Electrical Service FAQ

Yes. First Electric is a California C-10 electrical contractor (C-10 #1120441), bonded and insured. We pull permits when the job needs them and work to the codes your city adopts.

No. First Electric LLC is a licensed electrical contractor based in La Mirada, California. We install and repair electrical systems in homes and businesses. We are not affiliated with First Electric Cooperative, the Arkansas electric utility.

Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Phones answered 24/7 for emergencies and urgent electrical issues. Routine quotes and non-emergency site visits are often scheduled on weekdays; emergencies are dispatched anytime.

Electrical contracting for hire generally requires a C-10 Electrical Contractor license from the CSLB. A handyman without the proper license should not perform electrical contracting work. Hire a licensed electrician for panel, wiring, and EV work. First Electric is C-10 #1120441.

Some jurisdictions allow limited homeowner work on property they own and occupy, but permits and inspection still apply, and service equipment is not DIY-friendly. Hiring unlicensed help is not legal contracting. For safety and insurance, use a licensed electrician.

Replacing a receptacle still involves live wiring, the correct GFCI/AFCI device type, and proper terminations. When the work is for hire, California expects a licensed electrical contractor. We replace outlets, including GFCI/AFCI upgrades, the right way.

Custom written quotes only, never a vague estimate. Call (657) 239-6331 or start the visit intake form and tell us what is going on. When a site look is needed, we walk the job and send a written quote before any work starts.

We take major credit cards and can talk through payment timing on larger jobs. Pricing stays in the written quote before work begins.

No. Costs are spelled out in your custom quote before we start. If scope changes on site, we stop and get your OK before adding anything.

Panel upgrade pricing depends on amperage, panel type, and how much feeder or grounding work is needed. Every job is different. We provide a custom quote after we see your site. Typical panel upgrade projects often start around $4,957 in labor (14 hours at our standard rate) before materials, permits, and scope; there is no one-size-fits-all maximum.

EV charger pricing depends on charger type, panel capacity, and how far the circuit has to run. Every project is different. We provide a custom quote after we see your site. Typical EV charger installation work often starts at $1,000+ before materials, permits, and final scope; there is no one-size-fits-all maximum.

Kitchen remodel electrical work often starts at $5,000+, bathroom remodels at $3,500+, and dedicated addition circuits at $2,000+, always as a custom quote after we review plans and your existing service.

Lighting cost tracks fixture count, ceiling access, and any dimmers or smart controls. Every project is different. We provide a custom quote after we see your site. Typical lighting project work often starts at $1,500+ before materials, permits, and final scope; there is no one-size-fits-all maximum.

Generator and transfer-switch pricing depends on load size, fuel type, and your existing service. Every project is different. We provide a custom quote after we see your site. Typical generator or transfer switch installation work often starts at $2,000+ before materials, permits, and final scope; there is no one-size-fits-all maximum.

A 100A-to-200A service upgrade depends on the meter/main location, grounding, conduit, and whether Southern California Edison (SCE) must change the service drop or meter. Every job is different. We provide a custom quote after we see your site. Typical panel upgrade projects often start around $4,957 in labor (14 hours at our standard rate) before materials, permits, and scope; there is no one-size-fits-all maximum.

Yes. Call (657) 239-6331 for hazards like burning smells, partial power loss, or sparking devices. After-hours and emergency calls include a $350 diagnostic charge. Call (657) 239-6331; phones are answered 24/7.

Yes. We take on residential and commercial work across the same service area: offices, retail, and light commercial spaces. Call and we will talk through the scope.

Frequent breaker trips, flickering lights, a 100-amp or smaller panel, or adding big loads like an EV charger or new AC are common signs. A full or decades-old panel is another reason to look at an upgrade.

Often yes. Many homes only need a new main panel or meter-main while existing branch circuits remain. If we find damaged wiring, aluminum branch circuits that need remediation, knob-and-tube, or overloaded feeders, we recommend targeted repairs or a partial rewire, not a full gut unless the system warrants it.

Frequent breaker trips, warm or buzzing panels, flickering lights when large loads start, a full panel with no spare slots, Federal Pacific / Zinsco / Pushmatic equipment, or a 60-100A main when you want EV or HVAC upgrades. Any burning smell or sparking at the panel is an emergency.

Insurers often flag Federal Pacific (FPE), Zinsco/Sylvania, and some Pushmatic or damaged fuse panels. Coverage rules vary by carrier. If your insurer requires a panel replacement, we document the existing gear, upgrade to modern listed equipment, and help you pass inspection so you can close the claim requirement.

A subpanel helps when the main has capacity but you need more breaker spaces near a garage, ADU, or workshop. If the service ampacity is already maxed (common on 100A), upgrade the main/service first. We calculate load and recommend the smaller correct scope.

