Repairs
Electrical Help from San Francisco to San Jose
Electrical help is billed by the hour for fixture-level work: outlets, switches, dimmers, light fixtures, and ceiling fans, usually 30 to 90 minutes each. We handle the everyday electrical jobs in homes from San Francisco to San Jose, and refers panel and circuit work to a licensed electrician.
- Minimum
- 1 hour
- Typical single job
- 0.5 hour
- Bay Area typical price
- $150–350
- Hours
- Mon–Sun 8–8
What's included
- Replacing outlets, including GFCI in kitchens and bathrooms
- Switches, three-way switches, and dimmers
- Light fixtures, pendants, and flush-mount ceiling lights
- Ceiling fan replacement on an existing fan-rated box
- Doorbell and thermostat wiring at low voltage
- Diagnosing a dead outlet or a tripped GFCI
What's referred out
- Panel, breaker, and new-circuit work (licensed electrician)
- Running new wiring through walls
- Anything requiring a permit
If a job turns out to need a licensed trade or a permit, you'll hear that at the door — not after the hour has started.
Typical jobs and time
Time ranges are what these jobs usually take; you're billed for the actual hours worked, and the price is confirmed before work starts. See pricing.
| Job | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Replace a standard outlet or switch | 0.5 hour |
| Install a dimmer or GFCI outlet | 0.5–1 hour |
| Swap a light fixture or pendant | 1 hour |
| Replace a ceiling fan on an existing box | 1–1.5 hours |
How it goes
Power off and verify
The breaker is switched off and the circuit is tested dead before anything is touched.
Remove and inspect
The old device comes out and the wiring, box, and connections are checked for damage or aluminum wire.
Install and connect
The new device is wired with proper connectors, grounded, and secured.
Test and label
Power is restored, the device is tested under load, and GFCIs are tripped and reset to confirm.
Electrical Help in Bay Area homes
Pre-war homes across San Francisco and the mid-Peninsula often have older wiring — ungrounded two-prong outlets, cloth-insulated wire, and shallow boxes. Grounded and GFCI outlets can usually be installed correctly, but anything showing aluminum wiring or a crowded, undersized box is flagged for an electrician.
Eichler homes in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View have unusual wiring routes through the roof rather than an attic. Fixture and switch swaps are routine; adding anything new is electrician territory.
Related services
Electrical Help: questions people ask
What electrical work can a handyman do in California?
Like-for-like replacement of outlets, switches, fixtures, and fans that doesn't require a permit. New circuits, panel work, and permitted jobs go to a licensed electrician.
Can you replace a light fixture?
Yes. Fixtures, pendants, and flush mounts are swapped on the existing box in about an hour.
Why is my outlet dead?
Often a tripped GFCI elsewhere on the circuit or a loose back-stab connection. Both are diagnosed and fixed as part of a standard visit.
Can you install a ceiling fan?
Yes, if the ceiling box is already fan-rated. If it's a standard light box, that needs a fan brace and sometimes an electrician.
Do you install smart switches and dimmers?
Yes. Most smart dimmers need a neutral wire in the box, which is checked first.
Electrical Help across the corridor
Available in all 14 cities. City pages cover the local housing and what comes up most there.
Request a quote for electrical help
Reply within 24 hours. Same-day requests are fastest by phone: (628) 277-4131.