Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Net subscribers. Your own experience may be different. Please always check references before hiring!

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Electrician Recommendations

i need an electrician that will get the job done up to the code and for an affordable price. can anyone recommend a good one? rebecca

we have used clay bartley, 510-325-7462,for various electrical projects in our home in berkeley: replacing light fixtures, rewiring circuits he is personable, efficient, clean, well-priced he seems to be a popular contractor but he has always manages to fit us into his schedule and works to fit himself into ours... i highly recommend him for electrical work... lr

Any recommendations for an electrician? I want to install some outdoor lighting (motion sensor, pathway, etc.) and some other small electrical work in the house. Erik

The short version of the story below is: Call Leo, he's great! 510-393-4038 - tell him Alec and Heather sent you. We had leo replace all the Knob & Tube in the house. During and at the end of the job, Leo was very communicative about progress and the problems he encountered. If I wasn't around on a given day, he usually called me that afternoon to give me a status update. He was very friendly, easy to deal with, and accommodated our 2 kids' nap schedules easily for the 5 days of the job. He was also very firm about adhering to the contract, and called me before beginning additional work. I always felt like he was being very honest upfront with me about all issues he encountered. A month after the job was complete, one overhead light started flickering on and off. I called Leo and he was there a day later. He found a loose wire in the switch and fixed it with no charge. While he was there he offered to send me the RECO paperwork for if/when we want to sell the house... Alec

We are in search of a reliable, cost efficient, knowledgeable electrician to upgrade the wiring in our old home. We called one who was highly recommended and he turned out to be a flake (lacked basic communication/follow-up). It's a basic job, but we want someone who is a professional--not some electrician who and talks too much about his personal life and then takes a month to return a call. Also if anyone has used Plaza Electric in Albany or Blue Electric would appreciate your comments. anon

I highly recommend Peter Bogdan as an electrician (510-558-8456, p.bogdan[at]sbcglobal.net). I found Peter on this list. In Dec. 06 we were leaving the country and I needed security sensor lights installed outside the house. After meeting with several people who didn't work out (they wanted me to find the hardware but didn't have recommendations), Peter arrived with different options and gave me his recommendations. He then went and bought the needed supplies and installed all the lights in a very timely manner before our departure date. I had peace of mind while travelling. Peter again helped install a bathroom ceiling fan this summer 07. The installation was tricky (due to earthquake retrofitting) and Peter let me know what he could and couldn't do (I appreciated that). Peter did a workaround and I now have an excellent bathroom fan and proper ventilation. He also recommended a timer for the fan so it doesn't run all day--a great option. I'm glad I have an electrician I can trust and can call when needed. He is open to little jobs as well as bigger projects. kellyr

Can anyone recommend a good, honest, reliable (I know I'm asking alot) electrician that they have used in the Oakland area? I have a small and possible medium level job. I contacted Iosif Adamache who was highly recommended here on BPN, but after several emails and Phone calls, he has not responded. Thanks DM

I'm looking to upgrade my fuse box to a circuit breaker panel. I expect it may be expensive, since the electrical system is antiquated, and am looking for an honest and competent electrician to recommend and perform the necessary work. Thanks Aaron

I would like to add a glowing recommendation for Iosif Adamache at Danios Electric. He and his small crew were cordial, punctual, professional, and worked very fast in replacing the main breaker panel, adding new circuits, grounding, and light fixtures. Peter

Do not use Peter Bodgan (Bodgan Electric) for electrical services. I got his name from BPN. I needed a simple ceiling fan installation. After calling several of the BPN recommendations, he was the only one available right away. He came at 10am and left at 6pm, without having finished the job. He claimed the house was old (1938) and he needed to break open the walls to complete the job. He needed to call someone else to do this part.He did however ask for a check for $500 which we paid him (thinking this was more than a job like this should cost). He said he would try to make it back on Thurs. at 11am but would call to confirm. My husband and I both work full time. He didn't call to confirm. He called me at work at 10:50am from my house asking me if we would be there by 11am. I had to leave work to let him in (along with 3 other guys). After another couple of hours he called me at work to tell me that he got everything hooked up but the fan didn't work (it worked for a few seconds when he first put the wires together then stopped). He still had to come back to patch the wall and paint. When the job was finally done (although I didn't have a working fan)he told us the final bill was $1200. We got ripped off. I bought a new fan and had someone else install it, who told us the wiring had been done incorrectly and the fan got burnt out when it was turned on. Peter Bogdan claims he is a licensed contractor but his license is not on his card (a state requirement). He took advantage of us and I recommend you do not use him. maxsings

