Simon M.

01/06/2023 12:00:00 SA

We got off to a rocky start with delays in showing up on time and no communication to let me know.

However, these guys made it right and did me an amazing deal to get all the work done another time. They will be my go-to electricians from now on.

Amanda I.

05/04/2023 12:00:00 SA

We hired Five or Free to upgrade our main electrical panel along with installing an EV charging station. After getting 6+ different quotes, Five or Free was our first choice (hands down). They were quick to respond to any questions we had, professional, friendly and on time. The job was completed in less time than estimated (1 day vs 1.5 days) and everyone on the team was friendly and made sure we were happy with the job. Will definitely hire again when we have an electrical project!

Pete R.

3/17/2023

Would not recommend if you are just a regular home owner. You get deprioritized and told things that are not true or part of the job.

Jenny L.

03/02/2023 12:00:00 SA

Really good and quick service! They were able to squeeze me in for a Tesla Wall Charger to be installed. Very professional and good customer service!!

Linda K.

4/17/2023

On time, knowledgeable, professional answered all my questions, detailed estimate, worked city for permit w PGE to get service back

Dave B.

2/16/2023

Five or Free was the low of three bids on our project. They were also the most professional and responsive. Allen showed up on time and did a great job explaining all that needed to happen. Our ooooold house is hard to work on with true dimensional lumber, lathe and plaster, amd 120 years of hack job renovations. Allen problem solved, figured it all out, and had three new circuits run by the end of the day. Thanks and we won't need three bids next time, we'll just come to Five or Free.

Robert C.

10/31/2022

2 GFCIs installed. Quick and easy, for Tim.

He's knowledgeable, friendly and professional.

The work area was left clean.

I would hire this company again.

Liz O.

10/28/2022

Wonderful service! I had two small things that needed to be done - a wired doorbell and an electrical outlet installed in a closet. The first tech came to give an estimate, was thorough and clear in explaining his recommendation. Five or Free was super accommodating to my schedule and communicative about timing and cost up front. I especially like that they send a little blurb about the electrician who's coming to do the work!

Work itself was done well within the time frame they had estimated, and Eddie was professional and left not a single bit of mess. Definitely will reach out to Five or Free if we need any work done again!

Jonathan G.

12/06/2022 12:00:00 SA

Wow these guys are great! I wish they did more than electrical. They are timely, professional, knowledgeable and have a truly unique warranty. It's actually in their name. I had an issue with my furnace turning on. Turns out the HVAC service person didn't check the main disconnect! Five or Free came out, caught the issue within 5 mins and didn't even charge me. Will only be using them going forward.

Margaret H.

06/07/2021 12:00:00 SA

I had a new electrician finish the project to change my kitchen lights that another electrician abandoned after their truck was broken into on the street.

Five or Free is an excellent company. They guarantee that their bid will be within 5% of their original estimate. They send an electrician out to do the estimate for free, unlike some other folks who want you to pay for the estimate and will only credit the amount to you if you select them.

The first electrician who came to do the estimate was extremely patient and explained all of my different lighting options to me carefully to help me get a solution that worked within my budget. He also explained how their company works - $100 deposit and that's it.

Cory, a different electrician, came today to install five under the cabinet lights. I got a message that he was on the way and he texted me and called me. He arrived within the timeframe promised. He installed everything by himself versus the three people who came from previously from my first vendor who left my kitchen covered in wires, ceiling plaster and dust. Cory brought a vacuum to clean up after himself really neatly.

Both electricians put shoe covers on when they came into my unit - even when they had to go out to the garage. They clearly knew what they were doing, and they covered all the details with me carefully so I understood what was happening and what to expect. They both wore their masks for the entire time they were inside.

Mahru E.

01/04/2023 12:00:00 SA

Tim and Alex were great to work with! Alex did the initial diagnosis and walked me through the process. Tim was like Sherlock Holmes, making sure that all parts of the electrical mystery were solved before he was satisfied with the completion of the work. I will definitely use Five or Free again. Everything, from the quick scheduling to the communications that included biographies of each technician, was smooth and the price for the work was fair.

Scot G.

12/23/2022

Needed some electrical help. These guys were fast, friendly and super easy to deal with. Josh was able to fix everything quickly and was just a happy positive guy to have in your home working on stuff. Definitely gonna use these guys again for any other electrical help i might need.

David L.

3/20/2023

Alex did a great job in quickly assessing and fixing my electrical problem. He was very courteous and responsive and followed COVID protocols. I recommend him highly.

Daniel C.

3/31/2022

The team was quick to respond and give a quote; they were able to dispatch someone the same day to evaluate our needs. That person walked us through what they'd need to do in detail, gave an estimate of price and scheduled the work for the very next day.

The electricians were punctual, polite, and took care to do minimal disruption to the home. I appreciated this as my elderly mother was in one of the rooms they needed to work in. After the work was completed they walked us through it and we were able to pay digitally. The entire process was quick and efficient.

Megan R.

12/09/2021 12:00:00 SA

My husband and I recently bought our first home (built in 1950) and one night, the breakers flipped and we couldn't get them to turn back on. After calling a few electricians, Five or Free was the only company that could send someone within the hour.

Tim had just finished a long day of work and was heading to his own home, but stopped by our place because it was near his house. Tim troubleshooted the issue for over an hour until it was resolved. (Turns out there was a 2nd fuse box hiding in the garage we hadn't known about). He hadn't even eaten dinner but literally refused to leave us in the dark. For the service provided and time spent, the price was extremely reasonable.

When we were ready to move forward with the bigger projects, we got quotes from about 6 different electricians and came back to Five or Free. We chose them not only because of the exceptional service we had from Tim on the after-hours call, but because of the project clarity, price transparency, scheduling availability, COVID safety protocols, and warranty of service offered. Everything is done by-the-book and above board; no bootleg electrical stuff without permits.

Each time I called the office, Jon was extremely accommodating. Even if I called after hours, he would call me the next morning and got me on their books. Tim really went out of his way to explain things clearly and work with our budget. We scheduled two big jobs over the last 6 months and both times Eddie and his apprentices came out to do the work. The apprentices were great (we had Cruz last time) and Eddie is the man! He went above and beyond doing extra work to ensure that my sewing studio was set-up for electrical success. It's not common to meet people that reflect such professionalism, care and kindness, but the guys we've encountered at Five or Free have exemplified those qualities, which speaks to the company culture. The customer service experience we've had has truly exceeded our expectations. We will be loyal customers for as long as we live in the bay area.

Frank T.

10/12/2022 12:00:00 SA

Great service. Great value. I had an issue with my four way switch. Tech came on time, wore a mask, was very professional. Fixed the problem in about 30 minutes and I was charged $151.00. Other estimates were $200, $300 (2 hour minimum at $150 per hour. And one had a flat rate of $500.
I was sent a photo of the technician and his biography ahead of time. Do not over pay for good electrical services. Used Visa to pay.

Catherine L.

9/22/2022

We were in the middle of selling our property but this electrical project had to be done. They worked very hard to get it completed before the close of escrow but unfortunately no fault of Five or Frees it didn't get completed until after it was sold.
But they did a fantastic job! I'd recommend them very highly and if I ever need an electrical company Five or free, Eric, Alex and Jon they
would be the first call I make.
Thank you guys

Tam D.

12/16/2021

Five or Free Electrical Solutions (FOFE) was recommended to me by a friend who advised that I get my fire hazard of an electrical panel (Zinsco) replaced. I called FOFE, and as promised, they returned my call within 24 hours. Eric came out and provided a really thorough estimate. My wife and I had to jump through HOA hoops of fire to obtain approval, which delayed our project start for over a month. I'm so grateful for FOFE's patience and communication throughout the HOA struggle - it made us feel important.
Josh and Isaac came out to perform all of the electrical work. They were knowledgeable, friendly, and left our place neat.
So thankful to sleep at night and not worry about the panel.
Would definitely recommend to anyone.

Al D.

05/11/2022 12:00:00 SA

Horrible customer service. They don't honor their commitments or respect customer's time.

Rob K.

12/07/2022 12:00:00 SA

Highly recommend! Contacted via Yelp 11/28, had an onsite estimate the following day, and project was completed 7 days later (12/6). Work would have been done even more quickly (originally scheduled for 12/1) were it not for another job running over. Really appreciated the level of communication from Jon throughout the process...timely and professional, he ensured a smooth customer experience. Eric who performed the estimate and Eddie who did the work were both top-notch professionals as well, taking great care of my place. Had 1 GFCI outlet installed in the bathroom, very pleased with the work, looks like it has always been there. They will be my first call in the future.

Evan S.

11/30/2022

It was easy to schedule the work. I was able to share my concern in advance. There was no charge to come evaluate my problem. Alex was excellent. He updated me about his arrival time and was extremely helpful. I will use them again and recommend them highly.

Jess K.

3/24/2022

Allen and Erick installed a bunch of ceiling fans throughout my house, a new light, a new outlet, and swapped out the cover on an outside outlet for me. Everything looks perfect and they even went shopping all over town to find a part for the job. They checked with me on each piece, making sure it was all exactly how I wanted. I really appreciated how clean they left the place and their communication. My husband ended up having to deal with a bunch of meetings and interviews while they were working here and they quickly knocked out the work in his office to avoid interrupting him. Much appreciated!

Wendy K.

04/07/2022 12:00:00 SA

We needed to install an Tesla wall connector at our car port and they did an fantastic job! Eric came to our place to give a thorough inspection and good value quote. Cory was the one that came to do the installation and he did a beyond my expectation job of installing the connector while hiding all the wires in the wall. Overall they have great technical knowledge of the task in hand and were very friendly to communicate with. I highly recommend them for any electrical related job!

Rich S.

04/07/2022 12:00:00 SA

Nice team, prompt service, reasonable price. Looking forward to having them take care of the next project

Damond M.

07/02/2021 12:00:00 SA

We needed to get off the 100 year old knob & tube wiring in our house and wanted a larger electrical box since our current box was full (no room for new breakers). We contacted and took bids from 5 companies - 3 were lower and 1 was higher than Five or Free but the guarantees and comprehensive write up of their proposal really swayed us.

Once we started getting guys on site, they were courteous, Covid-safe and aware, skilled, and pleasant to have working in our house. The guys talked and laughed easily, all while doing super intricate work, crawling into tight spaces, and righting wrongs of the past electrical system.

We got a whole house re-wire - every outlet and light fixture, all breakers, and wire was new. They added recessed lighting in 4 rooms and several new light fixtures in closets, on porches, and hallways. It was a monster of a job and they worked on weekends, around Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and a couple of Monday holidays to accommodate our crazy schedule. They kept track of all of the bits and pieces and systematically went down the list to get everything done.

Then, when the job was just about done, we started experiencing major breakers tripping. Five or Free wouldn't rest until they figured out that it was a major manufacturing error and swapped out our box and breakers to remedy the problem.

From the front office to the guys in the field we were taken care of and they felt like more than workers in our house, probably because they operate like a family from within the company. Now we have a whole new system, beautiful lights and fixtures, and peace of mind that comes from getting quality professional workmanship.

akaya w.

10/05/2022 12:00:00 SA

Great service. Prompt, communicative, and respectful. They came and assessed the problem, ordered the needed part and installed it the next business day. I highly recommend Five or Free.

J C.

06/01/2021 12:00:00 SA

I highly recommend that you ask for
Cory. He did a great job installing an outlet and I would not hesitate to use him again. Thank you Cory!

Michael H.

2/20/2022

We hired Five or Free Electrical Solutions to do a complete rewire of our older house and install data wiring. These folks were amazing from start to finish. They performed a thorough walk-through and presented a detailed scope of work that made it very clear what we were getting. Christian Aguilar and Isaac Hensley performed the majority of the work. Chris and Isaac were friendly, communicative, professional, and detail-oriented throughout the entire job and the quality of their workmanship was outstanding. They left our house in immaculate condition after every day of work.

In short, Five or Free gave us a modern electrical system that makes living in our house so much more comfortable and pleasant! I highly recommend these folks for any electrical job you may have, large or small!

