Clayton C.

2/14/2023

David is a great contractor and is very knowledgeable and does excellent work.
He provided a written estimate with a description of the work and came out to look at the job. He also made good recommendations on where to install the wall charger.
The inspector passed our permit with no issues and commented that he has worked with David many times and he always does excellent work.

Meryl A.

7/21/2023

Just here to say that even a decade later, David is still our go-to guy for electrical work even in our new home! Light fixture installs, removals, random electrical questions - he's our guy. Super happy with his services.

Kaci S.

5/23/2023

David has done some small jobs for us in the past, and recently did all the electrical work for a full kitchen remodel and bathroom addition that we completed. When our inspector found out who did our work, he told us we hired the best electrician in Alameda, and mentioned that in twenty years of working with David he's only had to ask him to correct *one* thing on a job.

David made sure to confirm every step of any process with us, and made sure we considered everything before making any decisions. He is pretty busy, but was able to get our job on his schedule with minimal notice.

He's fantastic, and I recommend him wholeheartedly!

Jay L.

2/18/2023

I'm a repeated customer of David at Tinpa Electric. He recently helped me replace my bathroom fan. He was responsive, courteous and above all, does quality work. He is someone I can trust for any electric work.

Irwin T.

10/16/2020

Professional, great communication and CLEAN! David installed a sub panel, outlets, switches, lights and a ceiling fan. He was very mindful of our needs working from home with kids (the dust and noise etc,) and was super friendly!

Everything worked perfectly. Even the inspector commented your electrician knows what they're doing!

Dor H.

11/23/2021

I wrote a review a long long time ago for David! I deleted it when I deleted my whole account but it wasn't fair to them. All the 5 star reviews are real. David and his team knew immediately what was wrong after we had many other electricians in the area come and leave without deciphering the problem. He's a busy man and his voicemail gets full but be patient and call again because he will always call back and be there for you asap!

The B.

10/01/2021 12:00:00 SA

David is fantastic -- the best electrician I've ever hired. He is responsive, does a good job, does what he says he'll do when he'll do it, and charges a fair price. He replaced our main electric panel and could not have been easier to work with.

Deanna E.

03/11/2021 12:00:00 SA

I called David early on a Monday and that same day he was able to assess the electrical job, give me an estimate and he was available to do the work within days. He was definitely busy but it never showed as his follow-through was on point. One last thing that was really valuable was that he took the time to recommend another option that would save us from having to do more electrical work in the future.

catherine g.

9/28/2020

David is legit. He came with his graph paper notebook and mechanical pencil and I felt like I was transported back to my college days at UC Berkeley. He investigated my current power, took measurements and said he'd provide a quote within a few days. I had a couple other electricians who came out, did not take measurements, and seemed to throw together an estimate. Looking forward to working with David.

Sara N.

7/15/2020

I reached out to Tinpa and David returned my phone call within 24 hours as expected. I had a few outlets that has been out for a while and recently a handyman tried to look into the issue and blew out a few more outlets. David asked me to take a few pictures of the fuse box and then I realized there was one outside the house that we didn't check. He resolved our minor issue in a matter of a few texts. If and when I do need an electrician, I will contact David right away and refer him to others as well. He also came highly recommended from Nextdoor in our neighborhood.

Janie R.

01/12/2019 12:00:00 SA

Great communication, quality work!
Put in LED inset lights into the kitchen ceiling, changed our breaker panels, installed level 2 charger.
We are very happy with his work and professionalism.

Shiaodo C.

9/14/2021

I had a wonderful experience working with David. He was very knowledgable and provided quality work. Is very clear about what he can do and how much time it will take. Highly recommend!

Jeff R.

8/24/2021

Fast and professional. Very small job fixing switch and plug outlet that we tried to replace ourselves but it didn't work. Appreciated the prompt service.

Alexander P.

8/24/2021

David was able to fit in a last minute hot tub installation for me after original electrician bailed. Working with David was great. He was very informative and knowledgeable. David's service was awesome, very clean with great attention to detail. Will definitely recommend his services to anyone. Thank you again, David!

Bizcochita L.

5/27/2021

We greatly appreciate Tinpa Electric after we recently were in need of service and they didn't let us down! Thank you for providing quality & dependable service, yet again! PS: I got that wireless doorbell up & running! Thanks you for your valuable advice, David!! M&M

Colin Z.

10/02/2018 12:00:00 SA

I wanted to install a new Tesla wall connector, which required adding in a larger circuit breaker, running a conduit to where the wall connector would be, installing the wall connector, and making all the necessary connections. David quoted us a very competitive price and completed the job in about two hours.