Only a load calculation tells you. Many older local homes on 100A service cannot add a 40-60A continuous EV circuit without a panel or service upgrade. We check available capacity before quoting charger-only vs panel-plus-charger.

Most 32A Level 2 chargers need a 40A breaker and copper conductors sized for the continuous load (EVSE is treated as continuous; typically 125% of the continuous current). Some 48A units need 60A. Exact wire gauge depends on length, routing, and the manufacturer listing. We size it on site.

Sometimes for temporary or lower-power charging with a listed cord-and-plug EVSE, but sharing a dryer circuit is usually a bad long-term plan. Dedicated EVSE circuits sized for continuous load are the safe, inspectable solution.

Treat it as an emergency. Keep clear, shut off the main only if you can do so safely without touching damaged gear, and call 911 if there is smoke or fire. Then call (657) 239-6331. We prioritize sparking panels, burning smells, and partial outages.

Call right away for burning smells, sparking, tingling outlets, breakers that will not reset, hot switch plates, or partial power loss. For non-emergencies (remodel circuits, EV planning, flickering lights), schedule a diagnosis before the fault escalates.

Persistent burning or fishy smells at outlets or the panel, scorch marks, buzzing/crackling, outlets that are hot to the touch, or breakers that trip and will not stay on. Leave the area if smoke appears and call 911, then (657) 239-6331.

Age alone is not the rule, condition is. Many 60-70 year old local homes still have original cloth, knob-and-tube, ungrounded circuits, or overloaded panels. If circuits are brittle, ungrounded, aluminum branch wire, or failing inspection/insurance review, a partial or full rewire is often the right long-term fix.

Yes. That is common. Panel upgrades and whole-home rewires are different scopes. We only recommend rewiring when branch circuits are unsafe or inadequate, not as an automatic add-on to every 200A service change.

Aluminum branch-circuit wiring from the 1960s-70s is a known fire-risk concern when connections were not installed with compatible devices. Options include full copper rewire or listed remediation (CO/ALR devices, pigtailing with approved connectors). We inspect terminations and recommend the safer path for your home.

Original knob-and-tube can be hazardous when modified, overloaded, or covered with insulation that traps heat. It also lacks an equipment grounding conductor. Insurers and home inspectors frequently require replacement. We evaluate what is still energized and quote a modern copper system.

Yes where your city has adopted the current California Electrical Code. GFCI covers many wet and damp locations (kitchens, baths, laundry, garages, outdoors, and similar). AFCI covers many dwelling living-area circuits. Remodels that open walls or add circuits usually must bring affected areas up to what the inspector enforces today.

Existing untouched circuits may be grandfathered until modified. When we remodel a kitchen or bath, replace receptacles in wet-location spots, or add circuits, GFCI protection is usually required for those outlets. Upgrading during a remodel is both a code and safety win.

Backfeeding a panel through a dryer or range outlet ("suicide cord") is unsafe and not code-compliant. Proper transfer switches or listed interlocking kits prevent utility backfeed. Portable generators should only feed the home through approved transfer equipment.

No. Plugging a generator into a receptacle to power the house can energize utility lines and create a deadly backfeed. Use a listed inlet and transfer switch (or a dedicated generator interlock installed to code).

Most electrical work needs a permit. We handle the permit when your job requires one and inspect to the California Electrical Code rules your local building department uses.

A licensed electrician shows up, looks at the issue, and explains options in plain language. You get a custom quote and we only start after you approve. We clean up and check that everything works before we leave.

Yes. Installations and repairs come with a warranty. Coverage depends on the work; we put the terms in your quote and leave them in writing.

Yes. Debris, leftover materials, and tools leave with us. We aim to leave the space as tidy as we found it.

Most EV charger installs finish in one visit, often in a few hours, once we confirm the panel can support the circuit. Timeline stretches if the panel needs work first.

Yes. Panel and service upgrades need a permit and inspection. We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and work with your building department and the utility when the service entrance changes.

A 200A upgrade usually needs a city or county permit, an updated panel and grounding, and Southern California Edison approval for the meter/service change (often a meter spot or service order). We design the customer-side work, pull permits, and help you coordinate SCE so inspection and energization line up.

Yes in nearly all cases. Level 2 EVSE installs need a permit and inspection, including the rules that cover electric vehicle power transfer (NEC Article 625, as adopted locally). We pull the permit and size the circuit correctly.

Yes. Transfer switches and standby generator interconnections typically need a permit and inspection. Optional standby systems are covered under NEC Article 702 as adopted locally. We install listed transfer equipment and pull the permit.

We do not recommend DIY transfer-switch installs. Incorrect wiring can backfeed the utility and kill lineworkers or damage equipment. A licensed electrician should install listed transfer equipment the right way.