Allie K.

3/31/2022

It is hard to say just how much we appreciate Five or Free. We have been working with them on the absolute saga that is our house for eight months. We purchased our first home last year and decided to upgrade the subpanel. We also scheduled a different appointment to add a grounded wire/plug for the dryer. For all of this work, they were on time, incredibly patient in explaining the work or answering questions and very clear on what would happen, including cost. It was a great experience.

After all this happened we started to have our dryer breaker trip randomly. The dryer might not have been on, but at times the breaker would still trip. And it wouldn't even always be the same breaker. It was a literal mystery that baffled nearly every technician that came to the house. But the thing I loved is they all looked at it like a puzzle to solve and they went above and beyond to try and fix it. They checked suspect outlets, dug around in the attic, reviewed all the recent work. They tried a slew of different things and wouldn't forget, sometimes even texting in off hours to see how things were going. The last suggestion involved moving the breaker to the main panel and replacing the line and three weeks later, we are still free and clear of breakers tripping (knock on wood).

To reiterate how much we like them, at one point we decided to try and replace the main panel. Our home warranty wanted to use their contractor to get the work done. After nearly a month of frustration in trying to work with their contractor, we opted to take a payout instead and just have Five or Free do the work, cause we knew we could trust them.

They will always be our first call for electrical problems going forward. Though many of their employees did work on our house (it was eight months after all), I want to especially call out Gilbert, Eric and Allen, as they probably did the most. Their communication is great and their dedication is unmatched. I highly recommend them!

Cody O.

7/29/2022

So we have used this company twice. The first time 5 stars all the way. It was to have some wires recessed into our wall and ceiling for our surround sound and hide the cables behind the wall mounted TV. This was a couple years ago. I'd been meaning to the review but got busy.

We recently used them again (May 2022 -assessment, June 2022 for the work) for placing our fridge on a dedicated circuit as it was currently on the same circuit as our dining room. The only other thing plugged in there is a wine fridge but it was tripping frequently all of a sudden. They were prompt in responding to set up an assessment of the job and gave us a quote. They were ready to roll the next week to get the work done but we weren't out of school for the summer yet so we postponed about an additional week. The guys that came out (I hear the primary person has since left the company since early June 2022) were great. They did some additional measurements besides reviewing what the first guy sent them because we have some awkward angles to deal with. They were able to do the work with only the two initial holes they started with which was exciting for everyone involved. Our garage isn't finished (painted or whatever) so the work blended in well with how the rest looked and the whole upstairs was just right for the outlet.

As they were wiring they actually found an issue with our previous electrical and showed us. I took a picture as well. They fixed it because it was a)dangerous to have a loose neutral wire b) just tightening it and they needed to in order to finish their work safely.
All is still great, we pay and are signing off on the work. I was told there would be an invoice including my signature (it was the same amount as the quote), as well as a document with pictures/video they took of the wiring issue they had found and fixed.

I proceeded to give a heads up to our HOA doubting we had the only unit with the issue and the builder (unit is 12 yrs old) they both asked for that second doc. I reached out at least 5 times via text and email. Cue being less responsive. My spouse called and was told they don't usually send a second letter (the one about the wiring issue) and the guy wasn't with them anymore so they couldn't do anything. They also never got someone out for the inspection of the work that alone was $1000 of the work that was completed. So a star knocked off for the communication after the fact but 5 stars all the way for the work of the electricians.

Travis _.

12/10/2021 12:00:00 SA

So Professional.

They upgraded my home to 200 amp service which involved also upgrading and installing new panels. They did the job end to end zero interaction on my part. They gave a quote and stuck to it no matter what came up. Every day prior to work they texted the time they would start and if I have any issues. They provided generator power for me the short times power was interrupted. All the work looked top notch and of course worked without any issues. All holes cut were patched nicely and the place was left clean every evening when they left. With the pro work and long warranty, They are worth the wait.

Karen R.

1/26/2022

I had Angel come up to inspect an electrical issue at my home. Angel figured out the problem immediately and resolved the problem in record time. Angel was very neat, great communication skills and timely

Matt W.

3/26/2021

We recently moved into a new home, and one room had some faulty wiring preventing two outlets and a light switch from working. Five or Free came out and gave a free quote for the job; after engaging their services, on the actual day of the fix, Alex was fantastic. He even managed to find a different method for solving our issue that resulted in a 20% reduction from the initial price quoted. He was thorough, friendly, and did a fantastic job.

Will definitely reach out to Five or Free the next time we need electrical work done.

Michael L.

12/05/2020 12:00:00 SA

I was so pleased by the first service I requested from Five or Free, that I called them out to do additional work. The technician came on time to inspect the area to provide a quote. He said there might be some issue with what I was requesting (replacing an outdoor sconce with an outlet), but that he'd perform some research and get back to me. He never got back to me.

So taking the review down from five to three stars, on account of the first service being so fantastic and the follow-up request being mediocre.

Howard R.

4/18/2022

We lost power to the dining room - unclear why. Five or Free responded quickly and Alex came out the next day. He problem solved and fixed the immediate problem. And made recommendations for additional work (to prevent future problems). He was professional, knowledgeable, courteous and very efficient! Definitely going to do the bigger project with them! Highly recommend

Alaric D.

05/10/2022 12:00:00 SA

I had two separate appointments with them and they were complete no shows on both occasions without providing any meaningful explanation on why they flaked on me. In the end, I decided to look for another electrician I could rely on.

Sarah R.

4/26/2022

These guys are awesome! Easy to schedule online, same-day service, a nice advanced text about the individual coming to provide service, and the service itself (by Angel) was fast and fair, with a great explanation of the problem. Will definitely call them again!

William W.

08/12/2021 12:00:00 SA

A kitchen outlet blew out about a year ago and Five or Free was the first electrician we could get out here. Gilbert put booties and mask on and had the work done in about an hour and impeccably done. We then looked at other work and he was extremely helpful in making recommendations and giving us ball park ideas of cost.

The company was in close touch via texts prior to the visit and we knew exactly what to expect when he got here. This is among the best businesses I've dealt with in the entire bay area. Five stars!

Force C.

10/19/2022

I am writing in regard to my second experience, the first time they fixed my bedroom power, this time they help me to troubleshoot why suddenly all my bathroom GFCI outlets are out of power, in the end, they found out one GFCI outlet in the front yard was causing the issue and before they do the work for me I asked about the price, the electrician mentioned I will be charged for the consultation fee of $199 for an hour plus the actual work cost to replace the GFCI outlet around $150, I feel it is quite expensive for the work so I decide to do the replacement myself, one thing I was really disappointed this time is about the expensive consultation fee $199 for an hour? Early this year when they come to my place to work I don't see the consultation fee on my receipt. And when I call the number to book the appointment I specifically ask are there any charge for the first-time troubleshooting and the manager says no, it is free. I am willing to pay for the consultation fee for the work but I feel $199 for an hour is quite high though, I think they have some recent changes in the pricing model, and now it is not free but quite expensive for the first visit to troubleshoot.

Gigi S.

05/05/2022 12:00:00 SA

These guys are the absolute best! Big hearted, honest and smart; they really know their stuff. I called them to help with my 90 year old dad who needed electrical help immediately at his home. They were fast in their response, and they kept me informed as to what was going on at my dad's house. When we needed additional help, they were there for us. It's hard to find a company with such great people as these, and I would give them a million stars of gratitude if I could. Thank you guys!

Brian Y.

1/21/2022

Five or Free installed 12 new recessed lights for me in two separate rooms earlier this week. I'd definitely recommend them.

Five or Free provided excellent customer service, which gained both myself and my wife's confidence quickly. I requested a quote through yelp. Within a couple minutes someone responded and shortly after, I had an appointment for a free consultation for later that week. Eric came out and he was extremely professional and thorough. He quickly won us over. We had gotten other quotes and had more estimates lined up, but we decided to cancel all the other estimates and went with them due to cost, availability, customer service, warranty, and the high number of ratings they already have (and for a good reason).
Our original appointment was delayed by a day since the original technician called in sick. Even though it was delayed I respect that they made the call to delay it for the safety of myself and the technicians. They rescheduled for the next day. Shout out to our technicians Allen and Erick who were on time, worked hard, worked fast, and were polite. Had a nice chat with Allen after and it's clear to see he cares about the quality of his work.
We still have yet to wait on the city to get some permit work done, but I am confident Five or Free will take care of us
I'll be contacting Five or Free for all my electrical needs and recommend them to anyone that will listen

Paul L.

03/02/2020 12:00:00 SA

The estimator made a narrated video of the scope of work. Great, I thought, so everything will be clear. Turns out when the electricians arrived, they never managed to see the video. They didn't bring the lights that I specifically requested that _they_ provide. So they could do only the rough wiring that day and had to come back another day to install the lights.

For the outlets, I specifically requested that they be installed so they stick out 1/4 so when I install the pegboard wall later (this is for a shed), the outlets' cover plates would be flush. They stuck out at least 1/2 -- too far, so they had to fix that on another visit.

Then for relocating an outdoor electrical box, the electrician didn't have all the right parts. He had to run to a nearby Home Depot. (Maybe come prepared to do the job you're scheduled to do?)

A couple of days later, the connections to the box had come undone and the bare wire was exposed, so they had to come back yet again to fix that. The guy also added a clip (of the wrong size) to secure it and used a drywall screw to screw in the clip. First, drywall screws are not rated for outdoor use and will rust. Second, the black phosphate coating will not protect the screw from the chemicals in pressure-treated lumber (which is what the post is that the box is screwed into), so the screw will eventually corrode away. Any contractor should know this. I even mentioned this to him at the time. He said he'd come back in a day or so to fix it. He never came back. I ended up just installing my own zinc-coated brackets (of the right size) using zinc-coated screws.

I don't know how these guys have such a good overall rating. They seem uncoordinated, unprepared, and amateurish. I had previously used a different electrician who does excellent work, but I thought I'd try these guys since their quote was several hundred less. I guess you get what you pay for. I'd never use these guys again.

Jeff S.

3/19/2020

I had an electrical breaker trip due to an overloaded circuit in my kitchen. This resulted in some melting of wires and loss of electricity to a circuit that ran 2 outlets and the front door bell. I submitted a request for quote on Yelp and received a few responses. The Five or Free response was very professional and friendly and sounded like they were here to help. Many responses to requests these days read more like I am annoying the contractor by having a problem.

After responding to Five or Free's reply with my contact information, I received a call from Jon within a couple of hours. He setup an appointment for an estimator to come out 2 days later. The follow-up was unlike any other contractor I have ever dealt with. EMail and text message appointment reminders as well as both delivery methods informing me that the estimator was on his way.

Eric arrived 10 minutes ahead of the promised 2 hour arrival window. He was very friendly and professional while assessing the situation and providing me with a couple of very well explained alternate solutions and prices. He took careful notes and made a short video of the issue so the electrician would have all the required information to complete the job. We agreed on the solution, I paid the downpayment for the job, and he informed his office to have the repair appointment scheduled.

Jon called back within a couple of hours and scheduled an appointment (convenient for me) for 5 days later. This was followed by EMail and text message appointment reminders as well as both delivery methods informing me that the electrician was on his way.

Job arrived right in the middle of his promised 2 hour arrival window. He introduced himself, explained what he was going to do, asked if I had any questions, and then prepared the job site to contain all debris. The work was completed in ~3.5 hours including very thorough cleanup by Job. The work involved drilling 4 large holes in my wall to run a jumper from a working GFCI circuit to the damaged circuit as well as installation of a new box and outlet. All holes were filled and patched following the electrical repairs. I paid the balance of the bill and received an EMailed invoice shortly afterward.

All in all a very good experience. Good professional employees in all positions, good work done in a timely manner, and all at a reasonable price with very little inconvenience to my family. I will very likely use Five or Free for my next electrical job and recommend them to others.

Nadine Y.

