Fairfax is a small town, and most of the housing stock reflects that. Older homes, additions that went in over the decades, and wiring that was adequate when it was run but is now being asked to carry loads it was never designed for. Homeowners here call about flickering lights and tripping breakers, about panels that need room for a new circuit, and about wiring that a home inspector flagged before a sale went through. We handle all of it, and we are available every day from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Property owners managing rentals in Fairfax and the surrounding Marin County area call for the same reasons: an outlet that stopped working, a panel that needs a breaker replaced, or a safety inspection before a new tenant moves in. Calls are answered here, and the work gets scheduled properly.
Whether it is a single outlet or a full panel replacement, call (707) 289-5336 and we will scope the job before anything is booked.
Older homes in a town like Fairfax were wired for a fraction of the electrical load a modern household puts through them. A 100-amp service that handled a family's needs a generation ago runs short fast once you factor in an EV charger, a home office, and a kitchen full of modern appliances. The panel hits its limit and the symptoms start: breakers that trip under normal use, lights that dim when something large starts up, and no slots left to add a circuit without removing one that is already doing a job.
Before any new circuit gets run, we work out whether the existing service can carry it. That means a load calculation based on what the panel is already handling and what the new demand will add. If there is room, the circuit gets run. If there is not, the options are a subpanel for the new load or a full service upgrade to bring the supply in line with what the property actually needs.
A service upgrade is more involved than swapping the panel box. Load calculations, service-entrance work, and coordination with the utility all factor into a properly completed job. We handle 100-amp to 200-amp upgrades, subpanel installation for additions or detached structures, and the breaker replacement that is sometimes all that is needed when the panel itself is sound. The scope gets confirmed on the call before we schedule anything.
A dedicated circuit for a dryer, a workshop, or an EV charger is not just a wiring question. It is a panel capacity question first. If the panel has room, the circuit gets run and sized for the load. If it does not, we talk through what it takes to make room, whether that is a subpanel, a panel replacement, or a different approach to the load. You know what the job involves before anyone shows up.
When you call, we ask about the symptom, the property, and what you are trying to accomplish. From there, we give you a price and explain what it covers. What moves a quote is what the fault actually turns out to be, what has to be opened up to reach it, and whether the existing circuit or panel can carry the change. Those are not things that can be guessed from the outside, which is why the call matters.
If the scope shifts once the work is underway, because a wall gets opened and the wiring inside is not what it appeared to be, we tell you before we continue. You are not left with a number that grew without warning. Know the price. Know the scope. Know what happens next.
We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. When you call, we confirm what the job involves, settle the price, and set a time. For a rental property or a business that needs to stay operational, we work around access and occupancy on the call so the visit does not create a problem for whoever is on site.
A burning smell near an outlet or panel, a breaker that will not reset, or a situation where part of the house has lost power and the cause is not clear are all worth calling about the same day. We take short-notice calls. Ask what the schedule allows when you call and we will work out the timing from there.
Older homes in Fairfax often have lighting that was installed in stages, with fixtures on circuits that were not originally designed for them. A fixture replacement is sometimes straightforward. Other times it turns up a box that is not rated for the fixture weight, or wiring that needs attention before the new fixture goes up. We handle the full installation, not just the swap.
An intermittent fault is one of the harder electrical problems to pin down, because it does not show up on demand. A breaker that trips unpredictably, a circuit that loses power and then comes back, or a fixture that flickers without an obvious cause all require working through the circuit from both ends to find where the fault actually lives. We do not reset and hope. We find the cause.
EV adoption across Marin County runs well ahead of the national average, and the charger installation call is one of the most common requests we get. A Level 2 charger needs a dedicated 240-volt circuit sized for the load and run from the panel to wherever the vehicle parks. Panel capacity gets checked before any wire is pulled. If the panel needs room to support the circuit, that is part of the same conversation.
Recessed lighting installation in an existing home means working with what is already in the ceiling: joists, insulation, and existing wiring that may or may not run where you need it. LED retrofit work is often cleaner, but it still involves confirming the circuit and the dimmer compatibility before the fixtures go in. We handle both, and the work is checked before we leave.
Ground-fault and arc-fault protection requirements have expanded over the years, and homes that have not been updated since the original construction often fall short of current standards. Kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and exterior outlets all need GFCI protection. Arc-fault protection requirements cover bedrooms and living areas in most newer construction. When a home inspection flags these, or when a sale is pending, we handle the installation and confirm what was done.
A safety inspection gives you a clear picture of what the wiring looks like, what it can carry, and what needs attention. For a home being sold, bought, or rented, that is useful information to have in writing. We go through the panel, the visible wiring, the protective devices, and the grounding and bonding, and we tell you what we find before any repair work is recommended. We treat your home and its wiring the way we would our own.
