Description

As a Diamond Certified company rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise, REFCorp specializes in the older wiring found in many San Francisco homes. Our technicians are familiar with the unique troubleshooting requirements of knob and tube wiring. We are happy to do a simple repair to your existing system or a complete replacement, whether you're a homeowner, a property manager or a business! A list of our other specialty areas of expertise, reviews (verbatim customer responses), video profile, Expert tips and video, and independent rating details are all available on our online Diamond Certified report.

HISTORY

Established in 1994.
As of September 27, 2017 and thereafter, REFCorp has earned and maintained the prestigious Diamond Certified award which is only presented to electricians and other local service companies that rate 'highest in quality and helpful expertise' in a detailed customer satisfaction study of their customers. Each qualifying business must also pass a license, insurance, complaint status, and for contractors a legal and credit rating. To maintain Diamond Certification, American Ratings Corporation conducts ongoing customer satisfaction surveys and checks credentials on a regular basis.

ABOUT BUSINESS OWNER

As the son of a contractor, Rod has been around the building industry his entire life. Rod has a degree in Business Management from Saint Mary's College and has been self employed since 1987.

Reviews

Spencer J.

5/18/2023

I didn't end up using REF, because Hector was such a straight-shooter that he suggested my handyman should likely have a look at the issue first to see if my electrical issue was a simple solve (and thereby save myself some money). This was after he patiently talked me through the problem on the phone and suggested some trouble-shooting. I noted REF has expertise with old SF buildings like mine, so figured I would call them back if it was a more complex issue - but thankfully, just as Hector suspected, it was not. Will certainly keep them in mind for bigger electrical jobs in the future. Thanks Hector!

Peter C.

8/19/2021

Mario installed a Nest Doorbell for us and did a fantastic job.

The house is an old San Francisco home, with wiring and re-wiring from various decades. This definitely made the job harder.

After starting the installation, Mario realized he was going to need another part given our 'unique' setup. Undeterred, Mario obtained the part, came back the next morning, and didn't leave until everything was ship-ship, including cleaning up after his handiwork which we appreciated.

Thank you Mario and REF Corp!

Michael M.

4/19/2022

From beginning to end, my dealings with REF were nothing but first-rate. For starters, they gave me a quote that was several thousand dollars less than two other companies, who were quoting me for a much bigger job than was necessary. But manager Hector arranged a city inspection, which confirmed the actual scale of the job. (He also arranged the inspection after the work was completed, and obtained all the necessary permits as well, of course.).

Communication with Hector was easy and prompt, and his workers Mario and Jake could not have been better.

They were knowledgeable and informative, explaining exactly what they would be doing and explaining any potential issues and the best possible solutions.

They were efficient, getting the work done in two days (perhaps because there were two people on the job, working non-stop), and with far less inconvenience to the tenants (i.e., shutting off of electricity) than they had initially indicated.

They were thorough and professional. The finished work is clean, streamlined and neat.

And they were accommodating, starting their work a little later than they normally would, simply because I wasn't accustomed to getting up too early!

I would not hesitate to use RAF again for any electrical jobs, and I will be recommending them to some neighbors who need similar work done.

Cathy Q.

1/20/2022

So pleased with the work Hector and his team of Mario and Jake did on our building in SF. From the get-go, they were professional and responsive. Unlike other companies, they were clear on what was critical vs. a nice-to-have to keep within a budget. We had contacted three other reputable electricians and REF's prices were extremely reasonable.

Our project was multi-faceted and every step was completed efficiently, within budget, and in a timely manner. Hector would contact me immediately with any concerns and we would agree on next steps. I am not easily impressed but this company definitely impressed me.

BTW, they are very familiar with SF, its building codes, and buildings from Victorians to current day construction.

Sheila H.

8/26/2021

Are you at this Electrical Company off of Angie's and we started out pretty good then we fade it out I never got any phone calls back I kept trying to get in touch with them regarding and installation I need it for an intercom system they did send someone out on my first phone call to do any valuation I never got a quote so I moved on to another electrician who did an excellent job so I'm not quite sure where the communication fell through, but this was almost two weeks worth of trying to get together and get a quote and see if it was a job that they can do.
so better luck with someone else

Scott R.

12/03/2021 12:00:00 SA

We hired REF Corp to replace our knob and tube wiring. Mario, the lead electrician is outstanding. He came out and provided us with a detailed quote for the project. He was honest with us and answered all our questions.

Mario and Jake did a professional job and were very conscientious of keeping our home clean. I'm a Realtor who deals with many contractors and they are the best electricians in San Francisco. I highly recommend them!