Daan , worked on my kitchen and it was a pleasure to work with him. He was on time, within budget and told me where I could save money and where not to. He worked well with me and my wife, which is saying a lot because my wife is tough on contractors. I will be calling Daan for my main panel upgrade, spa install and any other electrical work I need. He has been gracious in informing me of errors I have made in my own attempts at wiring projects that I'd done. I thought I knew what I was doing. Anyway I can't say enough good things about him and his brother. Daan (Don) Rottger 510-847-5577 Contractors license #: 836134
Mike

Great Electrician!! Donmar Electric 510-710-4537
Great service, fast, dependable and the project passed inspection. Donmar Electric 510-710-4537 Ann

I would like to recommend El Cerrito Electric, specifically James, for anything electrical. James put in a new main panel at our house that we had just bought. We had a time limit because the seller was paying. He did it in a day with no hassle. But the best part was that when the inspector came for the inspection and he saw who had done the work, he barely looked at it!! He said, ''Oh, El Cerrito Electric? I know they did it right.'' And he signed off on it! If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is! --Still have power

I would like to recommend my wonderful electrician, Iosif Adamache, and add this updated review from February 2007 to the others that have appeared on the BPN website. Iosif completely rewired my 1926 North Berkeley home, completed the job in a timely fashion, completely explained everything that he was doing, and priced the job very reasonably. He prefers to be contacted by e-mail, and his e-mail address is iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net. If you have any trouble reaching him through e-mail, you can contact him at his phone 510-828-6570. Not only is Iosif a fine electrician (and I am continuing to use his services for additional electrical work I need) he is also a good guitarist--if you are lucky you may be able to persuade him to play some of his Romanian songs for you. Signed: Julie

I want to recommend our Electrician we used for redoing the wiring in our old house. His name is Carlos Guerrero, 510-409-3627. He did a fantastic job. Great at recommending and designing new lighting; and knowledgeable of energy efficient products. He was punctual, clean, very courteous, fast and affordable. No complaints! He showed up on the first day and we went over my plan. He had many suggestions and improvments to my ideas. He finished it all on time and on budget. I love what he suggested and the new fixtures he put in. He is an independent contractor, sweet, and family oriented guy. I really enjoyed working with him and would like to see him succeed. Signed: patrick

NEED A GOOD, HONEST ELECTRICIAN, FAST? Call Tim Wright! We found his name here, on BPN. His was the lowest of 3 estimates, and he started working within 3 days of our first phone call. He did creative ''troubleshooting'' for us, in an attempt to find the cause of flickering lights in our 1951 home. He worked his way through the wiring, replacing dangerous outlets, wires that had melted together inside the wall (!), and updating switches. Our house is now flicker-free, has updated, safe wiring, and we were VERY happy with Tim's work. He's licensed, and has a small team of workers, and all of them were courteous, friendly, and prompt. We highly recommend Tim Wright for any electrical work you might need. Tim's numbers: office: 547-8286, cell: 459-8438. heidi

I just had a great experience with an electrician, and want to highly recommend the services of Iosif Adamache (LIC. #874914). Iosef was truly a pleasure to work with on this small job (adding a few circuits to increase the electrical capacity of my cottage). He was prompt, professional, clearly very skilled, and just a really nice guy. And he was also the most reasonably priced quote I got. Not only that, but he came up with an creative and affordable solution which enabled me to get twice as much extra capacity as I had hoped for. Once inside the circuit box, he identified a wiring problem which was a potential fire hazard, and I know this could have been an opportunity to charge me a lot more. He offered to add on that work at a very nominal fee, mostly just cost of the parts. I felt very comfortable with him and really respect his integrity. I also appreciated his willingness to explain things to me and how he didn't leave a mess. His number is (510) 889-7114 or (510) 828-6570 (cell), or you can email him at iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net.
Rachel Z.