10/31/2018

I strongly recommend Five or Free Electrical Solutions. I called to set up an appointment to get switches, light flickering issues, and my smart thermostat looked at. Compared to other electricians in the area, this company was not as busy as the others and was able to see me within a week. (Some companies said they couldn't look at my house for 1 or 2 months) This ultimately led to a fast fix to my issues.

Gilbert came to my house and was knowledgeable about every issue in the house. It was a pleasure to have him as our electrician because I learned from him and I learned about him. He's friendly, dedicated, and an overall good guy.

I will be contacting them if I have any future issues and you should too!

Andre D.

1/22/2021

Came to estimate and asked more about the equipment I was powering than the job. He seem amazed and said he never seen it before. He then took a video of my equipment while he was taking a video of the job After that video and him awkwardly standing in the garage in silence for a few min he proceeded to quote me 3x the what local professionals quoted. One can't help but think the super inflated estimate was because of his value of what I was trying to power. This review would have been different if this company would have had a set price for work. Or if he didn't assess the value of my equipment before the estimate. On top of everything he left my breaker box open after I declined his estimate for the job.

David D.

4/15/2021

Gotta say, these guys are great communicators and super nice in person. On time, predictable and fixed our electrical issues. Kudos!

Xoxo E.

06/12/2021 12:00:00 SA

Couldn't be happier with Five or Free Electrical Solutions, and would give them 6 or 7 stars if possible. I needed to have canned lighting put into a bedroom turned art studio, and add 2 outlets. Alex came out to give me a quote. Such an impressive young man, answered all of my questions, and his his professionalism was a big reason why we decided to go with Five or Free. His project manager, Ethan, followed up, and was easy to work with and immediately put my job on the calendar. Tim, the electrician who completed the work was also professional, friendly, super hard working, and did a thorough and amazing job. He cleaned up everything, filled in the walls, hauled the debris away. Except for the high quality work that he completed, it was as if he was never here.

I originally got quotes from 3 potential electricians, and even though one was less expensive, I trusted Five or Free more and was impressed with their commitment to providing a high level of excellence . Seriously an A++++ I highly recommend them, and will definitely use them again when I need more work done.

Dibyendu R.

02/03/2021 12:00:00 SA

I had an issue with my Nest thermostat not heating up and i tried all trouble shooting steps. The heating guy investigated and asked me to contact an electrician. I had no prior contacts to call, so I looked up in Yelp and I found this company, and I am delighted that I did. They are very professional, courteous and knows their work well. I was informed the details of the technician coming including a photo. They followed all procedures from signing a COVID form and acknowledgement, to using proper masks, show covers. Tim was outstanding and very knowledgable, he found the issue right there and promised to get the part replaced and come back next week. Tim came back with extra help in George and resolved our issues after some hiccups. Finally we got our heat back. Thank you Tim and George. I am happy we found you for any future needs. Appreciate the work.

Cecilia L.

06/07/2021 12:00:00 SA

Professional! Professional! Professional!

From response to my request, visit to giving quote, confirmations, technician installation are all conducted in a very efficient and professional way.

Timothy came to give me quote. He was very courteous and patient. He is not pushing us to sign the contract, but give us various options that suit our needs.

Ethan (project manger) confirmed the project, products and installation day. He is also very patient to answer our questions regarding various light options.

Cory Faber (Technician) removed my old T12 Kitchen fixture and install LED Light fixture. The works were done beautifully. On top of general installation, he also makes sure the new fixture was positioned to our request, patched up hols from old fixture, cleanup all debris when work done. Friendly and very efficient on his works.

Over all, this is a company win my trust and business. Highly recommended!

Kristen I.

10/28/2020

Great experience! The whole process was very user friendly. The call was easy and courteous, the electrician, Tim, arrived early, and also finished VERY quickly! He did excellent work in just 2.5 hours and was so informative along the entire process. The usual inconvenience of no WiFi during the repair was barely even a problem. Tim saved us from a potential electrical fire! Amazing work!

Desmond R.

12/13/2018

What a terrific experience!!
Sal was a great resource and extremely helpful. My initial needs have been met and I'm looking forward to getting more work done with them in the future.

Mike B.

03/10/2021 12:00:00 SA

They are fair, professional, timely, and honest. Quality of work and customer service should point you nowhere else but with this company. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Alex our electrician was just awesome!!!

Ohad K.

4/15/2021

Alex arrived Tuesday to give me a free consultation and inspection for my kitchen lighting. He was able to get Chris and Cruz to come two days later to replace and fix the old lighting fixtures, and assist me with another kitchen light.

All three of them were courteous, professional, and were very quick on the job with amazing results!
Terrific experience, thank you!

David N.

7/26/2019

Five or Free seemed like a good outfit at the start. They ended up taking much longer to do the work than they said. Overcharging me for work they didn't do. Losing parts to my ceiling lamp...

They agreed to pay for a new lamp and install it. They have done neither. I had to get another company to install it (it's a rental unit). It's been months and no refund has come yet.

I still haven't gotten a refund for work they never even DID, despite numerous communication attempts and promises to fix it.

Company was very expensive (which I hoped would he worth it for electrical work). More than other bids I received.

The workers dragged dog poop into my newly renovated house. It was EVERYWHERE they were doing work, including on my ladder that they used. House was spotless and vacant while I waited to resolve electrical issues. They, of course, denied doing it or to clean it up.

They promise to patch holes in the walls after they do work. They did do a patches, which were lousy and basically fell into the wall when they left. I had to fix them myself.

Everything seemed like they were running a tight ship at the outset, but once work started, things rapidly deteriorated. I made everything so easy by putting a lockbox on the house and gave them free reign, day or night. Blew it.

Krista F.

5/14/2021

Cancelled 10 mins before our appointment and not flexible with rescheduling. Unreliable and would not recommend.

adrienne t.

10/26/2020

I've hired Five or Free 3 times now and very happy with their work. They added a circuit for a hot tub, installed ceiling fans, and reworked our kitchen electrical. Before hiring, they came out to quote and offered a discount for hiring on the spot. They were the lowest bidder and I'm pleased I receive a discount as a repeat customer.
You can't beat the guarantee on the quote amount not increasing. This is not the case with other electricians. I also appreciate their constant communication about my appointments and ease of electronic payment.
Chris is outstanding! You can tell he loves his job and is eager to solve complex problems with old homes.

Heather M.

8/17/2020

Great experience! Super friendly and efficient, and great communication throughout. Highly recommend!

Cyrano B.

3/23/2021

Eddie and Gerry did a quick, friendly, and covid-safe repair on some dead outlets in a bedroom. They were so thorough they found a cheaper solution than was proposed initially, and I would absolutely reach out again and ask for them. Not only was Five or Free responsive and timely when I reached out, but the problem was fixed faster than I could even schedule a chat with other companies.

Andrew C.

9/24/2020

I hired Five or Free to add some new outdoor electrical outlets to my house. We have a historic colonial house in a pretty nice neighborhood, so I was really concerned about them doing work that looked good and did not damage the house in any way. They were great to work with, and responded promptly to my call. A technician came out to plan the work, took some videos, and sent a crew to complete the job a week later. They have a really excellent customer management system that sends texts and emails when people are on their way to the job. The total job was about $2000 for four new outlets and a half a day of work. I'm really happy with the work they did, the finish work was excellent, and they are definitely pros. I would hire them again for new electrical construction anytime.

Jenny H.

3/27/2019

I was very disappointed with my experience with Five or Free. I am a well versed DIY handy person and am no fool, but they took me for one. They also terrified my tenants by telling them, when I was not present, that if I did not rewire the entire unit, they would be living in the equivalent of the Ghost Ship in Oakland. They observed correctly that outlets in different rooms were on the same circuit and there was no logic to the organization. It was so random, they said that my tenants were at risk of a fire. The only solution was to rewire the entire house! My tenants believed every word and put tremendous pressure on me to do this work. When I did not, they moved out. Of course, I had solicited other opinions from highly rated and experienced electricians, and no one agreed with Five or Free. There was no need to rewire the house.

What had started out as a straightforward request for a quote to upgrade my panels got ballooned out of all proportion. Five or Free gave me a verbal quote for around $20k and pressured me to accept it to protect my property from serious damage and potential liability issues.

I decided to write about my experience after I discovered others who had had similar experiences with Five or Free.

Mike K.

05/10/2019 12:00:00 SA

I contacted two other highly rated on yelp companies about installing a Tesla EV charger in my apartment carport. One provided an unreasonably ridiculously high quote, the other was a debbie-downer - simply focusing negatively on dumb reasons why the charger can't be installed, your landlord isn't going to do this and that Even though I told him multiple times that I had my landlord's verbal approval.

At this point, I was not looking forward to speaking with more electricians, but I was pleasantly surprised and super impressed with Five or Free Electrical Solutions! I know in terms of my apartments wiring that this wasn't the most straight forward job for them... Ethan came out for a free onsite consultation and immediately worked with PG&E, my landlord and me in focusing on providing us a technically reasonable (due to electrical breaker box limitations, example: the car doesn't charge as fast as it could) and affordable solution (car doesn't charge as fast, but install doesn't hurt the wallet).

Once the plan was agreed on, Chris and Alan were at my apartment first thing Monday morning performing the install and everything worked great!

I cannot stress enough Ethan, Chris and Alan were all punctual, very professional, friendly and I truly was impressed by their positive attitude. Five or Free sends text updates about the team's ETA which I also found very convenient. Overall I am extremely pleased with Five or Free Electrical and would definitely recommend them to my friends.

Maria G.

9/24/2020

Wow! This is what I call old fashioned customer service. Some of the electrical outlets in my kitchen stopped working a couple of months ago. I contacted a few electricians on Yelp. One wanted to charge me $400+ to drop by my place to give me a diagnosis and work on the problem.

I received a call from Jonathan from Five or Free Electrical Solutions. He was patient and polite. I explained the problem with my kitchen outlets. This company doesn't charge a fee for an initial diagnosis. They only give you a quote after coming to your house and diagnosing the problem. You know upfront the cost of the work plus parts if needed. Jonathan asked me to do some tweaks on one of the outlets. I did and then tested the electrical outlets while he was still on the phone. To my surprise, the electrical outlets were working again! I wanted to pay Five or Free Electrical Solutions something for its service, but Jonathan just said to call him back if I ever needed help. I would do that. These guys rock!

Mark H.

10/08/2020 12:00:00 SA

Simple fix after quite a bit of digging and diagnosing of the issue. Minimal cost, easy scheduling, excellent service! Will be using again.

Lempi M.

3/31/2019

I bought a fancy Dyson and tried to use it in my 112 year old house. Immediately every outlet in the building blew out. I reset the circuit breaker...nothing. guests were arriving at 4p.m. the same day.

Called 5 or Free in a panic and they sent over this super young looking kid. I thought 'this guy is in high school what's HE gonna do?'

Well, what he did was find the blown junction box hiding in the ATTIC. He knew everything about electricity in old houses and fixed everything in a few minutes, all whole being super friendly and chill.

And that, my friends, is why you don't judge a book by it's cover. Also why Five or Free is my electrician of choice from now until forever.

MATTHEW O.

09/08/2020 12:00:00 SA

When you call a place you've never worked with out of the blue you never know what you're going to get. In the case of Five or Free, they were basically everything you would hope you would get when calling that random company. They came out quick, Gilbert and his people could not have been more friendly and helpful, the work was done well, in a timely manner and at a competitive price. I highly recommend Five or Free, you can't go wrong with them.

Veronica B.

7/28/2020

Wow! Just wow! From the initial job walk and proposal phase to completion of the work, we have NEVER had a more professional team of people working at our house. To start, the estimator, Eric, walked the job and made very sound suggestions after assessing our needs. This wasn't our first proposal for the job but this was the only estimator to suggest work that would save us money in the long run. Another thing we really appreciate is that the work is PERMITTED! A few other companies suggested that we didn't need a permit unless we planned to sell the house. For our piece of mind, the permit suggestion was important. The estimate we received was clear, outlined the scope of work, and was beyond fair. The final work was free of additional change orders which means he really took the time to assess the existing conditions.