Gina S.

4/29/2021

Hector came out to inspect our electrical for a heat pump installation. While he was here, he looked at, and diagnosed, an electrical problem that had been bothering us in the kitchen. He was conscientious, thoughtful, and focused on getting the issues properly evaluated. In the end, he was able to come up with a solution for the kitchen problem that did not involve re-wiring, and he concluded that our electrical did not need upgrades for the heat pump. In other words, he came out on a call that didn't bring him any business. I was impressed with his honesty and thoroughness, and he will definitely be the first electrician we call for anything in the future.
There were a couple of glitches in the scheduling, so if you call them, make sure whoever answers the phone definitely gets you on the schedule. Other than the scheduling issue, this company is fantastic!

Liezl P.

7/26/2020

They did my full house rewire and panel upgrade.

Hector came out to do my estimate and gave me a fair price. There were some things that they had to clear up about what work had to be done once the technicians arrived but they dealt with it very quickly and there were no more hiccups after that.

Mario was amazing, explained everything he was doing and worked with us to make sure we were happy with the wiring. He came up with a plan to put the new electrical panel where we wanted. They left no holes in the walls that we had to patch afterwards, which is a huge relief since other companies were trying to charge us thousands just for the patching part at the end of the job!! I highly recommend working with REFCorp.

Vincent T.

2/20/2019

Rod, Carson, and Priscilla are all great. They responded quickly to an urgent issue that popped up last minute during my remodeling.

Carson came out right away to look at how to help me fix it and went through what my options were in a detailed way. Rod helped me better understand the situation and gave me clear options as well.

I wanted them to upgrade my electrical panel or update the wiring from the breaker, but they suggested solutions that were more cost effective and better for me, even if it meant that their job would be smaller. I highly recommend them for their integrity and service.

maker of p.

3/24/2017

5 years ago I wrote a 5 star review. I am doing so again now.

As a small business owner, who values and recognizes the importance of a solid team, I can say without hesitation that REF Corp is a company I never have to worry about. In fact, it is beyond not worrying, it is the enjoyment of working with professionals who are clearly very good at what they do, valuing service as much as competency.

Still very highly recommended.

Giovanni S.

2/19/2019

I owe Rod and Mario this review.
I had some electrical violations assessed by DBI in my basement, for a partial remodeling job I did last year.
Rod came over to check things out, then send Mario to do the work.
Mario was very professional and went out of his way to even fix my old door bell (he had the parts in the van, incredibly), while working on the basement.
Unfortunately, there was some miscommunication, and the first invoice I got from Rod appeared to me a bit pricey, whereas, accounting for parts, it was actually well aligned with market prices.
However, back then, I thought I just could not afford Ref Corp hourly rate, and so I hired a different electrician for another portion of the job, up in the garage.
All things considered, Ref Corp did the absolute best to solve my problems, including taking care of two inspections, and getting my violations cleared up, and my job card signed-off.
This, even after they learned I had hired a different professional for another job.
These guys are obviously top notch, as electricians and as service providers.

Alexandra N.

2/28/2011

I never write these things but as soon as Rodney left my apartment 15 min. ago with my power back on and running I felt compelled to do so. So after having a panic attack since 2am when my power went out because I needed to get online to study for an exam, instead of turning on my computer and getting right to it, I find myself here on yelp to make sure you're all aware of how great this guy is!

My mom called Rodney this morning from LA (where she lives) after seeing his reviews on here. When I called him a half hour later and explained my problem, this nice guy offered to help me fix my problem over the phone since it was just a blown circuit. Being my first experience with circuit breakers I wasn't quit sure what I was looking at and when his explanation didn't match what I was seeing he found it in his schedule to come by as soon as he could and was at my apartment 15 minutes later! Not only did he fix the problem but he gave me an easy to understand tutorial on how to fix it myself if it ever happens again.

As a college student, I can't tell you how nice it is to find someone who makes life easier, has a sense of humor and is willing to answer all your silly questions. Not to mention his timeliness and the feeling that he really cares. He totally saved the day and I will definitely be referring him to everyone I know. Thanks Rodney!

John B.

8/27/2007

It's probably unfair for me to write this review because I didn't actually have any work done by Rod...but it was because he didn't show up for the appointment we had to spec the job. That's one of my big pet peeves about contractors and I figure sharing experiences is what Yelp is all about.

He seemed like a nice person on the phone and, based on the other reviews here, seems to do good work. But, I can't speak from first hand experience, unfortunately.

Connie C.