Can anybody recommend a decent electrician either in or serving Alameda please? This shouldn't be so difficult. Cheers!! John

My husband and I highly recommend Iosif Adamache from Danios Electric whom I found in the Berkeley Parents Network listing. He did some work for us 2 weeks ago. We have an old house that needed new grounded wiring and he and his team did an excellent job. They also installed new circuit breakers and they even helped us install a new hood and power outlet. Iosif is very affordable, very efficient and professional. His phone number is 510-828-6570 lial3

I'd like to recommend Jake Nelson, electrician. He responded quickly to my call, and was able to show up in a few days. He did a nice job installing lights and was more than willing to do small jobs. He also worked on a holiday to get something done I needed right away. Overall hems very reasonably priced, straightforward, and easy to talk to and work with. Jake can be reached at (510) 712-1224. Ted

Feb 2007

I'm forced to withdraw my previous positive comments on Jake Nelson, electrician. After performing some work to my satisfaction, he started a second job and has not returned after several MONTHS to finish the work. He claimed to be out of the Country and to have had family emergencies, but he has yet to show up despite his many promises that he would arrive on a certain day. He is out of touch for long periods and doesn't inform us that he won't be around. I'd move on except he still has the broken equipment with him that he took to be fixed. Obviously I'd never use him again. Ted

Our neighborhood group needed some repairs for some outdoor pathway lighting. On the Berkeley Parents Network, we found strong recommendations for IOSIF ADAMACHE iosifadamache[at]sbcglobal.net Cell phone 510-828-6570. Message (925) 932-4838. We were very pleased with his services. Prompt communication. It was a small job that was done well for a reasonable fee. So here is another happy-customer adding another endorsement for Iosif.
Ian

I want to suggest you hire Jeff Bloomfield as an electrician. We found him through a recommendation on the Berkeley Parents Network. The first job he did for us wasn't a carefully planned upgrade or a room addition, but one of those times when, for no apparent reason, suddenly a large portion of our house lost power. Jeff made room in a busy schedule to trouble shoot and resolve the frustrating situation, while ensuring our needs were balanced with existing client commitments. Shortly afterward, we also hired him to run power to our garage, and he did a fine job, even saving us money by ordering and arranging for delivery of a part his usual supplier didn't carry. He seems willing to do both large and small jobs, is very capable, goes for cost-effective and safe installations...and he cleans up after himself. Jeff is located in Berkeley, and can be reached either on his office line, (510)649-7628, or his cell phone (510)541-4778. Happy wiring, Donna

We recommend Daan and Inder Rottger (brothers) who own Fighting Amish electrical services. For us, they installed beautiful recessed can lighting, a bathroom fan, and new light switch/dimmer controls. They also did some DSL, computer wiring, and cable work. For acquaintances, they've done hot tub installs (very "safety first" oriented!), complete rewiring jobs, radiant floor heating, and tricky "must pass inspection" jobs. They have a common sense approach--smart, professional, organized--and they're super nice guys. Daan's been doing construction, electrical, and home spa work for over a decade, but they just launched their own business last year so they are still affordable. Their number is (510) 847-5577, and you can usually find their ad on Craig's List under licensed electricians.
J&K

I recently finished a big addition and was my own contractor, and would like to make following recommendations - I spent considerable time finding good and sometimes inexpensive people. Electrician - Jeff Cohen 234-4903. Cheap! and completely competent.

We recently hired Joel Baron of ELM Electric to do a service change on our house and rewire our kitchen. He was very easy to work with and did a neat and prompt job at a fair price. We are having him back this summer to do some landscape lighting. I recommend him whole-heartedly. His number is 510-206-0073. Serena

Nicholas Arroyos of Electric Restoration recently did an electrical upgrade for me at my home in Berkeley. He's great because he really knows his stuff and had the patience to explain things to me. Not only that, but he is professional, yet isn't overpriced. He works out of Emeryville. His number is 415-370-2332. Nader

About 10 months ago, I turned my garage into an office (with permits), and needed serious help upgrading the electrical. Most bids were way too high--I needed to replace my main box, add a box in the old garage, run four circuits, and have lights and outlets all to Albany code. Not a huge job, but not trivial. I was delighted to find Jeff Bloomfield's ''Eclectic Electric'' recommended by others here on the board. Jeff is great to work with, his prices are quite reasonable, and the work is excellent. Indeed, the building inspector looked around at the electrical, chuckled and said, ''wow, finally someone who really knows what he's doing''--and signed off immediately. I can't recommend Jeff highly enough--he is personable, prompt, and fast. His contact info is:

Jeff Bloomfield
Eclectic Electric
jeffb[at]lmi.net
510.541.4778 (cell)
510.649.7628 (office)