The technicians, Eddie and Tim, showed up on time each day they worked and were very communicative of the process and what we should expect. They were very respectful of our power needs while the work was being performed and provided us with temporary power while they worked on the extensive job we had. Those guys were so personable and respectful! The work they did is so neat and clean, no left over trash, wood shavings, dust, NOTHING. Totally clean job!

We honestly couldn't be happier with the job and this company. We would totally use them again for future projects! - WISH THEY DID PLUMBING! Lol!

Aida L.

10/13/2020

EricD showed up on time and had a mask on along with shoe covers ready to enter our house. He was professional throughout the appointment and was quickly able to resolve our issue. Highly recommend!

Barbara S.

8/20/2020

I was so impressed with this company. I was called to let me know they were on the way. And, Tim arrived on time. He was very courteous and knowledgeable. He told me I wanted more than I needed, saving me a couple hundred dollars! He also had a mask on and put on shoe coverings.

Robert B.

3/26/2021

Be aware of their charges for building permits. Call your city and verify what the charge is for the work they are performing. I was charged $800.00 for a permit the city charged $176.00 and took 9 months to obtain a copy of the perm it.

Declan G.

8/25/2020

Really fast and easy fix. They got someone 1 hour after I called and only took 30 mins to solve the problem. The tech was super friendly and informative and answered my questions, and enjoyed my cat trying to help him. The phone operator was also very friendly and quick to give me the help I needed!

Michael B.

6/27/2020

UPDATE: They saw my review here and contacted me right away. They offered a full refund which I refused, as the electrical part of the job was done brilliantly and correctly the first time, so I didn't feel right getting a refund for that. They did send me a check for the other half of the job, the Ethernet which was done incorrectly the first time.

They stand by their promises, and I won't hesitate to call them the next time I have electrical work I need done, but only for electrical work.

Kate M.

2/23/2021

I've used them in the past for a fairly large project, and it went well. More recently, I've asked them to work on a smaller project, but they stopped responding to me after the consultation. I reached out to them several times for a quote and asking to move forward. When I reached a live person, I was always told someone would call me back. But no one would respond to my calls or messages. I even asked if they were too busy to just be honest and say so, but they told me that wasn't the case and that someone would call me back. After 6+ weeks of no follow through from them I found a new electrician. I think they just weren't interested in my small project and wouldn't say so. Pretty disappointing.

Sharee R.

7/27/2020

They didn't come over, but they talked to me over the phone and helped me solve my own problem. Really nice people!

Kevin O.

07/07/2020 12:00:00 SA

I had a pretty difficult custom job for my backyard gazebo/bar. I was particular about the planning and getting the bar to pop with the electrical lighting being that it is an outside bar. I called Five or Free electrical solutions and they answered their phones and sent out Gilbert to come see what was needed for my project. He went over and above with his expertise and suggestions with the little I had in my mind. Recessed lighting, undercabinet lighting, barbecue LED strip lighting, Etc, you name it! We got TVs in different locations of the bar, and also power set in so that people can easily be comfortable charging their devices while they're sitting at the bar. The bar with all the lighting came out better than expected and likewise when at night it's the place to be! There was a team of guys that did come in and do the Installation. They were fast knowledgeable and knew what they were doing. It is a pleasure working with the company and I would use them again when electrical is needed. I've already referred them to friends near by.

T O.

6/26/2020

These guys are just awesome. I used Yelp to contact 5 electricians but these were the only guys who gave me a serious response and sent someone onsite to diagnose the problem. I knew exactly who was arriving as they emailed a profile and bio of who they were sending onsite.

He did some detailed diagnosis work in the hot sun, took a good 45 minutes checking things out. He helped swap some circuit breakers to make sure that wasn't the problem, and finally concluded it's your air conditioner that has the problem, it's not an electrical problem. You need to get a new HVAC unit.

And then he thanked me and left. No cost to me. Just got a free diagnosis and professional quality service. They really went above and beyond. If I ever have any electrical needs, I will use these guys for sure.

Mila M.

6/21/2020

First, Eric, the technician came to give us an estimate. He found the most efficient way to deal with the electrical items we had and the quote was very reasonable. And then, their technicians, Eddie and Tim came to work on the job. They were very professional and friendly. I really appreciated them wearing masks, and shoes cover in this precarious time of COVID-19. The job was done in a timely manner and they really did an excellent job on everything. Their quote was a bit higher than other companies that I asked for a quote but honestly, I prefer paying a bit more for clear & transparent communication and a quality job over a contractor headache. With their warranty system of 7 year material & 17 year service warranty, I feel great that they are held accountable for their job. I'd call this company for any future electrical work and would recommend them to friends and family for sure.

Michael H.

07/11/2020 12:00:00 SA

What a refreshing experience! When they came to give us a quote, they were on time. When they came to do the work, they were on time. Before they arrived, they texted called and emailed showing me who would be coming and even providing their location en route. The work they did was exactly what we asked for in the price range we expected. The quality and attention to detail was very much appreciated. I will be using them again!

Anna L.

6/26/2020

For awhile I lost confidence in finding any contractors that are truthful, professional and aren't out to rip you off. If you need electrical work, these are the people to call. I had a doorbell issue - seemed like an easy fix but it wasn't. One annoyance after another. Job - a fine young man came by and got the work done. So utterly happy to have a working Ring doorbell again. Thank you!

Mitra K.

9/17/2020

I was so impressed with the whole thing!!! Such a great experience!!

They scheduled me for the next day, and within the window that worked for me. Tim showed up on time. Provided me with a fair estimate, and finished the job in one visit. He was professional, courteous, informative, and supper friendly. He was here to help.

I could not have asked for anything more. I will definitely use them in the future. Highly recommend!!!!!

Random C.

10/27/2020

Before finding Five or Free, I was struggling to work with another (perhaps *the*) top rated electrician in Oakland. It was like pulling teeth just trying to schedule a visit with those people. Communicating with them over missed phone calls and endless misunderstandings was just too much to bare, so I started looking for other solutions.

Five or Free sent out a technician names Tim very quickly to review the situation. He was punctual, incredibly nice, and very patient and informative when explaining to me how the wiring was set up in my newly purchased home. He presented me with multiple different options for moving forward at different price points, and wasn't pushy at all in going one way or the other.

Then, when Tim came back to do the actual work, some further analysis revealed that some of the scheduled work didn't in fact need to be done. He made me immediately aware of this and reduced the cost of the visit accordingly. Some less honest technicians may have simply said nothing and billed me for work they didn't eve do.

This is all I really need to say. They were quick, punctual, very easy to work/communicate with, and just all around good people. We will definitely be using them exclusively from here on out.

Thanks Tim!

Karen B.

07/01/2021 12:00:00 SA

The team at Five or Free did a great job handling our panel replacement and fixture installation! The actual service was great and their handling of all the permitting issues was so helpful. The city of Oakland staff member who came to review the work told me that they have a great reputation and do great work, and I agree! Thank you all so much!

John P.

1/24/2020

I used Five or Free for a sub panel upgrade in our apartment. These guys were really, really good. They were very professional. They showed up on time, they provide an accurate quote and when it came time to do the work they again showed up on time and did a really, really good job. When the inspector from the city came out to look at the work, we opened the electrical panel and he was very impressed with how well the work was done.He was showing his Trainee and telling him that this was much better than what he normally sees. He remarked that it was great craftsmanship. The technician who did this work was Job Braun. So if you use five or free and get a technician named Job, you can be sure that it's going to pass inspection and be work well done.

Philip P.

02/12/2019 12:00:00 SA

Five or Free was responsive and professional from beginning to the end. Their digital experience of scheduling and payment was convenient. They did great work replacing my light fixture. It's beautiful!

My electricians Sal and Tim went the extra mile to make me smile!

Edgar K.

04/09/2021 12:00:00 SA

Tim is the best and these guys are friendly and most importantly honest! I contacted them after our baseboard heaters in our bedroom and living room stopped working. They didn't charge a dime to come by and take a look at the issue and unlike others who simply advised me to just replace the units, Tim was able to diagnose and fix all the heaters without having to replace them which saved me lots of time and money. Highly recommend these guys if you have electrical work that needs to get done. Thanks!

David T.

1/31/2018

Giving this reputable, and highly professional company a 5 star review is an understatement, the work and effort of this team is deserving of an extra star....period!

I contacted six different companies, and not only was Five or Free the first to respond to my request, but the telephone rep was extremely courteous and very accommodating in scheduling my appointment for a free estimate. I received a confirmation via text message and email, and was later given another reminder the day of my scheduled appointment with a photo of the tech dispatched to my request ( Sal ).

Upon Sal's arrival, I was completely blown away by his level of expertise and professionalism. Before he made his way into our property, he put on his shoe covers as not to leave any foot prints, I insisted that his kind gesture was not necessary although I was still very appreciative and pleased by his consideration. I took him on a short tour of my mothers unit, and gave him the details of my request. While addressing my concerns, he took several photos, thoroughly expressed how the work would be accomplished, and promised that he would have my detailed proposal by the end of his shift. Less than one hour from the time of his departure, his estimate was in my inbox! I was like wow!

Even before reviewing the details of his estimate, I was already convinced that I was going to move forward with them, Sal simply sold himself to me by his level of professionalism and knowledge of the work that we were requesting. After agreeing, I made arrangements to get the job done one week later, although Sal offered to get the job done the following day!!

One week later....Borin Reyes was the assigned electrician that worked on my mothers unit. Like Sal, Borin put on his shoe covers and displayed a high level of professionalism, and enthusiasm to get the job done. His work was flawless, and I felt valued as a customer.

In all honesty, I never bothered to get any other quotes from any competitors, when a company values their workforce and their customers, it shows through there superb service and quality of work. Thank you five or free. I would like to extend a personal thank you to Sal, I apologize about my lack of communication with the electrician, and I appreciate your service and willingness to accommodate my family.

Borin, thank you for your outstanding and flawless work, your service is greatly appreciated.

I am a lifer with Five or Free, I payed for quality work and I will continue to be a customer. Thanks guys!!!!

Deborah C.

1/16/2020

I've updated my review to four stars as the company responded and fixed the issues with my lights. Hopefully, my situation was an exception and not the norm - they really are nice people.

These guys came to install a chandelier in my living room. I paid my $600 when they left because it appeared that the chandelier was working. What I didn't realize until the evening is that somehow they connected my new chandelier to my dining room one so that the dining room switch turned off the living room and vice versa and the dimmers pretty much messed everything up. They also put in a white plate and switches even though I ordered and paid for gold and black. After several calls and prodding, they did come back a week but couldn't fix it after two hours and said they would come back the next morning which they did not. I've left several messages and have not heard back. I'm SO disappointed because they are actually super nice people - but apparently very disorganized or understaffed or both. And the work was clearly shoddy. I'm really hoping they come through as I'm out $600 and am still in the dark.

O.R. L.

04/07/2021 12:00:00 SA

Alex and George are great. Professional, clean, kind, and were conscious of wearing masks. Thank you!!!

Jolie O.

2/13/2018

I've used them to install recessed lighting and a light fixture and they worked fast and things look good. Gilbert and Emmanuel installed my light fixture and they were awesome. It was like having to friends over hanging out while they were getting their work done.

They even recommended a good taquiera that had good deals, which is definitely a life saver. Very positive experience.

Thanks guys!

Mandissa L.

04/02/2021 12:00:00 SA

Tim and George did a fantastic job putting up an antique light fixture. It wasn't an easy install, but after I told them the fixture had sentimental value they immediately said they would figure it out. The light looks amazing! Everyone was great to work with, from the estimator, to the scheduler to the final install. Tim and George were on time, friendly and very respectful of my space. There was an overage on another part of the project which I wasn't thrilled about, but seemed like it couldn't be helped. Overall, I highly recommend them and will definitely be using them again in the future!

Geo H.

02/06/2021 12:00:00 SA

As a repeat customer, Five or Free has consistently delivered excellent service. Tim, our technician was punctual, courteous, and professional. He was able to install our new wall heater seamlessly and mess-free. The end-to-end experience was fantastic.