He was very thorough and thoughtful during the entire process as to accommodate any unique requirements that we had. For example, he ran a longer conduit than was necessary in case that we wanted to add in a large panel in the future so that we wouldn't need to redo the conduit again.

He was also very tidy and cleaned everything up after as if he was never there.

If you need electrical work to be done in Alameda, contact David first.

Mark B.

09/01/2018 12:00:00 SA

I had a 240V outlet installed in the garage to charge my car. Professional job, quick and fairly priced.

And he called me about half a year later to say I had forgotten to call the city inspector to sign off on the work. So he gave me the number to call. Excellent service.

mary h.

03/03/2020 12:00:00 SA

We had one area of the house with no power. No GFI or circuit breaker was tripped. One electrician spent 2 hours chasing wires and could not locate the problem. He wanted to come back and start tearing out walls. David came in and found the issue in 15 minutes. Walls intact :)
We will definitely call again if any other issues arise. Fast and friendly too!

Jim V.

5/18/2021

I'm super happy regarding all the electrical work. David is professional, courteous, on time and really knows what he's doing. Also, the way he works he minimizes to the greatest extent possible any dust in the air. He even has a special vacuum cleaner to filter out small particles. I highly recommend David for any electrical work.

Meredith K.

1/30/2021

David has done work for me twice over the last few years and he is maybe the best vendor I have had here during a pretty extensive remodel. He is communicative, responsive, and professional. He tries to offer alternatives to your crazy plans to cut costs. And he is very aware of aesthetics and making sure you will be happy with the finished product. Having a vendor who is reliable and trustworthy is priceless!

Joe C.

12/12/2018 12:00:00 SA

David redid my electrical panel upgrade to AFCI breakers. He was extremely knowledgeable about Alameda building codes and how it differed from other cities. He setup up the work area so neatly to minimize mess and wired the panel so neatly! Building inspector came by next day and was impressed wiring job, labeling and etc. It was a relatively quick sign off.

Zach B.

05/04/2019 12:00:00 SA

I never actually hired David, but he seemes like a pretty ethical guy. I called him for a quote to diagnose and repair an electrical problem in my home, and he took the time to diagnose and solve it over the phone, saving me money. So in my book, that deserves a good review.

Peter G.

9/23/2018

David upgraded old CFL recessed light cans in my kitchen to LEDs. He was very professional, nice, and completed the job right at the estimated cost. I also appreciate how responsive he was when I made the appointment. I highly recommend Tinpa Electrical.

S. H.

4/16/2017

This is a review that is long overdue but...

What a precise electrician!

Our kitchen light had gone out and I tried to fix it but the thing inside was old (I don't know what it's called. As you can tell, I don't know much about fixing lights). Then I got a new light fixture to replace the old one but didn't know how to do the wiring because the thing inside was so old.

But then David came and worked everything so that the light now works great. I was especially impressed with the careful precision he employed to make sure that the light fixture aligned well (there were two parts to the light fixture). For any light wiring and fixture issues, I would call David again.

Charles W.

07/03/2018 12:00:00 SA

Great electrician! Few months ago, I had my house upgraded to 200 amps with new electrical box, also had David install 240v wiring (a lot of work) from the main box to detached garage and installed sub-panel and Tesla wall connector/NEMA 14-50. Very knowledgeable, attention to detail on his work, and honest! Highly recommended!

Daniel H.

2/23/2016

David and his wife are some of the most kind and most honest people I've met in a long while, especially in the home repair/improvement trade. We added three circuits and receptacles (I think that is the right term) in the kitchen, two hardwired outdoor lights, and David found some bad work in our panel so switched out some breakers. We had talked to two electricians beforehand and gotten quotes and felt like David was the best in terms of price and reviews on Yelp. We live in a Victorian built in 1889 and so it was important for me that we get someone I felt confident in because we have worked with handymen in the past with usually poor results.

Here's the part that really sets them apart from most people in general. The first time they came over to give us a quote, I told them I was in fashion and did handmade leatherwork and showed them a belt I had made the day before. When David's wife asked me how business was, I told her the truth and said I actually hadn't received any orders yet, since starting my business late last year. She said ok, and ordered not one, but three belts from me!!! She said that when they started their business it was really hard and so she wanted to help me get started. And you know what, when I posted photos of me making the belts on my Facebook an old classmate ordered one two days later.

All the other reviews should give you confidence in their price and quality of work, but hopefully my review will shed light on what great people they are. I am an American born Chinese and my mom is originally from China, so communicating was probably easier for us than those who do not speak Cantonese, which is David's native language, but please do not hesitate to call them. These are good Alameda people, who do honest hard work for a more than fair price.