10/13/2017

I had a sh*tty week. The hot water heater broke, the tub overflow flooded the garage, & my best friend has been sleeping on our couch because he has a horrible roommate (who called him apathetic lonely 40 year-old man & when I tried to help him, this guy told me to avoid the light cos I'm so old & ugly! LOL! Story for another time.) Anyway--to top it off, I thought my thermostat was broken. I was already out $1500, so the thought of more expensive home repairs was starting overwhelm me. Through Home Advisors, I found Ref Corp. They schedule an appointment right away. A cool guy, Carson showed up. Checked the batteries--which idiot-me didn't think to do. And guess what? We replaced the batteries, which I had in the fridge, & the thermostat started right up. I know their housecalls are $125. But Carson called his boss, & they waived the fee. It was the best thing to happen to me all week! It's good to know there are still, good honest people out there. When I do have a real emergency, I will definitely call Ref Corps. And so should you.

Linda F.

6/28/2010

I found this contractor on Yelp, and very happy I did.
Rod has completed the installation of 4 ceiling lamps in our home, as well as a variety of smaller, but tricky fixes ( old recessed lights that we had been told would need to be completely replaced, and that would mean tearing out the ceiling) as well as adding an outlet....
These guys were punctual, very knowledgeable and professional, and helpful. I thought their pricing was reasonable too.
I would highly recommend them to anyone needing electrical work.

Felicia S.

01/01/2012 12:00:00 SA

Found Rodney's business through Yelp.

Rodney's technician was on-time and very professional. The work completed, and he went out of his way to help with all our little side projects.

Would definitely use them again.

Mike D.

12/09/2014 12:00:00 SA

Fast, honest and efficient. Rodney and his crew are pros. On time in and out quickly. No hard sell or up charge, just quick and straightforward.
Would definitely use again.

Patrick K.

6/22/2011

Found Rodney through Service Magic. He responded on the weekend by email and setup an appointment for the following Monday.

He was timely, competent and professional. Did the job (installing an additional outlet in the garage) quickly and at the price promised.

A+ as far as I'm concerned.

Wil A.

10/17/2013

I was going down a list for electricians for the property I manage since my old electrician seems to have vanished from the earth. From the very start, Rod was super nice, came right out and estimated the work needing done, made great recommendations and explained what they would do. He was on time and was pretty fast about getting here to give me a quote. His quote came back at a fair rate and they showed up on time, did a great job, and Miguel was very professional and knowledgeable as well.

Since we have multiple properties, we requested setting them up as a vendor and they gave us the needed information right away so we could get them in our system. Britta was very helpful in scheduling the job and handling the required information to get them all set up as one of our new vendors and absolutely my preferred Electricians. I think we have found our replacement for the vanishing electrician I used to use!

Thanks again to all the team over at Rodney Fite Corp! I am huge on customer service and every interaction with your whole team went far beyond what I expected for an electrical company.

Steve L.

05/01/2008 12:00:00 SA

I needed an electrician to install a couple of new outlets, a couple of phone jacks and a couple of Ethernet jacks.

I found Rod on Yelp and gave him a call. He was very personable not like some contractors who seem to get annoyed and impatient while they're talking with you. We set up an appointment for him to estimate the job. His quote was a very fair price. He also was very helpful in providing some suggestions that I had not considered.

Rod showed up on time for the job and completed it on time. He has great attention to detail, is knowledgable and is genuinely a nice guy. I would definitely use him again.

Gal T.

11/19/2015

I scheduled 2 appointments with Rod to estimate setting up an Ethernet cable at my place.
On the first meeting he called on the morning of the meeting and cancelled.
On the second meeting I got a phone call from his admin the evening before the day of the appointment notifying me that he meeting is cancelled because they are too busy till the end of January.
Flaking on a meeting in the last minute two times is just unprofessional and disrespectful for their customer times
Customers be warned!

Liz H.

5/24/2018

The guys from REF were fantastic. They had to retrofit can lights in my VERY high-ceilinged condo, and they did a beautiful job. They even left the rooms cleaner than when they got there! The job wasn't all smooth sailing, but everything was handled with the utmost professionalism and courtesy. Would definitely recommend them!

Fred A.

5/20/2011

Rodney is solid.
He answered right away, gave us an estimate the same day, did a great job, cleaned up everything, and gave us a great price. He's organized and seems super honest. In other words, we were happy.

Tracy C.

1/26/2017

I highly recommend Rod and his team for your electrical needs. He was very knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. He showed up on time and fixed my lighting issue in no time. I had a few other electrical questions and he took the time to answer and offer some helpful tips.