Chris W.

1/30/2018

Look no further. We got three bids on some electrical work at our home including some extensive work in our backyard. The dollars were all in the ballpark on the quotes, but something just seemed right with five or free. We signed with them and a complex project, much of it completed during a VERY wet spell out back in the muck and the mud was done extremely well. These guys communicate everything as the work is done. We always knew status, when folks would be on site and what was coming next. When something wasn't clear, the workers on site were great communicators and would go over options and help us make informed decisions every step of the way.

Go no further. If you need work done, want to be happy with it, call Five or Free.

Vita P.

3/13/2020

I would like to thank Gilbert and his crew for helping me with electrical work in my outdoor sauna. I could not have asked for better service and flexibility with timing. They were able to address all the issues, which always arise in any construction projects. The quality of their work was excellent. Even city inspectors after examining their work gave 5 stars thank you guys

AXE P.

12/03/2019 12:00:00 SA

Five or Free responded within 30 minutes of my initial call for an estimate. Five or Free found a window the same day, to take a look at my case studies. Allen Mena and I (think) John (the redbeard) reviewed and quoted the case studies as requested. Both great guys. Five or Free was able to squeeze in the not-so-easy chandelier hanging (that 9 other electrical firms had quoted more than double- no joke) the day before Thanksgiving. Team Christian and Renee- the best. I don't need a social experience for home-repair, but Chris and Renee were absolutely kind and thoughtful people. They managed to inject their generosity into a job well done. The lamps look amazing, they have garnered many compliments, and we look forward to Five or Free solutioning our other problems. Lights Out on the other companies. Don't fumble in the dark- call five or free.

Amy S.

6/18/2020

Very responsive to our urgent request for help. They fixed our electric issue and updated our system up to code. A pleasure to work with.

Gaukhar N.

03/01/2020 12:00:00 SA

I recommend Five or Free Electrical Solutions. Good service, quick feedback and professional approach. Special thanks go to electrician Sal Herrera who was available to come over the same day, do troubleshoot and fix bathrooms plug's malfunction smoothly and quickly.

Susan T.

1/31/2020

I needed recessed lights replaced in my kitchen and was very satisfied with my experience using Five or Free. Both Alex, who diagnosed the issue, and Job, who replaced the lighting were very professional, on time, knowledgeable, and courteous. The scheduling/notifications were very efficient, and their 7 year parts/17 year service warranties give me confidence in their work. I''ll be happy to reach out to them for future projects.

Marc K.

2/19/2020

Alex was extremely helpful in diagnosing some light flickering issues I was having and coming up with the best solution quickly and cost-effectively. Highly appreciate the expertise, and would definitely call again.

Hai W.

5/28/2019

I'm a very disappointed customer and regret that I did business with the company.
The project started on April 20. 5 weeks passed, and the work is still in process.
Everything went smoothly until the company collected the payment.
After the payment is made, I kept calling the company to get the PGE inspection and city inspection done ASAP, but got replies of many excuses. Because I don't live in the house, which is meant to be a rental house, I didn't try every lights / switches in the first place. Then I found out that the re-wire not done as described in the contract. Then I called the company to schedule a follow up to finish the un-finished project. One week passed, no schedule is set up and the company failed many times of their promises.
The project also includes the upgrading of the panel. After the work, half of the outlets/switches on the first floor out of power.
Wow, what work has the company done and ironic of their 'five or free' company name.

================another updates on June 5th===============
I was told twice the city inspection was scheduled on June 4th. And it just didn't happen. No one updated me why it got cancelled and the office guy Jon even had no idea that the scheduled inspection ever exists. The project is still not finished. It's almost 8 weeks from the beginning. One of the light switch kept tripping the breaker, and the technician refuse to fix because it was claimed as the internal issues of the ceiling lights. Fine, I do the work and change a new ceiling light. Guess what, tripping issues remains.

Rudy R.

3/26/2021

Eddie and Gerry did a fantastic job on our ceiling light installs. On time, quick work and kept it clean. We are long time Five or Free clients and they deliver quality work every time.

Jay J.

10/23/2020

These guys came in and knocked it out of the park. They were fast, punctual, knowledgeable and friendly. They worked great along side a team installing my HVAC unit at the same time and I was happy with the job and price. Only reason why I didn't give 5 stars is because there were a few issues after the install that they could not resolve. Not for lack of trying. They came back several times and even did some complimentary work to make sure that I was satisfied. You know what? Changed my mind. I'm going to give 5 stars because what I really appreciated about this crew was their integrity and their commitment to satisfy the customer and make sure we were safe and happy. One star for each promise kept. I will be using them again. Much appreciated! We need more integrity in these trying times.

Tiffany C.

10/14/2020

The entire experience with Five or Free has been fantastic. Eric was great when he came out to see what we needed done, which was to replace bulbs in our recessed lighting about 20ft off the ground, and to install a few lighting fixtures. He was super helpful land the quote was very reasonable. Then Chris and Cory came out today to do the work. They were fast, laid down drop clothes so there was no mess, and even vacuumed after just in case. We're already thinking of new lighting projects we need done so we can have them back. They're the best!

Amnon B.

12/26/2020

They diagnosed my faulty ceiling fan and didn't charge me when they concluded that I really should buy a new one and that it would cost me more to try to repair my existing one. Highly recommend Gilbert.

Stephen P.

04/02/2021 12:00:00 SA

Alex showed up on time and followed all Covid protocols. He completed all his work in a timely manner, even when there was an unforeseen problem with our wiring. Everything is working perfectly and my house was cleaner than when he arrived!!! Highly recommended!

Vladimir K.

1/24/2020

We had an emergency problem with lighting in our kitchen; the power was off.Fortunately our friends advised us to contact the Five and Free
and they provided an immediate and very efficient help. The lighting was restored quickly. people working for this company are highly professional,everything is organized brilliantly. We think that we were lucky to contact them.We will be highly recommend Five and Free Electrical solutions to all our friends.

Sonja H.

12/05/2018 12:00:00 SA

We were very disappointed in Five or Free Electrical Solutions. We agreed to pay to have a technician come out and to receive an estimate. We paid them, holding up our end of the agreement, but they never sent an estimate. I reached out several times and was told that the estimate was coming soon. That was back in August and I never received the estimate. I think it is very unprofessional to take a customers money and not follow through on your end of the bargain. We basically paid for someone to walk around our house for a few hours and not do anything to help us.

Carol T.

3/27/2020

We did a very complicated electrical remodel to a house from the early 1950's. Which is why I did not give them a 1 star. We received an estimate and a 9 day time line. The estimator was not the person who did the work so that created a conflict right there. To keep a very long story short it took 25 emails, innumerable text messages, a demand for an in person visit with the owner of the company, and 3 and 1/2 months to finally get the job done. If I knew this in advance I would have paid more and gone with a different company.

Vivian D.

9/30/2020

Very responsive and professional company! I had only positive experiences with their initial assessment and the work completed to upgrade our electric service and panel

Charlie H.

8/26/2020

These guys are great. I've had two technicians come out to our house and both were courteous and knowledgeable. Tim is fantastic.

Dave Y.

9/30/2019

Gilbert showed up quickly for the estimate and was able to advise us on work that was needed or not needed and why. We received a formal estimate within the hour. The availability of the technicians also worked great with my work schedule.

Timing: Showed up on time within the time frame that was estimated.

Work: I had a lot of work done in my house including recessed lighting, 8 outlet fixtures that were installed incorrectly and unsafely by the home's previous owner, and I needed to fix the chandelier & the light switch which was not installed or grounded correctly by the previous owner.

Quality: I can't say enough about how amazing Allen and his brother Justin were. Allen immediately saw how difficult changing the outlet fixtures would be for my house. It was just slapped on haphazardly onto granite covered walls and the solution would require him to drill into my granite. He assured me it could be done and took the time to walk me through what was wrong and what needed to be fixed. Justin took the time to cover all my kitchen furniture and floors to keep things as clean and safe as possible. Although drilling into the granite was unexpected, it was the right thing to do and Allen wanted to make it look great. All the outlet boxes were gone and the previous owner's work to say the least was crappy. Allen and Justin were quick and the work was amazing. They showed up at 8am on the dot and all the work only took about 4 hours so they were quick, clean and thorough.

I would recommend Five or Free to everyone. I placed my trust in the hands of Allen and Justin feeling confident that the work done leaves my house safer and well taken care of.

Philip G.

01/04/2019 12:00:00 SA

These guys have done a few projects for me including install can lighting by cutting through plaster walls, and security camera installs. The work has been very good but I did have one experience where an individual was not so skilled.

Alison O.

11/03/2019 12:00:00 SA

We received 5 star service throughout the entire time. Would definitely hire them again.

Michele B.

10/11/2019 12:00:00 SA

5 stars! Amazing company and very professional. Makes sure the job is thorough and complete. Would definitely use again.

Katie T.

10/07/2020 12:00:00 SA

I had them come to install overhead lighting in our living room, which required crawling into our attic and drilling down into the room. They gave me a reasonable quote (which I called around and checked with other electricians, and they were lower or on par with the going rate) were super communicative and followed by by phone, email and text. They let me know when they were coming, and gave me updates on their timeline. They were super courteous and wore booties and masks the entire time they were in the house. They did a wonderful job draping everything and cleaning everything in the end--I swear they left the place cleaner than when they got there! They were really professional, and knew exactly what they were doing, and were thoughtful on how we wanted the overhead lighting. Overall, a great experience. They are my go-to electricians now!

Sonrisa C.

9/29/2020

Just got a new house with really outdated electric system. I reached out to five or free and Eric came to gave me an estimate. And then their technicians Christian came to work on the job. They were very professional and helpful, they answered all my questions and kept the field clean. The whole process was very fast from the initial phone call to the completion of the service. I highly recommend this company and Christian in particular was awesome.

Sheryl G.

9/23/2020

Tim was very professional, safe, clean and efficient. He actually called to see if he could come earlier, which worked out well. The communication from the office staff was timely and thorough. They told me who would be coming and a little about him personally, which is a nice touch. The whole process was very fast from the initial phone call to the completion of the service. I highly recommend this company and Tim in particular was awesome.

Alex W.

5/23/2018

Beware Five or Free's offer of financing!

I had significant electrical work done on an investment property by Five or Free. They offered to allow me to finance the cost of the work at zero interest and pay it over two years. I accepted that offer and set up a loan with the bank of their choice.

I just checked my credit score, and it's down fifty points. Five or Free pitched it to me as an installment loan, but it turned out to be revolving debt, which is the same as credit card debt on a credit score. Now I have to pay it off immediately or suffer the negative impact on my credit score. That defeats the whole point of going with a company that could offer financing.

I spoke to the electrician who I was working with, and he apologized and said he'd have the owner call me about it. No one has called. I'll update this review if they actually do anything about this.

Update: The electrician who set up the financing messed up the addresses I gave him, so the credit card and related account information was all sent to my investment property's address, not to mine.

Genevieve S.

08/08/2018 12:00:00 SA

Hired them to get a new ceiling fan installed. Was impressed from my first interaction with them. They were able to get me scheduled quickly, provide all the information about the charges associated with this job. On the day of the job, they kept me well informed as to when they would arrive. I was VERY impressed by the text message I got with a photo of my electrician- so nice to help people feel safe letting the correct person in to do the work (thank you!). :) They did the job correctly, noting that my previous fan didn't have a brace box and putting one in before installing the new fan. They kept me informed of things as they went. I love my new fan! I will definitely be hiring them again for other electrical jobs around the house. Thanks for the great work and friendly employees!

Laurie R.

07/06/2018 12:00:00 SA

This company is great to work with. A few days after our electrical work was done the light stopped working. Well I was upset and called them back in. They came out and fixed the issue to our complete satisfaction. I would highly recommend Five or Free for any electrical work.

Veronica F.

7/28/2020

Friendly, efficient, professional and neat. Allen and Joshua arrived within the specified time frame and very quickly installed my new light fixtures. I'm totally satisfied with their work and customer service.