La Val L.

4/17/2018

David is such a nice person! The power tripped in my garage, and I tried to schedule him despite my very limited weekday availability. He let me call him at night and walked me through a bunch of measures, asking me to send him photos and trying to see if he could help me solve it myself. I couldn't. In the end, I thought I'd have to find another electrician. He sent me one more suggestion via text message unexpectedly, and that was the solution that fixed it on my end. GODSEND. It might have been weeks before I could get someone out when I was available. I couldn't have been more impressed with how sweet and helpful he was. Thank you, David.

Steve G.

12/20/2013

I has a mysterious electrical issue with the lights and outlets in half of my upstairs. The lights would occasionally flicker, then last night would just go out. The circuit breaker wasn't tripped, so was beyond my weekend warrior electrical skills, which aren't much to start with.

Called David in the am, he called the same afternoon and said he could be over in 15 mins. He came right over, along with his wife Helen. He started with the panel, which looked OK, then checked the outlets one-by-one. They all seemed to check out OK, so the mystery deepened. He then took out the breaker and closely inspected it. There was a slight evidence of some issues, so he replaced the breaker and all is good.

English isn't his first language, but I didn't have any problem communicating with him. And I only speak English (ABC). At every step of the way, he explained what he was doing and his testing process, which I appreciated. Very easy to work with. If I have another electrical issue, would definitely call him again.

nardo m.

7/16/2018

David is prompt and responsive. From our initial phone call, he offered help over the phone. His schedule would not allow him to come until end of day; and he gave me the opportunity to find another electrician if I did not want to wait. He seems honest and knowledgeable.

Our job turned out to be a simple fix. But from our brief interactions, I would seek his help again if the need arises in the future.

Soren W.

1/13/2020

David helped us replace all our outlets, he upgraded our electric panel, generated a 240V line and finally installed our EV charger. We are very happy with all the work and inspection by the city was a breeze. I would recommend David/Tinpa any time for all your electrical work. He is thorough and organized. For those good reasons he's also busy, so plan ahead if you want quality work!

Shinny L.

2/20/2010

My sister put off hiring an electrician for several months even though the only light that still worked in her kitchen was the one on the hood over the stove. Luckily, my mom knew David was a terrific (and properly licensed!) electrician and told my sister to hire him to take care of the problem. Not only did he drive over to Milpitas from Alameda at no extra cost, he was meticulous in investigating and fixing the problem and the pricing was more than fair.

David was also fabulous when my other sister needed an electrician to do an inspection on a house in Hayward that she was thinking of buying. Not only did he point out possible electrical problems, including some really weird wiring in one of the two electrical panels, he actually also informed her of a few issues that the general inspector failed to notice. Needless to say, my sisters are really glad they actually listened to mom - and I'm glad to know I'll have a dependable electrician to turn to should I ever need one :).

D. F.

02/01/2018 12:00:00 SA

Great electrician. I concur with other reviewers that the installation options are discussed, he arrives when he says he will, he is clean, covers up anything that might get dirty, vacuums when done and does excellent electrical work. This is my second contract with him. First was to get power to a movable awning over the garden window which was an outside installation. That job was performed professionally and all the plugs are still working great.

This job today was a new installation of a ceiling fan on a 'peak' roof in the master bedroom where a large support beam was visible (although covered with sheetrock). Other electricians had said that wire molding would have to be used to encase the electrical wire and be visible on the bottom of the beam running over to the wall with power but David had done one of these installations before and HE knew there was a triangle of open space above the top of the beam. So he ran the wire up through the beam to that space, then got into the attic and fished it over to the wall with an existing outlet and installed a switch on that wall in the bedroom. No extra holes to patch, no visible wire, and the fan is perfectly balanced and quiet except for the sound of whooshing air on its highest speed. Runs with a remote and has an LED light. Will be wonderful as the weather warms up again. We seem to have more hot days in the Bay Area than we used to and this fan will definitely be superior to running floor fans! But David is our go-to guy for all things electric!

Julie Z.

01/08/2018 12:00:00 SA

David is an electrical god. I wish we called him a year ago. What I really appreciated about him was that he gave me options instead of just picking the more expensive route. Electricians are expensive but I think not only is he worth that money but he's priced very competitively. I already added him to my contacts cuz I won't be looking through yelp anymore for electrical work.

S M.