Deborah B.

12/13/2015

REF Corp was recommended to me by a friend. I am a renter and had a ceiling fixture that made noise and flickered. I wanted to deal with it myself and not involve my landlord.
I was able to get an appointment the same week I called - and they accommodated my time frame as I am a teacher and don't like taking off from the classroom.
Rod was not only on time, but early and phoned to see if that was okay! It was!
He was very professional, and thorough in checking the wiring - reassuring me that all was up to code, safe and fixable.
I would recommend this company to anyone who needed reliable,and professional electricians.

T C.

3/27/2014

One of my coworkers actually referred them, so I'm fairly certain their work is pretty good. Bur just like one of the yelpers on this thread, they also didn't show up for my appointment either. No call. No show. Since I was still in the process of closing, me, my agent and my seller's agent all made a special trip to go to the property and waited for them. Well that was a waste of everyone's time. I gave them two stars instead one because the lady at the Rodney who spoke with me on the phone was very nice.

Trevor J.

5/13/2008

I used Rod to replace our old, out-of-date electrical panels (2 of them) and upgrade our service to our house. He was responsive, and very professional. He gave very helpful info on his bid, unlike others that came to look at it. I hired him, and he finished it right away, passing inspection with no problems. He's competitively priced, but not the cheapest.

Ahsan M.

05/02/2009 12:00:00 SA

Rod was very prompt at returning my call and showed up within an hour. Fixed a blown circuit in our place that required hunting down a pinched wire in an outlet. Fixed that up and we were back up and running. Highly recommended.

M. K.

07/11/2011 12:00:00 SA

I found this electrician through Red Beacon. I left a review and it's not on their website. Only good reviews, I guess!!!

I needed my doorbell/intercom fixed. The electrician came out checked the unit and said it needed to be replaced, but didn't have one. He said he would check with his co-workers and email us back. Never got an email.

I thought he would check the problem. If he couldn't fix the unit, get a replacement or at least give us an estimate on the cost of a replacement.

I guess I was asking too much!! Felt ripped-off!

Jane M.

10/11/2007 12:00:00 SA

Outstanding. It was a small job, fixing a light fixture. He emailed me a photo of what he thought my fixture looked like to be sure it was right (it was). He and his assistant Miguel came right on time, completed the job, cleaned up, left. Couldn't ask for more.

Marla K.

4/25/2007

Rodney Fite is an electrician with a small team of employees. He installed some new fixtures and upgraded wiring in my home, and added outlets. He was very easy to work with - polite, kind and patient, and he did excellent work. He redid a small part of the job that we requested to be reworked, without complaint. He cleaned up thoroughly after the job and was on time and well within budget. I will hire him again for our kitchen remodel, and I highly recommend him as an electrician.

Briana R.

04/11/2011 12:00:00 SA

Rodney just came over to fix some faulty wiring in our home. The dryer stopped all of the sudden, and it turned out that some wires had been disconnected. Rodney worked quickly and professionally, and charged a very reasonable rate. He was also very flexible in working with our landlord over the phone to explain the issue and arrange payment. I will not hesitate to call again for any electrical needs. Thank you!

A R.

6/24/2013

Honest, reliable, professional, reasonably priced, courteous and knowledgable

Solid work done in a timely manner

Great job. Thanks

Bart K.

11/08/2009 12:00:00 SA

He helped me out with installing the phone cable running from the street to our office. His quote was the best of all the people we contacted. Then later on we had a problem with our phone system and as last resort I called Ron and he came the same morning and he discovered the problem very fast.
Thanks Rod for your service and help.
November 2009

Rin S.

10/24/2017

I was calling around some electricians in the area to fix a power issue in our business office. Most calls were quick Sorry, we don't have any availability till next week, try another company. with out even asking if it was possible if we could wait a week (I even tried to tell someone I could wait a week before he hung up and he told me he was going to retire after that week!). Anyway Ref Corp was the only of 10 companies I called that A. Answered the phone B. Gave me a quote with out hanging up on me C. Gave me a date (which was not for a week but they can't help it if they have people booked up for a week). So I recommended them to my Boss who called the next day and the woman who answered the phone even remembered our situation and my name when speaking with my boss (A+ customer service). It gets better, as the she was able to squeeze us in on the same day! Carson came over that day and he was great as well. Very friendly, finished in under an hour, and even replaced a broken light switch cover for us. I don't think our experience could have gone any better!

Dan H.