Lindsay N.

7/13/2020

Alex was very professional and came with a mask. He tested the problem and replaced the broken light with no problem. Very efficient and friendly. This is the first time I have used Five or Free, and I was impressed with the service, especially Alex!

Tian L.

4/23/2018

Their customer service is impeccable and their technician was super friendly. He came over on-time, and after determining that the issue was just a loose screw, he didn't charge for the visit despite the time and effort to come over.

Nyu N.

5/18/2018

This company definitely deserves the five stars! I was pretty upset before n wrote a whole bunch of things here coz there were few things that needs to be fixed n didn't really got response from them right away! I don't have any complaints about their technicians coz each one of them who came to work they all did a great job n very polite n professional!!! The reason why I was mad I explain that to Gilbert n today Gilbert came n checked everything n he explain to me in more details about why this is happening n what needs to do next, which helps me to understand coz I m not a electrician and I don't know anything about the electric wires old or new! But I really appreciate n thanks to Gilbert for coming n checking everything which makes me feel like we r not in danger! fire hazard free plus they do care about their customers.

Rochelle B.

11/14/2015

First let me tell you about the professionalism of the service technician. I am a mother all about promptness and efficiency. They were very responsive, & got back to my husband and I straightaway. As a good homeowner, I got several quotes to install a 220V & a 110V line. Not only were they the best price. The technician was a journeyman aka very experienced, and had tons of experience installing lines for E-Cars. He even called me the other day to check on the service and make sure everything was working properly. He was very cognoscente of the fact that I had a newborn and was so quiet and conscious of being neat. I could have asked for a better experience. OH BTW their bid was lower by $100. Total job cost ~$400+tip. My highest bid was $850, and that man wasn't even licensed/bonded.

Additionally they offered me a 7 & 17 year warranty on material & service. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Knowledgeable about their trade, timely, professional, neat, and warm-spirited. They perfect experience. I'll be calling them soon to tackle more larger electrical jobs.

Regards,

A new E-Car owner.

Mateo C.

10/05/2018 12:00:00 SA

I had some trouble shooting the wiring and power to the motor of my hottub. The tech was extremely helpful. I would definitely call back for further work

Shelia S.

1/26/2018

The service I received from five or free was outstanding. I had lights installed last week. Noticed that there was an issue with one of the light. I called them the next day to let them know that one of the light was not working properly. an appointment was scheduled. Alex identified this issue. It turned out the new fixture I had purchased was faulty. He was was to install new fixture on the spot I had purchased they day before. Thank you Alex.

Afreen C.

12/18/2017

Fantastic job redoing all the lights in our guest bathroom and installing new fixtures in both our guest and master bathrooms. Extremely professional electricians and there was great communication throughout the process. They quoted us a price for all the work when they did an initial assessment and I didn't have to pay a penny more despite them running into problems with the electrical wiring in our place. Cosmetically, it looks exactly the way I had wanted it to. But more than that, they are committed to doing quality work and it shows. Highly recommend them.

Rashad R.

04/03/2019 12:00:00 SA

I don't write reviews often but felt the need to after my experience. Five or Free Electrical was very professional throughout my time I used them. I called on Tuesday morning and was able to speak with John. John was very nice and had my next day appointment booked within 3 minutes. He then had confirmation text and email sent to me so I knew that I was on their books. Very reassuring as a customer to get that.

Fast forward to the next day. I was told that my appointment was between 11am-1pm. At 10:45am, Sal called me to let me know that he was finishing up at his prior appointment and he would be to my place within the hour. Sal entered my condo and boot on booties to cover his work shoes and proceeded to explain everything he was doing step-by-step. He was never short with me and very patient when I was asking his next move. Sal was able to get both of my ceiling fans and lights working within 30 minutes after locating the burnt wire causing the issue.

I recommend Five or Free and plan to use them for any of my future electrical issue. Thanks

Kahri G.

2/21/2018

Chris and eddy installed some new dimmer switches and a light above our pool table. They were professional, on time first thing in the morning as promised and knocked the work out quickly and thoroughly, which was awesome that day since it was Presidents' Day and we were trying to make the matinee of Black Panther. I'd definitely recommend five or free and use them again.

sherwood Y.

8/28/2018

Part of the circuitry in my house went out and while I reset all the circuit breakers, I could not get the power back on. I called Five and Free at 9:00 in the morning and they were able to come to my house at noon the same day.

Sal came over to my place on time and quickly assessed my situation. After looking through all my circuit boxes, he found another older circuit switch, hidden from my regular electric box and reset my circuits for me, getting my power back on.

While they quoted they $70 assessment fee, Sal didn't charge me anything, given the easy quick fix.

This is how you win a long-term clients!!! I'm now only calling Five and Free for my electrical needs/issues. Thanks Sal and the whole Five and Free team!

Jill W.

03/04/2019 12:00:00 SA

I was very pleased with the service provided by Five or Free. At every step of the way, they communicated with me, and gave me all the info I needed. Everyone was on time, and professional. Sal examined the fixture to be replaced, and the estimate was provided quickly. The electrician, Tim, was a fast and thorough worker - he explained how to replace the light bulbs in the complicated Lily Pad fixture he was installing, and advised against cleaning around the fixture - painting over the mark from the prior fixture. His expertise and knowledge made the job successful. I don't feel the price was out of line at all - I got what I paid for (the job took a few hours) and there was no last minute extra pricing. I would definitely use this company again.

Tawnya B.

1/26/2018

These guys came to the rescue when half my electricity was out and no other electrician was even answering their phone. They were friendly, knowledgeable, spent several hours trying to figure it out and gave me a number of options.

Ray K.

3/28/2020

I got my first all electric car and needed a 240 volt circuit installed in the garage to charge it. While I asked four electricians to provide proposals to run the 90' cable, the people at Five or Free were the most professional throughout. Alex came by initially to look over what was needed. He was friendly, patient and explained what they would do very clearly. For the installation, Job performed all the work in a very efficient, and thoughtful manner. And he vacuumed up all the mess created, carrying away all the trash, too! The new outlet looks and works great and I am very pleased with the outcome. I highly recommend Five or Free Solutions.

Carmen B.

11/01/2017 12:00:00 SA

Outstanding customer service and professionalism from everyone I came in contract with: Gilbert, Tomas, Josh and Emmanuel. Gilbert and Tomas did a thorough job assessing what needed to be done and clearly explaining what the work would entail. Emmanuel and Josh were extremely professional and got the job done in a timely manner. This company is full of honest, hard-working people and I highly recommend them! If you any electrical work done, this is the company to call!

Alex W.

12/21/2017

Finding good electricians is not easy, but finding good electricians who are also very professional, always on time and truly nice to deal with is really difficult. After dealing with a series of electricians who were normally late, sort of rude, and did mediocre jobs at best, we came across Five or Free Electrical Solutions. And we are so happy we did. These guys are amazing!

We needed a couple of things done in the house, so they sent Sal to take a look at them and give us an estimate. The first thing that impressed us was how they reminded us of our appointment via text messages and emails, and how they kept us posted of Sal's arrival time. And Sal did arrive right on time. He was truly pleasant and thorough, and had a very amiable personality.

Once we agreed to have them help us, they sent Tomas and Seth. What a great team! These two guys were so nice, polite and considerate --they wore shoe covers every time they came into the house! And they knew their craft. Their work was precise and clean, and it was done in a timely manner.

So now we know we know who to call next time we need anything electrical done in the house. Five or Free for sure!

Jonathan B.

10/04/2017 12:00:00 SA

So I bought a new house recently and have quickly learned how dishonest an electrician can be. When Sal and his team came to my house the first time they actually charged me less than what they originally quoted me saying it was less work than they originally thought. They were friendly and professional and have done a great job every time I've have them come and do upgrades to my house. You should definitely hire them if you want good & honest work.

Jack M.

6/30/2017

Thomas is the electrician who worked on our electrical and I have to say I am more than pleased with his work ethics. The website identifies the company's belief system, which is why I picked them for the work. When you identify your values on your website and you guarantee them, you have a lot to live up to and these guys definitely exceed what was expected.
Thomas was incredibly thorough in his work and testing the system. It is such a rare thing to find in business. I would easily recommend Five or Free Electronic Solutions to anyone without hesitation. Thanks to the owners for such a strong belief system in their business. I really appreciate it.

Joshua B.

05/04/2017 12:00:00 SA

Really solid, professional, company.

I submitted an inquiry, got a call back within an hour and an appointment was set for the following day.

Sal came by to help out- he was very communicative- texted me 20 minutes before he arrived and was very punctual. Once at our house, he was simply fantastic. He did some inspections and really educated me everything Electrical-related throughout the house.

Friendly, knowledgeable, he helped me make some tweaks and offered recommendations without pressuring me to make any changes.

Five or Free really conveyed the trustworthy vibe I hope to get when dealing with areas that I don't specialize in. Thanks for making me feel comfortable! I'll be using these guys for any electrical issue I have.

D C.

12/28/2016

Let me start by saying that the work done by Sal and his apprentice was excellent. Fast, thorough, and pain free.

That being said, expect to pay through the roof for Five of Free's marketing and overhead costs, at rates upward of $270 per hour (job was completed by one Journeyman and one apprentice for basic work, panel level 1 and panel level 2 wiring).

Gilbert was very professional during the quoting process and estimated 2-3 guys for 8-10 hours based on the scope of work requested. The price is pre-fixed and based on the type of work (labor and materials are bundled together). My quote, however, was for the upper end of this and if you do the math the range in the estimate was 16 hours (2x8) to 30 hours (3x10) - a possible 100% increase in labor.

Gilbert handled unexpected, last-minute employee/staffing problems as best he could. They scheduled my work based on another job cancellation, but then day of tried to reschedule an hour before my job started because an employee quit. I held them accountable to their schedule but they still showed up late due to a business meeting that ran over.
It took Sal & Co. a combined 13 hours to complete the job, but again, you are billed by type of work (labor is bundled), so I ended up paying almost $270 an hour for the work they did.

They wouldn't negotiate to bring the price down so if it weren't for the quality work and friendly team I would have felt screwed by the whole thing.

Paul S.

10/21/2019

We have worked with Five or Free three times for different pieces of electrical work on our house (fixing broken connections, installing new recessed lighting, etc), and we have had great experiences every time. Their technicians are experienced, work quickly, and do a great job explaining what's going on and what needs to be fixed. We have always felt like the prices were fair and honest. We'll be going with these guys every time we have electrical work to do.

Janet P.

11/25/2019

We have used this firm twice and are very pleased with their service. Their communication is excellent. They show up on time, are pleasant, and quickly solve our electrical issues. Today, Alex Gonzalez was professional and knowledgeable. We will definitely call them again for any electrical needs.

Jay R.

11/20/2019

Great service from start to finish. Emmanuel came out to diagnose the problem, and he was very helpful and informative. Once we had the parts Job came out the next day to install and was excellent as well. Great employees equals great service.

Andrew S.

9/26/2019

They did a fantastic jon installing some ceiling fans and additional power outlets for me. Very professional and friendly, and they won't go home until they know the job is done right. They really stand by their work.

Sreeder C.

8/15/2018

I had contacted Five or Free Electrical Solutions for couple of electrical work at my home (installing a video doorbell and recessed lighting in my office room). The initial response was quick and I was initially told that a technician would visit my home and give an estimate which will cost me $70 and that will be eventually applied to my final work if I decide to proceed with them. Having seen good reviews I still went ahead and scheduled one. Later they said they can ask their technician to call me instead and give the quote over the phone. I was ok too as this would save me the initial cost towards this estimate.
I was called by their technician at night (8:45pm) and he infact patiently listened to all my requests and finally said that he can give a quote within the next 24 hrs. I was requesting for atleast a ballpark number (so that I can compare with my other estimates) but he was hesitant to quote that. By that time I had already got couple of quotes from other services who were not only quick to respond but also provided me a quote (without any extra charge).
So I waited almost till the end of next day with the hope that I will be getting some estimate from the company but unfortunately I didn't. I didn't bother to contact again and decided to move ahead with another company who were not only responsive and competitive in terms of their pricing but also quickly got the job done in couple of days time. Its unfortunate for a company which prides so much on their 5 principles (one of them being punctual), they didn't uphold their promise.