Andrew Vogt is a great electrician. He's very thorough and experienced and is extremely pleasant to work with. He can be reached on his cell at 415/793-0213.
A & S

After calling several electricians (including one from BPN) I found a fantastic Electrical company that I would love to recommend. The company is called Northern Lights and the president is Rich Gobbell (925) 833-7662. He returned my calls promptly, was courteous, professional, and had reasonable rates. His workers came out on time (imagine that!) and finished the job efficiently. Rich even sent a guy out to do some cosmetic patchwork which we hadn't even noticed. We were so pleased with their work. I have some cards and coupons he sent me for 15% discount on all electrical work, so if you're interested, e-mail me your address and I can send them to you. Or, if you mention that Sandra Franklin in Moraga recommended him he might just apply the discount - as he did for us, even without the coupon. Sandra

I am very pleased with the work done by Jake Nelson (510-712-1224). He replaced the broken overhead wiring from our 1930-ish house to our detached garage with a new underground line and updated the wiring & lights in our garage and back yard. He also fixed two problems (caused by prior electricians) in our basement. Jake is thorough, flexible, reliable, and honest. In addition his rates are reasonable. I wish all service people were like Jake! I highly recommend that you call Jake to get an estimate. Hal

I would highly recommend Amir Jalilvand for small or big electrical jobs. He rewired a new addition for me and did an excellent job. He us licensed and insured. his number is 510)381-0658 sarah

We recently employed Jeff Bloomfield of Eclectic Electric to wire a backyard office for us: He not only installed the power wiring, but also wired telephone, ethernet, cable, and configured our wireless internet router. He also made the time to clean up some nagging electrical odds & ends for us. In short, we found Jeff flexible in scheduling and easy to communicate with. We heartily recommend him. His contact information is: Jeff Bloomfield, Eclectic Electric 510-649-7628 (office); 510-541-4778 (cell); jeffb[at]lmi.net (email).
Doug M.

I called them on a recommendation from this site. He quoted me over the phone approx. $300 to add a 220 dryer outlet in the laundry room. After performing the work (4.5hrs) the bill was $783! Of that about $100 was materials...so doing the math, this is likely the highest hourly rate for an electrican anywhere. He brings a co-worker... so $150/hr for both. Nice enough guy, pleasant conversation and willingness to discuss and explain, but bottom line is if a contractor cannot stick to a bid within reason, and makes no attempt to indicate the job is harder then he first thought or bid on... that's not good in my book. For what it's worth, I had another electrician recommended from this site look at the same job and he indicated I paid 2x the normal cost for that project. casar

I want to recommend Jeff Bloomfield from Eclectic Electric. Jeff did a project for us recently and he did a great job. His work was excellent and his estimate was very fair. What was also nice is that some of the work we needed done was small items that Jeff handled along with the larger projects. We have found in the past that some electricians won't handle the smaller work so it was great that Jeff was willing to do so. he can be reached at 510 649 7628 or on his cell phone at 510 541 4778. Malia

I wanted to recommend a good electrician my husband and I found. Last September,when we called around looking for electricians, all of them were either too busy to return our calls or our job was too small for someone to come out. Finally one of the electricians we called gave us Jake Nelson's # and he's been doing a great job working for us on our rentals since September. He charge's us 35/hr(which we think is reasonable) and he never seems too busy to return a call or get the job done to our satisfaction. Jake's # is (510)712-1224 celeste

On the recommendation of several writers, we called Josif Adamache (510 828-6570) to do our recent electrical installations and repairs. We had put off having two wall heaters fixed because of the projected hassel and expense of buying new equipment. But Josif's knowledge, ingenuity and investigative spirit solved these problems quickly without requiring new appliances. He is very safety conscious and a delight to work with. We're grateful for coming across previous recommendations for Josif--he's a real find. Linda

I recently had the great fortune and pleasure of finding an electrician through recommendations on this list and I feel compelled to echo a strong recommendation for Iosif Adamache. I've also updated contact info below. The job included removal of knob & tube wiring; extensive new wiring; a new panel; new grounding; telephone, cable & computer wiring. Iosif does large and small jobs. We had a detailed discussion of the job & plans before he made a bid, so it was clear exactly what would be done. His rates were very competitive and his work is excellent. He is flexible, reliable, patient with many questions & details, and easy to work with. He works fast (in fact, he finished ahead of schedule) and is competent, thorough and skilled. It's truly been a pleasure to know and work with Iosif. His new contact number is 510-828-6570--this is his most recent number and updated from the numbers John and Naomi gave previous Nina