03/03/2014 12:00:00 SA

Rod and his crew have helped out our company with many commercial installations. With a trade that varies so much in quality and craftsmanship- this is the company you want for your project large or small. Everyone from Rod to Kris and Miguel,are as professional and punctual as you could ever find. Rod quotes work honestly and sometimes is able to recommend solutions that are less expensive than what we had planned. Regardless of the quote- it is honest and reliable. I would highly recommend the work of these guys to anyone who needs work completed right the first time.

Joe B.

2/14/2012

Amazing Service! Very helpful, he came to my house in less than a hour to fix my lighting problem and informed me about my dimmer switch. Very reliable and worked around my hectic schedule. I will use his professional services again!

Jonathan S.

10/12/2008 12:00:00 SA

Rod did a great job and had good follow-through with phone calls and email.

I needed four little jobs done in my condo. I opted to scrap two of them b/c of being short on $. Hired Rod to do remaining two. His quote was professional enough that my condo board didn't blink an eye. He got a permit and arranged to do the job within the week. On the day of his work I changed the scope of one project which meant that rod had to run back to the store to buy more stuff (on the clock). Rather that waste his assistant's time and my money, he had the assistant complete the extra two projects while he was running to the store. His work passed inspection with no trouble.

I would recommend him without reservation.

Matt A.

12/12/2013 12:00:00 SA

I had a really good experience with these guys. They sent over an electrician named Miguel who was professional, friendly and knew his stuff. I had a bunch of small jobs that needed to be done, mostly switching out light fixtures and fixing the door bell and everything is working great now. The prices were fair and they were able to get out to me quickly (unlike some of the other electricians that told me they could get to me in 2-3 weeks). Oh, and even the admin who took the appointment was super friendly. I'll use them again for any future work I need.

Penny G.

03/01/2007 12:00:00 SA

We needed an electrician, so I found Rodney Fite through ServiceMagic. It's really hard to trust people who come into your home to fix things about which you have no idea. But Rod was so nice and knowledgable, it felt like having your dad come over to fix something. He showed us exactly what was wrong and why, and then fixed it. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for an electrician.

Cheryl L.

10/08/2007 12:00:00 SA

Fantastic. As someone who knows little about home improvement projects, I was leery of what the bill might look like and how involved a simple project might become. I had a small job, installing an overhead light, but the whole process was wonderful, timely and professional.

elizabeth d.

08/07/2007 12:00:00 SA

Rod upgraded the electrical panel and installed various lighting fixture. He is great to work with. A true professional. On time, on budget and left the house cleaner then when he started. Looking forward to working with him on a new project in the next few weeks.

Ed B.

8/17/2014

Called, scheduled, Chris took the service, out in a day or two. Wonderful service on the telephone and from Mr Fite. Recommended by our plumber, so you know they would be good.

Sean T.

4/30/2011

I just wanted to drop a line and highly recommend Rodney and his team. He was very responsive to my call. He was able to come by the same day as I called him. After taking a few minutes to diagnose the problem, provided a couple of solutions. He had his team there later in the day to fix the electric wiring problem. They were clean, knowledgeable, and very professional. He was also very accurate with his estimate.

Dan D.

03/04/2014 12:00:00 SA

What a great company! We remodeled my mom's kitchen and they did the electrical. The quote was competitive. They made excellent suggestions which have made the kitchen more user friendly. The workers were pleasant, neat, and clean. And as funny as it sounds, their work was so well installed that it was pretty to look at! What a shame that we sheet-rocked the walls up afterward. They obvious take pride in a job well done. In my opinion you can't go wrong with this team.

E B.

04/09/2012 12:00:00 SA

Rod himself is an awesome person. He is very honest and a straigth shooter. He came on time, gave me a very competitive quote and also gave me great advice! Later, his crew came and did an excellent job. I couldn't be happier. I would use them again and I have no hesitation recommending him.

Lisa I.

10/03/2012 12:00:00 SA

Kris was great! He came in with a great attitude and was quick and efficient! We called the day of and he squeezed us in with a huge smile on his face! Thanks Kris!

C M B.

07/12/2011 12:00:00 SA

Can't say enough good things about Rod Fite. I found him in Service Magic -he responded immediately to my online request. I had a kitchen remodel done, but the contractor abandoned the job before the electrical work was completed. That was last year. No kitchen lights for almost a year. Rod to the Rescue!!! After trying unsuccessfully for months to get other electricians to take on this job, Rod, came right out and reassured me that it could be done. He took on the job from permit to final inspection and after only three days of intensive work by his very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful guys, I had lights. His price for the job was extremely reasonable. All contact with him is professional and courteous. This guy is a godsend.

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