When a contractor or a home inspector tells you that you need a full rewire, a new panel, or a major electrical overhaul, it is worth getting a clear second look before committing to the work. Sometimes the scope is exactly right. Sometimes a targeted repair or a partial fix handles the real problem, and the bigger job can wait or be done in stages. We scope every job from scratch, tell you what we find, and explain what the work actually involves before anything is scheduled.
We take calls from homeowners, property managers, and small business owners across Novato and the surrounding area. Whatever the situation, the first step is the same: call, describe what you are seeing, and get a straight answer about what it means and what it costs. Calls are answered here, and the work gets scheduled properly.
Electrical pricing is not a flat menu, and a quote that does not account for what is actually in the wall is not a quote worth trusting. The things that move a number are the things we find when we get into the job: what the fault turns out to be, what has to be opened up to reach it, and whether the existing circuit or panel can carry whatever change is being made.
A panel that looks like a straightforward breaker swap can turn into a service-entrance issue once the cover comes off. A circuit that appears to need a single outlet can reveal wiring behind the wall that changes the scope. We tell you what we find before we proceed, not after.
When you call, we ask about the symptom, the property type, and what you are trying to accomplish. From there we give you a price and explain what it covers. If the job is more complex than a phone conversation can fully scope, we say that too. What you will not get is a vague range that turns into a different number when the work is done. The price is confirmed before the visit is scheduled.
Call (707) 289-5336 to get started.
Generally speaking, yes. Most electrical work beyond simple device replacement requires a permit and an inspection. That includes panel replacements, service upgrades, new circuit installations, and whole-home rewiring. The specific requirements depend on the jurisdiction, and the rules that apply to a property inside city limits can differ from those that apply in an unincorporated part of Marin County.
We handle the permit side of the job. When a permit is required, we file it, schedule the inspection, and make sure the work is ready to pass before the inspector arrives. Wiring work is checked against code before sign-off, which means the finished job is ready for inspection and ready for use. You do not need to track down the forms or figure out which office to call. That is part of what we do.
The timing matters too. A permit that is filed after the work is done is a problem. We build the permit process into the schedule from the start so the inspection happens at the right point in the job, not as an afterthought.
Not every electrical issue can sit on a calendar for two weeks. A burning smell at an outlet, a panel that will not reset, or a circuit that goes dead without explanation are situations that need attention the same day. We take short-notice calls and we are available every day from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. If you describe an urgent situation when you call, we work through what the schedule allows and confirm a time before you hang up.
For tenants and businesses that cannot go dark, the approach is the same: scope the job on the call, confirm what access is needed, and schedule around what the property requires. A retail space that needs to stay open during business hours, or a rental unit where a tenant is home, both require some coordination. We work through that on the call rather than showing up and figuring it out at the door. Call us and we'll walk you through the fix.
On a renovation or an addition, the order of trades matters more than most people realize until something goes wrong. Electrical rough-in has to happen after framing is complete and before insulation and drywall go in. If the electrician is not on site at the right point, the walls close up and the wiring gets either skipped or done in a way that requires opening them back up.
The same applies to kitchens and bathrooms. Dedicated circuits for appliances, recessed lighting layouts, and outlet placement all need to be roughed in before the cabinetry or tile work starts. Changing any of those after the fact is a much larger job than getting them right the first time.
We work with general contractors and with homeowners who are managing their own renovation. Either way, we confirm the sequencing on the call and make sure the electrical scope is planned against the rest of the project timeline. A subpanel for an addition, a service-entrance upgrade to carry the new load, or a lighting plan for a remodeled room all have a place in the schedule. Getting that place right is what keeps the project from stalling.
The window between tenants is one of the most practical times to do electrical work that would otherwise require working around someone's schedule or disrupting a household. When a unit is empty, there is no need to coordinate access around a tenant's workday, no furniture to move around, and no occupied space to restore at the end of the day.
That window is also when electrical inspection work makes the most sense. An inspection on a vacant unit gives a clear picture of what the wiring looks like before a new tenant moves in, and any follow-up work can be scheduled and completed without involving anyone who lives there. For property managers in Novato, that is often the most efficient way to handle deferred electrical maintenance across a portfolio.
Access is straightforward to arrange when nobody is living in the property. We confirm what is needed on the call, and the visit is scheduled from there.
A generator that is not properly connected to the home's electrical system is either useless in a real outage or dangerous. The transfer switch is what makes it safe: it isolates the home from the utility grid before the generator comes on, which protects the equipment and the people working on the lines outside. We wire the transfer switch, run the connection to the panel, and confirm the generator can carry the circuits it is assigned to. In a region where public-safety power shutoffs are a real part of life, a properly connected generator is not a luxury addition.