Daniel Sinotte of Earth Star Electric (510) 547-7848, did a wonderful job with our house, and we couldn't be happier. His crew, in particular, Sola, were very thorough, conscientious, and careful. The great thing about Daniel is that he is very concerned with both the safety issues as well as the aesthetic ones. He SAVED us from making some foolish mistakes, and really updated our ancient wiring system. His prices are very reasonable, and he was very attentive to our needs. His email address is daniel AT earthstardesign.com
Allison and Adam

I found Iosif Adamache's name in Naomi's June 2003 recommendation of his work in this list. He did two electrical remodeling jobs for me, both superb, and is about to do a third. All the good things Naomi said about him are true, but let me add a few others. He's a wizard at tricky stuff like fishing cable through joists and bending aluminum conduit. When he needs to cut a hole in a wall or ceiling to wire a new outlet, the patching and mudding he does to repair the hole is as good as anything I've seen a good drywall guy do. He loves the sort of challenges that a remodel in an old house presents, and he's very creative with solutions. His English is only OK, but his communications skills are first rate and he and I always understood each other perfectly. I consider myself lucky to have found him. His new number is 925/932-4838 (the number Naomi gave in 2003 no longer works). John

This is Clay Bartley posting a message that I've moved. Years ago someone gave me a glowing recommendation and that has lead to many Berkeley parents hiring me. Whomever you are, Thank you. Ohmega II still recommends me for electrical work. I'm licensed as both an electrical contractor and a general contractor and I'm bonded and insured. What's changed is my wife Lisa and I have two children now, Jack 2.5 years and Sophia who is just 14 weeks. We're very pleased to have moved to a larger home in Kensington. My new numbers are Hm. 510-527-5090 and my cell 510-325-7462. If you would like a free estimate for electrical work on your home or if you have any questions, please feel free to call. Clay Bartley l.bartley AT lycos.com

I am looking for an electrician that can help get new power service to our 1923 home in Maxwell Park area of Oakland. Currently we still have th 110v 30amp service and are looking to upgrade. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping to have someone come out in the next month or two if possible. We are going to begin a remodel of our kitchen and would like to have the power upgraded before we begin that. Thank you!! Lisa

we have a lovely old house and need some advice and electrical work. looking for someone who has the patience and expertise for small jobs (hopefully it's small!) on old homes. luna

I got Jeff Bloomfield's name from another recommendation. His business is called Eclectic Electric. He is efficient, quick, skilled, and easy to work with, and his price was reasonable for a small job that other electricians were not interested in. His phone is 649 7628. Bernard

My electrician recently told me that he is looking for more work. He's an interesting fellow. A fine artist whose work is selling, a former dot-commer UI person, experience with construction, and experience doing electrical work. I've been extremely happy with him, since we bought our home in 2000 and were kicked back and forth by a lot of the TERRIBLE people who were available for work back then. As a matter of fact, Guy's helped to fix a lot of problems caused by our previous people. Guy is bright, articulate, a perfectionist, easy to work with, and just a gem. Enjoy. Oh, he's also got some of the best rates around.

to discuss your project, repair, upgrade or to arrange for an estimate please call Guy at: 415.652.2939

We need an electrician for some simple jobs - wiring in our new garage door opener, installing a fan in our bathroom, and grounding a couple of outlets. We had work done by a local company when we moved in and were not pleased with the quality of their finish work, so we are looking for someone with an eye to quality and detail. Kelly

I just wanted to send out a recommendation for Richard at Dyno Electric. He's an electrical contractor that has been doing work at our house, everything from changing out light fixtures to upgrading our service and installing new circuits. He has a great aesthetic sense (knows to balance switches on either side of a sink, great recommendations on kitchen lighting, etc.), is very down to earth (he'll tell you his honest opinion about what will work and won't), and he has so far been extremely conscientious. As one example, we had discussed when he first came to look at the house putting in lighting inside some of the kitchen cabinets. When he later gave us a bid, he detailed out all of the tasks with prices broken down for each. He had forgotten to include a price for that work, and feeling bad that he hadn't, he was willing to do that work for a very reduced additional price even though we would have been happy to pay him for the full cost of the extra work. He also found some work that wound up not needing to be done and immediately credited us (I'm sure some contractors would have just never mentioned it or pretended that they had done the work, and we would never have been the wiser). He has a whole crew of people, so he can get work done to meet your deadlines, and he was able to help us on very short notice and work with our move- in date. He also has a great sense of humor and is just a very nice person. I can't say enough good things about him! You can reach him at 655-1696. Please let him know that Jenny Jonak recommended you - I want him to know how pleased we were with his work! Jenny