Sebastian C.

10/02/2016 12:00:00 SA

We hired Five or Free Electrical to do a full rewiring of our house. We wanted to replace our knob and tube and bring our electric system to code and after doing our homework and looking at so many estimates we're glad we went with this company. They were very clear since the first time Sal came to scope the work.

Ramon, Tomas and Tim spent many days running wires and carefully installing new outlets, switches and fixtures, new panel, subpanels, smoke detectors, fans, recessed lighting among other little things here and there.

Every single day, they came, did their work and clean up before they left. The amount of technical knowledge they have is amazing, and if they don't know it they will do their research before the next day.

I wish I could give this company 6 stars as they don't only did the work that we needed, they did the work that we wanted and then some.

The other advantage of going with them is that most of the companies had one of two electricians, but they have a big team of electricians that in jobs like ours will come to add more power to the job when needed.

One last advantage they have, in case you are not convinced yet, that makes them stand out in front of other companies (even in front of Diamond Certified companies) is that they offer no interest financing through a finance company. This is a great option no one else has offered.

Hollis M.

12/14/2016

Our hot tub outlet went blooey. We called Five or Free and within a couple of hours, Sal arrived to diagnose the problem...old, old wires, broken connection. A new line needed to be pulled from our garage panel to the back yard. Sal explained everything very well, estimated the cost and we scheduled the fix as soon as we could.

Kevin did the work and we are very happy. Because he didn't want the line to look bad on the outside of the house, he crawled through our tiny attic in order to put the line in a much less noticeable place, and gave us not only an outlet for the hot tub but a second for other uses as well. He also replaced another outside outlet, making it rainproof and less likely to also go blooey!

It was great to have Kevin here. He explained things, asked if we had questions, did the job, checked it all out, marked the new circuit on the panel, cleaned up beautifully when he was finished and, all in all, did an immaculate job.

We'll call them again if we have other electrical problems in the future and we recommend them highly for the work they did. We were very impressed with the company's customer service on the phone and with Sal and Kevin.

Dave K.

09/12/2020 12:00:00 SA

They are great!!! If you need electrical help, look no further! I thought I needed a sub panel to accommodate a new dedicated circuit. Tim not only showed up on time(as many will not do for an estimate), and saved me money by relating that I did not need the sub panel, but he could move the circuit to another location- and without shutting off power to my landlords. And the estimate was free as I decided to do the work. While here, he also volunteered to clean up someone else's work gratis. In addition he will be be installing ceiling fans with new boxes, as well as installing a GFI plug near my kitchen sink. Courteous, incredibly knowledgable, honest and hard working- what more can you ask? he ran into an unexpected problem in moving the dedicated circuit, but worked around it and finished the job. I think some would have given up, but he is a complete professional. I am so impressed!! Hire these guys!

Kiyoshi S.

03/08/2019 12:00:00 SA

Alan and Dylan came to help me out with a variety of tasks and they did so in a timely and professional manner. I had an odd configuration request for my light/fan remote that they accommodated and debugged. Sal later came back to do a follow up with an unrelated electrical malfunction that he was able to fix on the spot. Five or free arrives on time, communicates effectively and often, has accurate estimates (time and money) and is clean and professional on the job (I'm no electrician but I'm also always impressed with their actual work when opening things back up, especially the tidiness of the wires). I highly recommend five or free for any electrical work!

Rick E.

12/22/2016

Gilbert and his team re-wired our entire 100-year old house. They removed 100 years of tube and wiring electrical and started from the ground up. I found them to be knowledgeable, professional, and always willing to go the extra mile (or miles) to address any last minute issues. He is the electrician of choice. I highly recommend them.

Valerie V.

9/28/2016

I call five or free electrical yesterday, I had a issue with my electrical, Ethan came out to my house the same day to solve my issue service was fast friendly and efficient. We will use this company again for any electrical issue thank you so much Ethan we appreciate your 100 % customer service...

Matt V.

9/23/2016

Highly recommended! They were easy to reach, and had someone come to my house in less than two hours! This was especially impressive since a lot of plumbers, contractors, electricians, etc. take days to return a call, if at all. Sal, the technician, was super friendly and had everything repaired in a very timely manner. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for an electrician in the area.

Aaron T.

1/21/2019

This review should probably be taken with a grain of salt as I did not use them to replace my lights, so this is not a performance rating. They wanted a $161 fee up front just to assess the work, which would have worked towards the repairs if I chose to use them. I just can't justify spending $161 just to look at replacing some light fixtures. I don't even know how I can get approval for that. So, I had to look elsewhere. I only had 3, 4 foot overhead lights that need to be replaced with LED fixtures. You can ballpark a quote for that...

Karen H.

5/26/2019

Jonathan was very responsive when I called for a consultation and was very accommodating. Josh the electrician that came out was very knowledgeable and knew exactly what was wrong when he started troubleshooting. He fixed everything within the hour and the pricing was fair. I'm definitely going back to them in the future!

Bonnie A.

04/09/2019 12:00:00 SA

Chris and Gerry just finished the work we had requested and we are so pleased that I'm sitting down to write this review as Chris is taking away the boxes, debris and their tools. We engaged Five or Free to install a ceiling fan in the bedroom, replace the chandelier in the dining area, and install a swinging TV arm and mount our TV on it. Both Chris and Gerry were extremely professional, knowledgeable, personable and thorough. My husband and I couldn't be happier with them and their work. We wholeheartedly recommend them in particular and Five or Free in general for electrical work.
P.S. We have white carpets (there were there when we moved in...ugh) and we appreciated that Sal, who came and gave the estimate, and both Chris and Gerry immediately put on coverings over their shoes before they came inside. Perhaps a little thing but it was indicative of the care they all took to make sure that we and our place were taken care of.

J F.

12/26/2018

A few days before Christmas my heater went out. So I bought space heaters. And blew out my electricity. I could not get anyone to come fix it (It's the holidays) except for Emmanuel S. from Five or Free. He immediately diagnosed the issue and fixed it. (And he taught me which plugs were on each circuit so I wouldn't plug both heaters in on one circuit!)

JJ S.

05/02/2019 12:00:00 SA

Great customer service. Sal was extremely responsive. The technician, Josh, was great as well, super patient with all our questions. Went over the job prior to starting and got it done efficiently. They take their five promises seriously. Would call them in the near future to get other work done. So relieved to have found electricians we can count on.

Cecile C.

6/26/2018

Five or Free Electrical Solutions solved all of my problems. They installed a new wall light, installed two new fluorescent lights in my laundry room, two outdoor flood lights, and installed a service shut off switch. They were professional, friendly, prompt, and informative. Eddie, Emmanuel, Ramon, and Sam desire a five star rating. I am very happy with their work and will call again when I need their service.

Jeff M.

11/25/2015

I hired Five or Free to install a new circuit for an oven in a residence that had recently been remodeled and couldn't be happier with the entire transaction. The general contractor's electrician had installed the wrong voltage and since I was planning to move into the house that same week I needed a new line from my electrical panel to the kitchen along with a new outlet and breaker and needed it done right away. I called and let Alexis know what I needed and he said he'd try to get me a cost estimate that day. He called back after checking with one of his co-workers and said someone would be out to the house later that day. The gentleman who came, called me in advance to let me know when he would be arriving, gave me a quote in writing, and let me know they could complete the job the next day. I said yes, so we signed some paperwork giving him the authorization. The next day the same two gentlemen came to the house, once again calling ahead to let me know they were on their way. They showed up on time and completed the job in the timeframe they estimated. I paid the price we agreed on and I had my new oven working just as I had hoped. Problem solved.

This was a fairly straightforward job but I wouldn't hesitate to hire this company again for a larger or more complex project. They appeared competent, acted very professionally, communicated clearly what they intended to do, and then they actually followed through on all of their promises. They clearly care about customer service and understand that creating happy customers is key to their own success. I definitely recommend this company highly.

Soo K.

05/09/2018 12:00:00 SA

I had a staircase lighting which did not work for a long time. Finding a good electrician was difficult so I delayed fixing it for a year or so. I was so lucky that I found Five and Free from reading the Yelp reviews on electricians. They responded to my inquiry within a few hours, and were able to send their electrician (Sal) in a few days. Sal was knowledgeable, friendly, and was able to fix the staircase lightings in a few minutes. I was so happy with their services and Sal. I never wrote a review before on yelp, but I think I will be writing it from now on because of Five or Free. Their services were perfect from phone calls, e-mails to delivery of services, from the beginning to the end. I wish I can give them more than 5 star. Thank you to all the reviewers and thank you, Sal.

Taswana R.

03/07/2016 12:00:00 SA

You know they're good when you know the owners and can call them by name. Gilbert and Alexis have built a great business and I was happy with their service. They were on time, informative, and helpful. They returned my phone call within minutes, had very personable and professional employees and were genuinely interested in the customers satisfaction with the job. I am very happy with their service and would definitely recommend them for any electrical job.

Eric R.

5/16/2019

This review is long overdue. I have used Five or Free a few times, and have to say that each time they were completely on top of the communication, their appointments, and totally friendly, and knowledgeable. They helped find arc faults in my old knob and tube wiring, and also did a beautiful job installing a new circuit panel. I highly recommend them.

Bill F.

4/26/2018

Five or Free installed a completely new electrical service at my house and they did an absolutely first-rate job. Chris and Eddie were the primary electricians who worked on the Project, but a number of other electricians from Five or Free also did some work on completing the electrical service installation, and I was incredibly impressed with their expertise, their service, and their consistently professional attitude. I had never worked with them before, but I certainly would do so again, as I recommend them most highly.

Erin C.

2/19/2018

This is an overdue review. Five or Free is a company that truly lives up to its word. Their service was top quality, and they were relentless in ensuring that they met each of their commitments. We had them install doorbell wiring and new light switches. Although there was an initial bump in the road, they were professional and forthright in ensuring that we received exactly the level of service that was promised. It is clear that their commitment to the five promises and guarantees is not just marketing fluff. We recommend them and would use them again.

Cj L.

1/25/2019

Exceptional professionalism from all the guys. Great job done and look forward to working together again.

Gus G.

05/01/2019 12:00:00 SA

Prompt courteous and honest, I had an outlet out and after checking everything Ethan showed me how the GFI plug had reset,no charge.

Pamela I.

4/28/2019

Had a semi emergency electrical issue. While looking on-line I came across Five or Free. I must say after watching the video I was kind of skeptical but I let the reviews make my decision. From the initial call, Jon setup a troubleshooting appointment. Before arriving the tech (Ethan) called me giving GPS time as to when he would arrive. Ethan greeted me with a big smile firm hand shake and asked what my issues were. He immediately got to troubleshooting. When he came to the conclusion of what needed to happen, he explained it to me in full detail.
After agreeing with the work, I was sent emails stating the techs names, bio and photos. My techs were Chris and Valentino. Just like Ethan, they greeted me with big smiles and informed me who they were. They worked nonstop, were extremely clean and I felt comfortable with them being in my home.
These guys exhibited that old school customer service that you rarely come across now. I can truly say this the best company that I've had as far as customer service, professionalism and excellent workmanship. I would refer and use them again should I have any electrical issues in the future. I can go on but I want to get my point across as to how impressed I was with everyone I came in contact with and especially the final job. Much respect to Jon, Ethan, Gilbert, Chris, Valentino and Tim. You all are consummate professionals.

Sandeepkumar S.

11/10/2015 12:00:00 SA

Gilbert and Alexis were true professionals. Turned up for my appointment on time and delivered quality service. I would trust and recommend Five or Free for all my Electrical repair and enhancement work.

Jason Q.