Older homes in Fairfax sometimes have wiring added by a previous owner, a contractor working without a permit, or a handyman who got further into the panel than they should have. The signs are usually visible once the box is open: mismatched wire gauges on a circuit, a breaker that is the wrong size for the wire it is protecting, or a junction that was made inside a wall with no accessible box.
Some of it can be corrected in place. A breaker swapped for the right size, a junction relocated to an accessible box, a ground wire added where one was missing. Other situations require pulling the work out and doing it properly, because the underlying wiring is not salvageable. We tell you which is which before any work starts, and we do not make a drama of it. The goal is a system that works correctly and safely, not a list of everything the last person did wrong.
Wiring work is checked against code before sign-off, so the finished job is ready for inspection and ready for use.
We serve Fairfax and the nearby communities of San Anselmo, Sleepy Hollow, Ross, Woodacre, and Lucas Valley-Marinwood. Residential and commercial calls across Marin County are welcome. If you are not sure whether your address falls within our range, ask when you call and we will confirm. There is a fuller write-up on our electrical repair services page.
Homes built several decades ago were wired for a much smaller electrical load than a modern household draws. Panels sized for the original construction, wiring that has never been updated, and circuits shared among appliances that now each warrant a dedicated line all add up over time. A home that has changed hands a few times may also have work that was added without permits or inspections, which can create problems that are not obvious until something fails.
Fixtures on high ceilings require safe access to work on them. We confirm the ceiling height on the call so the visit is prepared for what the job actually involves. Work at height is part of what we do for lighting and fan installation.
When trenching is not possible, we look at alternative routing options, which may include going overhead or using a different path to reach the destination. We work through the alternatives with you and confirm the approach before the work starts.
After an inspection, we provide a written report of findings. For other jobs, we provide documentation of what was done and what circuits were added or modified. If the work requires a permit and inspection, we walk you through what that process involves.
We retain documentation of the work we do.
If you need a record of a previous job for an inspection, a sale, or a follow-up visit, call (707) 289-5336 and we will confirm what is available.
We go through the panel, check the visible wiring, test the protective devices, and look at grounding and bonding. The result is a clear picture of what the system can carry, what falls short of current standards, and what needs attention before or after a sale. That information is useful for both sides of the transaction, and it gives a buyer or seller something specific to work from rather than a general concern about the wiring.
The report covers what type of wiring is present, the condition of the panel and breakers, any faults or safety concerns identified, and what corrective work is needed. It gives the property owner or buyer a factual account of the system's state rather than a general impression.
Yes. A subpanel installation for a detached structure is a common request in a town where properties often include garages, workshops, or guest structures that were not originally wired. We assess the main panel's capacity, work out the load the outbuilding needs to carry, and run the circuit and subpanel from there. The scope and the price are settled on the call before anything is scheduled.
A single outlet that stopped working, a switch that runs warm, a light that flickers on one circuit. Those are not problems to live with. They are symptoms worth a phone call, and a phone call is all it takes to find out what the fix involves.
Call (707) 289-5336.
We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. We scope the job on the call and schedule the visit from there. Real experience. Local knowledge. Ready to wire.
We also take electrical work in: San Anselmo, Lucas Valley-Marinwood, San Rafael, Larkspur.
View our complete list of towns.
Below is a plain-language look at the electrical work we handle in Fairfax, Marin County and the surrounding Marin County area. Each row covers what the service includes, who it fits best, and one practical thing worth knowing before you call. If a job on your list is not here, call us and we will talk through what it involves.
| Service Type | What's Included | When You Need It | What to Keep in Mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outlet & Switch Installation | GFCI outlet installation, AFCI outlet installation, Dimmer and smart switch wiring, Outlet and switch replacement | Kitchens, bathrooms, garages, and exterior locations needing updated protection | GFCI protection is required by code in wet areas. If your kitchen or bathroom outlets are not GFCI-protected, that is worth addressing on the next visit. |
| Whole-Home Surge Protection | Panel-level surge device installation, Protection for appliances and electronics, EV charger and solar inverter coverage, Integration with existing grounding | Marin County homes exposed to grid surges during PSPS restoration | A single large surge after grid restoration can damage multiple devices at once. The device installs at the panel and requires no changes to the rest of the wiring. |
| Electrical Panel & Service Upgrades | 100-amp to 200-amp service upgrades, Panel replacement and breaker upgrades, Subpanel installation, Load calculations and utility coordination | Older homes adding major appliances, EV chargers, or additional circuits | Panel upgrades in Fairfax, Marin County often involve service-entrance work coordinated with the utility. Load calculations are done before anything is scheduled. |
Call (707) 289-5336 to talk through the job, get a price, and schedule the visit. We are available every day from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
(707) 289-5336