Mission Electric

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/29) */
In October of 2012, [redacted] asked me to upgrade his service due to the fact that there was water damage to his electrical panel. I gave him a quote of $1000 to upgrade his service. Mr. [redacted] had a 17 space panel and I upgraded his panel...

to a 20 space panel.
After getting into the project, I discovered that his panel had breakers doubled up, therefore he would need all 20 spaces for safety.
I did not discuss tandem breakers with Mr. [redacted], as he claims, he seemed happy with the panel and the job I did.
Nearly three years later, the customer decides he needs more space in his panel and contacts me about a job done in 2012. He was very confrontational and insulting and insisted that I did not know what I was doing.
I was out of town but I did take the time to come up with a quote to give him a larger panel. I gave him a substantial discount and offered to upgrade for $400. A service upgrade of this size would normally run $1800, with him having paid $1000, an additional $400 would bring the total price to $1400- quite a bargain! He demanded that I do the labor for free and he would pay for the panel.
As far as I am concerned, I did the job as contracted and Mr. [redacted] is trying to get additional work for free.
I am attaching the invoice for the work I did in 2012.
I have been in the business for over 15 years and have no previous complaints from customers.
Thank you,
Steven * P[redacted]
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/07/31) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Yes, Mr. P[redacted] performed the work as per contract.
Ask any electrician what his thoughts are about an electrician that put in new service but did not leave room for expansion.
My issue is not with the quality of work but inadequate professional judgement and lack of professional decision making in determining my electric needs and number of electric circuits the panel box would accommodate.
As a professional, Mr P[redacted] is not only paid for his labor and materials, but this expertise as a professional electrician.
Mr P[redacted] is at fault for not leaving room for expansion, regardless of the reason...HE is the professional! As a 15 year professional, you should know better!
Mr P[redacted] did not do any energy audit to determine my electric needs, he did not count the number of black wires going into my old electrical panel. Half way thru the installation of the panel he could have corrected the inadequate number of circuits the panel box would accommodate by getting a panel that would handle more circuits.
I questioned him as to the lack of additional spaces for expansion during installation. He said some breakers had 2 wires in them and he thought he would have 3 spaces left and had to use them. If I needed more circuits a tandem breaker could be used. That seemed acceptable. If I knew that I could not add any more electric circuits, Mr P[redacted] would not have been paid unless a different panel was changed out, even if it cost more money. He took my money and left me with the impression that more circuits could be added with a tandem breaker.
I have a 1600 sq foot above ground home, 700 foot semi finished basement. 30 amps going to garage, 60 amp sub panel in kitchen, sump pump that runs quite a lot, basement ez breathe exhaust that runs 24/7, cape cod home so furnace fan runs 24/7, 2 full baths with exhaust and heat bulbs, micro wave, refrig, dish washer, kitchen exhaust, ceiling fan in every room and an electrical panel that was full using mostly tandem breakers. Mr P[redacted] is the professional and he says I only need 100 amp service.
I wanted 150 or 200 amp service and was willing to pay for it. At no point did I squabble about price or wanting to get the bare minimum service. As per Mr P[redacted]'s professional judgement, he said I did not need more than 100 amp. He determined, WITH OUT AN ENERGY AUDIT, 100 amp service was sufficient. MR P[redacted]'s professional judgement determined the electric panel I would need and 100 amp service.
When an electrician installs new service an energy audit should be done. No energy audit was done. The electricians duty also includes leaving adequate service expansion for realistic needs. It is not unusual for a home owner to add a jacuzzi style bath tub, porch enclosure or other small electrical need for additional circuits.
In some parts of the country it is illegal to install a new electric service and not leave room for expansion.
I was very polite and patient with Mr P[redacted]. First contact was on 6-13-15. I told him the panel would not accept tandem breakers as he said it would. He apologized and said he was working and text him my phone number....no call back. On 6-13-15 I text him again...no call back. I call a few more times over the next couple of weeks, phone goes to voice mail, I leave no message. On July 4, I post to Mission Electric face book page, Steve why won't you call me about the problem you left me with. He calls me back and the post disappears. Even though he has avoided me, I was polite and to the point until he wanted to charge me for another job. I have the text. I was not rude. I questioned his professional knowledge about the panel not accepting tandems and not leaving room for expansion. I still have the text and did call names. Mr P[redacted] takes exception that I am calling him out on this.
I am not trying to get work for free. I guess Mr P[redacted] sees himself as a laborer with no professional responsibility. Of course I seemed happy, I was left with the impression more circuits could be added.
EVEN IF YOU DID NOT SAY TANDEMS
COULD BE USED, BUT YOU DID!
NO EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN WOULD ADD NEW SERVICE AND NOT LEAVE ROOM FOR EXPANSION IF HE HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HOME OWNER.