3/24/2016

These guys are the BEST!!! Many thanks to Alexis, Gilbert and the team for installing our new panel and getting some other improvements done on the house!
I was in a major jam and I needed work done the following day. These guys came out the same day to assess the issue and provided an honest fair estimate. The next day, I had a new panel! My family and I couldn't be more happy. These guys are reliable, professional, genuine and take pride in their work. After working with them, i consider them more my buddies than my electricians. i know you will have the same great experience that i did.

Next project is to get some recessed lighting put into the kitchen and I'll definitely be calling Alexis and Gilbert! Thanks again guys!

Gloria M.

3/23/2016

Their customer service was the friendliest and most professional I've ever had the pleaseure dealing with.

Caffeinegirl G.

12/19/2017

Five or Free Electrical Solutions is everything you would want: from electrical expertise, timeliness and courtesy, professionalism, and tech savvy (with tracking, and text/email reminders). I am super happy to have found this company (on Yelp) which has so far done a small job (changing a light fixture) to a big job (changing the wiring and units for three bathroom exhaust fans). Fantastic service and a loyal customer!

Elaine C.

10/17/2017

We had wonderful service from Emanuel and Josh. They were professional, courteous and beyond helpful. We highly recommend

Patricia D.

11/29/2018

We are so very happy that we chose Five or Free to fix some flickering ceiling lights, as well as upgrade our electrical system. The electricians, Allen and Justin, were on time and got to work immediately. What a great team! They were friendly and polite, and we were very comfortable having them in our home. Great guys! I also appreciated the expertise and friendliness of the team who did the initial electrical evaluation of our home. Sorry that I've forgotten your names, but five stars for them as well!! We'll definitely use this company in the future.

Suchi B.

12/27/2017

Five or Free Electrical combines superior professionalism with excellent customer service-its a combination hard to come by! We were looking to upgrade our electric panel, and Gilbert spent several hours understanding our exact needs and stayed in touch throughout the process. On the day of the installation everything happened like clockwork. Alexis, Gilbert and their crew were extremely meticulous and neat in their installation work and Alexis stuck around till all the paperwork was completed. Five or Free delivered what they promised and so much more. We loved their cheerful helpful approach and would hire them again in a heartbeat.

Matt O.

5/18/2017

Gilbert,

The company came through for me today. Thank you.

Your guys arrived after 7, which was no doubt a long day for them.

They got the requested work done, and then they went the extra mile. Seeing what needed to be done to make me happy, they told my wife what additional stuff to go get, waited for her to go get it, and then installed it, so that everything would be squared away when I got home.

That is the kind of professionalism and attention to detail that is very uncommon nowadays. It didn't go unnoticed or unappreciated.

My Home Advisor review is going to be glowing. Because of today's work, 5 or Free will be my electrical contractor for all future jobs. Thanks Again!

Eve O.

11/17/2015

Gilbert and Alexis installed a circuit for us on very short notice and did an outstanding job. They were able to come out the day after I called them and got the job done in the timeframe they stated and at the price they quoted us. Friendly and professional service. Definitely recommend.

E K.

10/07/2018 12:00:00 SA

If I could give this company ten stars, I would. They were so easy to work with, communicative, punctual, and were able to get our job scheduled and completed super quickly. Their prices are transparent and fair, right in line with quotes from other companies. The work they did in our home came out beautifully.

David W.

12/04/2017 12:00:00 SA

We recently moved into our Mobile home and found the electrical wiring to be outdated and in need of serious upgrade. Priscilla was my first contact and was very helpful and professional. Josh came to the trouble shooting and corrected a lot of issues. An appointment was made to do a full precise wiring. Josh and Gilbert were the technicians. Great guys, great attitude, great work. They were On time got it done cleanly and timely. We Would highly recommend this company to anyone in need

Steph S.

10/18/2017

Everyone I've come in contact with in this company has had too notch customer service skills. They were able to do a quick turn around on parts that were purchased and we were able to schedule a speedy install. There was a small accident while working on our property where my car was damaged. The technicians immediately came inside to let me know what happened and the office sprung into action right away to remedy the situation. They went above and beyond to make it right and I was thoroughly impressed with the professionalism of this company. This is is our go to electrical company from now on based on the integrity of all of their employees.

Alex S.

12/10/2018 12:00:00 SA

Sal and Chris were great in assisting us withe some electrical needs upon the purchase of our house. Sal came by for a quote and gave great insight on items we should replace/repair for safety/code in the most cost effective way possible. Scheduling was quick and effortless and everything was electronic. Chris was a great technician who took care of all our electrical projects quickly and cleanly. He was very professional and even found and repaired some loose sub panel wiring. Would highly recommend for any electrical need.

Jacqui W.

9/22/2017

I had an excellent all around experience with Five or Free--they were very responsive (got a call back within an hour of sending an inquiry), and Sal, who came out to my house to do the required work, could not have been nicer or more helpful. Will definitely use them for any electrical needs in the future, and highly recommend them!

Amanda S.

8/26/2018

I reached out to numerous companies for estimates on some residential electrical work I needed. Five or Free was the first to reply and I was able to schedule an appt for an official estimate with ease. Sal came and explained everything that the job would entail and all the possible options I had to choose from.
He emailed me the formal estimate when he said he would and I scheduled and appt. to have the work done, which to my surprise, was also easy and I was able to pick the exact day that worked best for me.
The day of the scheduled job, the guys showed up on time, were done long before they had initially estimated and stayed while I tested everything to make sure I knew how to use it properly and that everything was fully functioning. I feel badly since I think the main electrician was Allen but I could be wrong and I cannot remember the name of the other young man. They were both very nice and professional. When I decide to make the move to recessed lighting, I will definitely go with this company.

Jill P.

8/17/2018

Emmanuel came over today to solve the mystery of the silent door bell. Mystery solved! Emmanuel was very knowledgeable and friendly. He stayed at my house for quite some time sleuthing. I would call this service again in a heartbeat. The price was extremely reasonable. THANKS EMMANUEL!

Anil S.

06/08/2015 12:00:00 SA

These guys come from five or free and did our electrical fusebox and did a really good job. We would recommend them to any one who have electrical problem. They are good of what they do. Thanks you very much

t l.

04/12/2017 12:00:00 SA

Five or Free was highly responsive. Their electricians were courteous and professional with special attention to not walk in with dirty shoes. They completed their work rapidly.

Wayne B.

07/05/2018 12:00:00 SA

If you need electrical service in the Bay Area do not go anywhere else. These guys were incredible from start to finish. Sal and his team were prompt, respectful of our time, and helped explain every detail before, during, and after the installation of our car charging unit. Never uphold and did what they said they would do. Amazing job guys!

Girlz M.

11/02/2016 12:00:00 SA

I needed to evaluate if there was a problem with a light. Estimator provided an estimate over $1,000. He asked how I felt about the estimate and I told him I thought it was high and would be getting other estimates. The estimator also mentioned that for a 10% of the estimate amount, I could get on the schedule. We ended up getting 5 more estimates from licensed and bonded electricians and chose one to do the work.

S D.

04/09/2017 12:00:00 SA

Five or Free did electrical work for us just before the end of the year and they were extremely professional, friendly, caring and took extra time to call us in the evening to make sure everything was working properly. We needed a lot of work done and we were very happy we called them. Can't stress enough how nice they were. We highly recommend them.

Matthew G.

1/26/2018

I had a relatively simple issue with some cabinet lighting that I couldn't self-diagnose. I requested quotes from Five or Free and a number of their competitors. Five or Free was one of the few providers willing to come out to my house to assess the situation - many of their competitors attempted to diagnose the problem over the phone or email. Very inconvenient. Five or Free sent a rep to my house to give me a free estimate (lower by 50% than the only other electrician I could get to do an in-person estimate), and then completed the job on budget and on schedule. Great work and very professional.

Kathy R.

6/14/2017

Best experience ever! I called and Gilbert came to my home to check out issue. He walked me though what need to be done and the next day his team came over to do the job. They were professional and pleasant. One of the electricians suggested we place the plug lower so the stove would fit better in the allotted space. The old plug was really high and I didn't know there was a cut off in the back where that would work perfectly. I so appreciate them going the extra mile. I highly recommend there services and I will definitely use them again.

Nik S.

12/14/2015

Amazing support and follow-up from Gilbert, Tomas and the whole crew. So professional and helpful. They even came back to resolve an issue that was totally NOT their fault. Thank you guys and Merry Christmas!

Elaine G.

03/10/2016 12:00:00 SA

I hired Five for Free Electrical Solutions to install 3 hanging chandeliers. What appeared to be a relatively simple job turned out to be more challenging as my existing chandeliers were hung incorrectly and unsafely and without any supports. Gilbert the Technician uncovered the problems as he removed the existing and very high off the ground chandeliers. He installed my new chandeliers correctly and safely and resoved the issues that the original home builder created. Their price was reasonable even though they ended up with more work then they planned for. They kept my house clean and tidy while they dismantled the existing chandeliers by putting down drop clothes and wore booties over their shoes. I appreciated that as other contractors are not so considerate about keeping my house clean. They were prompt, courteous and professional. I will refer Five or Free Electrical Solutions to anyone who needs honest and competitively priced electricians. We had a really good experience our first time using them and will use them the next time we need an electrician.

Dave F.

10/27/2015

These guys are awesome. Gilbert the owner goes all out for customer service, accommodating schedules, good communication and fair pricing. The techs are sensitive to the surroundings and careful with your home. Top quality work and super fair. We have used a few electricians in the area but these are now our go-to guys, no question.

Jay C.

12/09/2018 12:00:00 SA

We recently used Five or Free for a fairly minor piece of electrical work in our old 1940's home (which features ancient knob-and-tube wiring). The electricians who came were Emmanuel and Tomas, and they were really excellent. (We also worked with another pair of technicians who finished up the next day -- they were also topnotch). Emmanuel and Tomas explained exactly what they needed to do and what the costs would be, upfront; and they documented their work meticulously, including shooting before-and-after photos and videos. This latter was helpful, since they were working in our attic, and it is not easy for us to access. They were also pleasant to work with and obviously both smart and highly skilled. The communication before, during and after the job, and the follow-up afterwards by Ethan at their office was also prompt and comprehensive. We were impressed enough to ask them to give us estimates on two possible big jobs: 1) repairing our existing wiring and making it easier to monitor, with the aim of making it much safer; and 2) a complete upgrade of all the wiring in the house, replacing the knob-and-tube wiring and bringing everything up to contemporary standards and safety. I wouldn't hesitate to use Five or Free again for a job of any size--I got the feeling that all their people are extremely well-trained and that the shop is committed to doing first-class work. 5 stars.

Evelyn T.

07/06/2016 12:00:00 SA

I am a senior on a limited income so I pray for good Honest and professional workers with integrity. God knew I needed them. Therefore I would recommend them!!!

Joni T.

12/05/2015 12:00:00 SA

Excellent service! Gilbert went out of his way to help and fix some electrical repairs in our new home. I would highly recommend their services.

M. J.

4/17/2017

We had some storm damage to the exterior electric meter housing from one to those strong systems that came through the bay area this year. We tried and tried to find someone to come out and look at the damage and give us an estimate that we could turn into our insurance company. Some of the business we called were too busy. Some didn't want to deal with it at all, stating that it would take them several hours to write up the estimate and if they didn't get the job they'd be just wasting their time. We finally found someone to come out and take a look at the damage. After 3 days this person gave us an estimate of over $2,000.00. After turning it into our insurance company they asked this business for a breakdown of what was going to be repaired. They were completely unwilling to provide that for them. This compelled us to start looking for someone else to do this work. Luckily we found Five or Free. They, (Sal) were able to come out right away and to provide estimate that was more detailed than the previous one that same day. Also, their estimate was a $1,000.00 less the previous quote and when I asked about their willingness to answer any questions that my insurance company might have they were happy to provide what ever information they needed. Needless to say this made everything go much smoother getting this repair covered. Once it was approved they were able to come out within a couple of days of contacting them and do the work. Their technicians, ( I believe Kevin & Chris?) were very competent and professional. The work they did was outstanding. No matter the storms we'll never have this problem again. All in all a very customer oriented and professional business that I would use again and do not hesitate to recommend.