2/18/2015

I just called on David to do an indoor and outdoor job for me and his work is excellent, professional and prices are amazing! I really appreciate him telling me everything i need to know up front before he starts anything. This is the 2nd time I have used him and I will continue to use his services when ever the need comes up. I have also let me friends and family know how great he is and they will be calling him very soon!
I have a craftsman home that is over 100 years old and any issues that have come up David can resolve in no time. If you have an older home like I do, please call on him, you won't be sorry!!
thank you for all your hard work!

A M.

01/10/2018 12:00:00 SA

Was very responsive and made me an appointment quickly. Then when he arrived and realized the problem was an outlet reset button, barely charged us for the visit. Will be calling him if we need an electrician in the future.

Catherine P.

7/18/2013

David just left my house a few minutes ago and I'm very pleased to say that all the rave reviews are spot on!

A couple days ago, the appliances on one side of my kitchen stopped receiving electricity. My husband, who has rudimentary electrical knowledge, was unable to resolve the problem this time. (we purchased our home, built in the 1920's, about a year ago and have had small, fixable electrical problems up until now)

Per usual procedure, I consulted Yelp and found David. I called him on Tuesday and he was able to work me into his very busy schedule today (Thursday). He showed up on time, was very knowledgeable, courteous, and professional. He was in and out in less than 20 minutes, problem solved!

His pricing is better than reasonable...I tried to give him extra for a job well done, but he refused to accept it. This guy is seriously good people. I cannot recommend him enough.

The wiring in my home is obviously very old and we're considering an upgrade to modern standards. When we decide to bite that bullet, I'm definitely going to give David a call.

Joe E.

5/24/2017

OMG, I had the receptacles in my kitchen not working, and David (over the phone!) told me to check the GFCI, and sure enough that worked. Thanks David!

N L.

03/09/2017 12:00:00 SA

David is awesome! We had no electricity in the bedroom, the breaker tripped and couldn't be reset and we couldn't figure out why. I resolved myself to having to wait for several days for an electrician, if we could get one to show up at all. Everyone seems to be so busy these days, they turn away work. My husband left a voicemail for David in the morning and he called me later that same afternoon and came right over. He sorted out the problem quickly, showed me exactly what was going on, fixed it and charged a very reasonable rate. I'll always call David for any electrical work!

John W.

8/27/2018

We have used David for projects large and small, from fixing an electric outlet to installing hot tub wiring to recently upgrading our electric service to 200 amps with new box, etc. David is extremely responsive and very knowledgeable, creative, honest and professional. He is also very efficient and works extremely hard, and his pricing is quite reasonable for a top notch electrician. David has my strongest recommendation. I really appreciate his versatility and willingness to handle all sorts of electrical jobs...really makes the decision easy when it comes to decide who to call for an electrical issue! We look forward to working with David on future projects.

Otney B.

01/12/2014 12:00:00 SA

Well he did call right back, but refused to even consider our job BECAUSE OF THE CRIMINALS IN EAST OAKLAND. Seriously. That is what he told us. Too bad for him. We're looking for an electrician to re wire our entire 1914 Craftsman house. For which we are ready, willing and able to pay cash. We just wanted an estimate. He said he is the only support of his family. That he cannot risk anything happening to himself, as a result. And this means that he won't even consider a job in East Oakland.

So.....apparently he believes that if he drives over the High Street Bridge, he'll be entering Fallujah?! Let's see, I am a lawyer. My across the street neighbor is a doctor. Next to him lives a dentist. My next door neighbor is a schoolteacher. But apparently our neighborhood is not good enough for this guy.

Your loss, strange Alameda man with two - dimensional cartoon views of East Oakland.

Brandon W.

12/06/2016 12:00:00 SA

Tldr: honest, great work and fair price. I had power out in half my house after flicking on switch in bathroom. Checked the breakers and they were fine, but smelled burned metal. Ok, I thought maybe bad switch, changed that and gfi next to it, still no go. They had power to outlet but nothing plugged in works. Time to call the pros. Called David and he came next day on time!

He found one problem very quickly (melted wire in door bell transformer close to fuse box, thus the burned smell) they fixed power to one room. still no power in another part of house. He and his helper checked all the outlets and switches in affected areas. They eventually found the other issue, fixed that and other wiring hazards.

I even learned a lot from David, he was friendly and genuinely believes in SAFE and quality work. He even pointed out problems in the basic work that I did, so I could do safer replacements myself. How cool is that?

All in all, it was a pleasure to have David work and I will definitely use him again.

Max C.

1/23/2011

We live in a duplex where an entire room suddenly lost power. A friend came over and tried to troubleshoot the problem for about an hour without success, so we knew we had to bring in a licensed electrician.