Hi, Friends of mine highly recommend Kurt Abrams. His # is in the phone book. He's been doing phone jack and lighting, and other electrical work for 20 years, and charges a very reasonable $20/hour. Although I've not used him, for full disclosure, he is currently subletting my apartment and is a good, honest, detail oriented guy. betsy

I wanted to post a recommendation for a journeyman electrician who recently fixed the wiring for my dishwasher. Ray Fikiri has several years of experience and is familiar with the current codes. He was prompt, courteous, and took the trouble to try to educate me about what he was doing. He urged me to contact him if there was any problem with the work (there hasn't been). I would definitely hire him again. He's also a Berkeley resident with a toddler of his own. At $30 per hour, Ray's rate is extremely reasonable. I recommend him highly. He'll do jobs large and small. His home telephone number is (510) 883-0150, and his email address is kasallah AT hotmail.com

I'd like to recommend Vladimir Bazanov for small electrical wiring jobs. On various occasions, he has done rewiring and new wiring to install fixtures in our home, as well as trouble-shooting of electrical problems. He is available weekends and evenings (he has a day job as an electrician with a local institution), and is very reasonably priced. He can be reached directly at (510) 234-5215. I can be reached evenings/weekends at (510) 528-4408. Nancy

Could anyone recommend an electrician? The most recent postings are from 2001. One mentions Joe Metz positively but thats it. thanks in advance, LSG

He upgraded our 1940's electric system to bring our house up to code as required right after we bought it. We also had him do a couple extra projects around the house (and plan to have him back for some more soon!). He did great work, was reliable and efficient, and cost almost half the rate of some others. He charged $45/hr but that was two years ago, not sure of his rate now.

He worked for one of the big firms, but went out on his own and doesn't need to charge the overhead that they do. He was very pleasant, and willing to help us prioritize our needs within a limited budget. (See April 2004 note for current contact info)

Kent Salisbury, 510-523-2065, did terrific electrical work for us at very reasonable rates. I couldn't recommend him more highly.

I would confidentally recommend Steve Nunn, who does small and large electrician jobs, and seems to be priced very fairly, from what little comparison shopping I've done. His number is: 510-612-4096. Lael

I am behind in my reading of the list, but for the person looking for a recommendation of an electrician in the Walnut Creek area, I can recommend Jeff Daykin, Daykin Electric. He's at (925) 778-5816. We used him recently for the first time on the recommendation of our realtor, who has been in Walnut Creek for many many years and has great contacts. We were very happy with Jeff's work and are planning to use him again for another project soon. He's very laid back and easy to work with. May 1999

They were also agreeable to an arrangement with our kitchen where they "roughed in" the electrical (i.e., installing new fuses in the box and running the cables to the right spots), and we did the "finish" electrical (wiring the outlets, switches, and fixtures, which is easy work for the moderately handy person). That little innovation saved us ~$500 in labor.

I recommend Electric Bill's Company, he is out of San Rafael but has done work for us, including re-wiring telephones and outlets, installing lighting fixtures and is very competent. We will be using him later this year when we change our main electrical panel. His number is 415-491-1881. Alice (8/98)

I recently went through a search for an electrician and found a company called Roberts Electric Company (RECO) in Oakland. Their phone number is 834-6161. My daycare provider's brother-in-law has worked for them for many years which isn't much of a technical recommendation but it met my honesty/integrity/legitimate business criteria. They did a very small job for me which I was quite pleased with and I plan to use them for a larger job soon. My only criticism was that they had so much work it was difficult to get my job scheduled. Harlan Family (8/98)

Gill's Electric is an old Berkeley company that I've used once. I didn't have any complaints. They had installed the switch box on my house so I called them when I needed a repair. They charge $78/hour though. Ginger (8/98)

Electrician for outdoor lighting

I've had two electricians talk to me about installing low-voltage lighting along our stairs and putting a fixture above our porch. The job's not complicated, but neither of these guys left me feeling confident. I want expertise, courtesy, promptness, and (if possible) value. Any recommendations? deja_deb