, one-hour minimum
When to call
Signs a repair is worth booking
One outlet or switch is dead
The rest of the room works, which points to a device or a connection.
A breaker trips on one circuit
It trips with the same appliance, or after a few minutes of use.
Lights flicker in one room
Other rooms are steady, so the cause is close to that fixture.
A plug falls out of an outlet
The contacts have worn, and loose plugs run warm.
A switch buzzes or feels warm
A short visit, not a wait-and-see.
A GFCI will not reset
Something on its circuit is tripping it.
When to call 911, not me
If you smell burning, see sparks, or find a panel, outlet or switch that is hot or scorched, or if there is water near wiring, or someone has had a shock: stop, and call 911 for a fire. If it is safe to reach, turn off the breaker. Then call me on the next weekday.
The visit
From a text to a fixed outlet
- 01
Step 1: You text a photo
A picture of the outlet, the panel or the fixture, and what it does.
- 02
Step 2: I confirm the day
A price for the first hour, and a window to arrive in.
- 03
Step 3: I test before I touch
At the device first, then at the breaker.
- 04
Step 4: You hear it before I do it
If the fix is more than an hour or two, I give you the price and you decide.
- 05
Step 5: I leave it working
And write down what I found, so the next electrician starts there.
Prices
What the repair jobs include
Repairs billed by the hour at the repair rate, with the three most common jobs below.
A dead outlet or switch
I find out why it is dead and fix it if the cause is the device or a loose connection.
- Testing at the device and the breaker
- A standard outlet or switch, if it needs one
- Wire that runs behind a finished wall: by the hour
- Term:
- Booked as 1 hour
GFCI or AFCI protection
A GFCI outlet or a GFCI or AFCI breaker, with the circuit tested first.
- Tracing which outlets the device protects
- The outlet or breaker itself
- Repairs to other wiring found on the circuit: by the hour
- Term:
- Booked as 1 hour
Swap outlets and switches
Worn or loose outlets and switches replaced, with new cover plates.
- Up to four devices in the same room
- Standard devices and cover plates
- Specialty or smart devices: same price if you supply them
- Term:
- Covers up to 4 devices
Repair questions
Can you tell what is wrong from a photo?
Sometimes, and it helps me bring the right part. I still test it at the house before I say.
What if the fix is bigger than the first hour?
I stop and give you the price in writing. You can say yes, say no, or say yes to a smaller fix.
Do you work on old wiring?
I repair it and tell you what I find. I do not rewire whole houses.
Book a repair hour
Tell me what it does and where. I confirm the day by text.