What we find in Los Angeles houses constantly
- Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels. Both have well-documented failure-to-trip histories. If you have one, replacing it is not an upgrade, it is a correction.
- Ungrounded two-prong outlets with three-prong receptacles installed on them, which creates the appearance of grounding without any of the protection.
- No GFCI in kitchens, bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms or exteriors.
- Aluminium branch wiring from the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, which needs proper AlumiConn or COPALUM termination rather than being ignored.
- Backstabbed receptacles that loosen over time and cause heat at the connection.
- Overloaded circuits - kitchens on a single 15 amp circuit, whole additions run off a bedroom outlet, extension cords used as permanent wiring.
- Junction boxes buried in walls and ceilings with no access, which is a code violation and a fire risk.
What we do
- Outlets, switches, dimmers, USB and smart devices
- Dedicated circuits for kitchens, laundry, air conditioning, garages and home offices
- Recessed lighting, ceiling fans, under-cabinet lighting and landscape lighting
- Sub-panels and main panel upgrades to 200 amp
- GFCI and AFCI protection where code requires it
- Grounding and bonding corrections
- Aluminium wiring remediation with approved connectors
- Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans on correct circuits
- EV charger circuits - see our EV charger page
- Whole-house surge protection
- Troubleshooting dead circuits, tripping breakers and flickering lights
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detector replacement, including interconnected systems
Honest note on scope
Panel upgrades, service changes and anything involving the utility connection require a permit and inspection, and we pull it. Some contractors will do a panel swap without a permit for less money. When you sell, that unpermitted panel becomes a disclosure problem and a negotiation item worth far more than you saved. We do not work that way.
Cost
Diagnostic and small repair visits start at $185. Recessed lights typically run $145 to $220 per fixture in an accessible ceiling. A 200 amp panel upgrade in Los Angeles generally runs $3,200 to $6,500 including permit and inspection, more if the service mast, meter or grounding electrode has to be rebuilt.
Do I need a 200 amp panel?
Only if your calculated load requires it - typically after adding air conditioning, an EV charger, an induction range or a heat pump. We do the load calculation and show it to you rather than upselling.
Is a Federal Pacific panel really dangerous?
The failure-to-trip data is well documented and most insurers and inspectors treat it as a defect. We recommend replacement.
Can you add outlets without opening the walls?
Often yes, by fishing from an attic, crawlspace or adjacent cavity. Where we must open drywall, we patch, texture and paint it.
Do you pull permits?
Yes on all panel, service and circuit-addition work. Unpermitted electrical becomes a real problem at resale.