Homes built in the 1960s and 1970s often have aluminum branch-circuit wiring, and it behaves differently from copper under the same conditions. The connections are the issue. Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper, which loosens connections over time and creates heat at the points where the wire meets a device or a breaker. Remediation does not always mean rewiring the entire house. In many cases, the right approach is a combination of arc-fault breaker installation, device replacement with aluminum-rated devices, and connection repair at the panel and at each outlet and switch. We assess what the wiring actually looks like and explain the options before any work starts.
A detached structure that needs power usually needs its own subpanel, a properly sized circuit run from the main panel, and the right conduit for the run between the buildings. The specifics depend on the distance, what the structure will be used for, and what the main panel can support. Electric gate operators have their own requirements around circuit sizing and disconnect placement. We scope the full run on the call so the quote covers what the job actually involves.
Battery-only detectors work until the battery dies and nobody notices. Hardwired alarms with battery backup stay on the circuit and alert the whole house when one unit triggers, because they are interconnected. Marin County properties, particularly older ones, often have a mix of hardwired and battery units that were added at different times without a plan. We install interconnected hardwired alarms throughout the home and make sure the circuit and the placement meet current requirements.
We serve Novato and the surrounding communities, including Black Point-Green Point, Lucas Valley-Marinwood, Sleepy Hollow, Santa Venetia, and Fairfax. Residential and commercial properties across Marin County are welcome to call. If you are not sure whether your address falls within the area we cover, ask when you call and we will confirm. A quick read of our page listing every electrical service covers the rest.
Yes. We assess the work that has already been done, identify what remains, and scope the rest of the job from there. We let you know upfront if anything already completed needs to be corrected before we can continue.
A pre-purchase inspection should look at the panel condition and capacity, the wiring type and age, the grounding and bonding, and whether arc-fault and ground-fault protection is in place where current code requires it. It should also flag any visible signs of prior DIY work, overloaded circuits, or unpermitted additions. The goal is a clear picture of what the system has, what it needs, and what any follow-up work would involve before you close.
Buyers most often want to know the age and condition of the panel, whether the wiring has been updated, and whether there are any active faults or safety concerns. A pre-purchase electrical inspection gives a written account of what the system contains and what it needs, which is useful for negotiating or planning post-purchase work.
Homes built in the mid-twentieth century in Novato frequently have aluminum branch-circuit wiring, undersized panels, and outlets that were never updated to include ground-fault protection. Knob-and-tube wiring turns up in the oldest properties. These are not automatic emergencies, but they are worth knowing about, because each one affects what the home can safely carry and what a sale, renovation, or added load will require.
It depends on the nature of the problem and whether the materials and time needed are available. Minor issues are often addressed on the same visit. More involved work is scoped separately and scheduled as a follow-up. We let you know at the end of the inspection what needs attention and what the options are.
We take reasonable precautions to protect the work area, including covering surfaces where dust or debris is expected. If a specific area needs extra protection, let us know on the call and we will factor that into the visit.
We coordinate access before the visit so the panel is reachable when we arrive. If the panel is in a shared mechanical room or a locked utility space, we confirm the access arrangement on the call. Arriving to a panel we cannot reach delays the work and may require rescheduling.
Electrical problems do not improve on their own. A breaker that keeps tripping, an outlet that stopped working, or a panel that runs warm is not a situation that resolves itself over time. The longer it sits, the more likely it is to get worse, and the more complicated the fix becomes.
Call (707) 289-5336 every day from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
We scope the job on the call, confirm the price before anything is scheduled, and get the work done right. Real experience. Local knowledge. Ready to wire.
We also take electrical work in: Lucas Valley-Marinwood, Fairfax, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Larkspur.
See the whole of our complete list of towns.
Below is a plain-language look at the electrical work we handle in Novato 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated Appliance Circuits | 240-volt circuits for dryers and ranges, Refrigerator and dishwasher circuits, Workshop and garage equipment circuits, Panel capacity check before installation | Homeowners adding a major appliance or workshop equipment | An undersized or shared circuit for a high-draw appliance is a breaker problem waiting to happen. Panel capacity is confirmed before the circuit is run. |
| 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 Novato often involve service-entrance work coordinated with the utility. Load calculations are done before anything is scheduled. |
| Ceiling Fan Installation | Fan mounting and wiring, Box rating confirmation for fan weight, New circuit run where none exists, Fan and light kit wiring | Rooms with existing wiring or those needing a new circuit added | A standard ceiling box is not rated for a fan's weight and movement. We confirm the box before anything goes up. |
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