We called a couple of local electricians to compare rates before deciding to give David a try. The main reason we chose him was his rate - it was much, much lower than the other two companies that we called. We made a next-day appointment with him and to our surprise, he was able to diagnose and fix the problem within the first half hour. It was one of the outlets in the other room that caused the adjacent room to lose power (something none of us would have figured out).

We also had a minor problem with one of the kitchen lights on the upper unit. Apparently, it wasn't installed properly to begin with. David fixed that problem quickly as well. By observing how he worked, we could easily tell that he was very knowledgeable. He's very patient and explained what may have caused the problems and how he was going to fix it. He also gave us some tips on how to prevent similar problems in the future. We kinda felt bad that he charged so little compared to other local electricians out there, so we decided to give him a bit of bonus on top of what he was charging us for the work.

Hiring David was probably one of the wisest decisions that we've made. Customer service was excellent, price was low compared to others, and bottom line: He got the job done...quickly. For sure, he will be our go-to guy for any future electrical problems.

Jim D.

4/27/2010

Having a flat that was built in the early 1900's is cool until you realize that plumbing and electrical is old too. What that means is the electrical wiring is not up to the latest codes and the wiring is not grounded. It also means look out when the lights go out or a fuse is blown. Case in point- My twin stack washer and dryer did not work but the light switch close by worked. What the heck they are both 110 volts and should be on the same circuit.

Being a mechanical engineer I know when to mess with electrical items and when not to. I called up Tinpa Electrical after seeing glowing reviews on Tinpa Electrical on Yelp and David showed up promptly. David is a licensed electrician and the proprietor. I indicated the problems to him and he did some trouble shooting, in which he found out that some of the neutral wires were loose and he repaired the situation.

He charged a reasonable rate and I was happy with his workmanship. I also ask for some estimates on some electrical upgrades. He gave me some ball park numbers and emailed me some reasonable rates the next day. That is service!

Crysthel C.

05/03/2010 12:00:00 SA

I needed an electrician...so I looked on Yelp and found David. And thank goodness I did!

Called him Friday night to do a job for me and he came by the next morning. At first, he came by just to do an estimate, but he ended up fixing the problems. He quoted me much lower than I had expected and repaired my electrical issues within half an hour. Now all the lights to my rooms actually work properly! Very nice guy and very reasonable rates. I would definitely use him again.

William H.

3/17/2010

Ok, Yelp...where are the 8 glowing reviews, including
my own, for this fine company? It appears you
took them down. Why? Is the company required
to pay money to you in order to keep reviews
posted? Please post your reply for all to see.

S D.

3/17/2016

This post is long overdue: Picture it, Christmas Eve in the Bay, Dec 24, 2014. Christmas eve and the electricity went out in half the house. I am in the middle of cooking part of Christmas dinner and the blender stops, Donny Hathaway stop serenading me, stove, microwave, home alarm, etc all dead.

David came over and fixed the problem at a reasonable price. Now, I'm not saying it didn't hurt--I don't like unplanned/necessary expenditures or spending money to fix problems, but Tinpa was less expensive than the other 2 businesses I called and he didn't charge me extra for coming out on Christmas Eve. David Explained the problem thoroughly, explained why he had to replace all breakers and the panel (oh I'm feeling the pain again - I really wanted to spend that money on a new bag). Sign... well problem was fixed, Christmas dinner was scrumptious and all is still well. Thanks David!

Marge L.

07/10/2014 12:00:00 SA

David and his assistant, Casey, are awesome. I can't recommend them enough. David did a simple job of fixing some outlets about a year ago and this time we decided to do a major electrical improvement in the house that involved ceiling lights, fans, sub-panel update and tv wall mounting. He and Casey did it outstandingly.

1. The job took 4 days, but every day he was on time, did what he needed to do and left leaving everything super clean and neat.
2. He always informed me of the process, problems he found, suggested solutions. I was always part of the decisions and I now know how my house is beneath it's walls.
3. Both of them explained everything to me and answered all my questions, so I learned a lot from having them here.
4. Not my words, but the inspector's: Well, David, as always very clean work, you really know your stuff.

I feel so in peace knowing that even the inspector, who sees every electrician job, is pleased and amazed with David's work. I would definitely hire him again and I totally recommend him to anyone looking for a trusted, honest and hard working electrician.

K W.

3/26/2010

David was recommended to us by a friend of ours and what a great find!

Having renovated a few times now, we've become so used to battling with contractors/electricians/carpenters/roofers/plumbers/etc on pricing and quality of workmanship that this experience totally blew us away.

We talked to David on the phone and he explained that he's in the middle of a job for the next week or two but would be available as soon as he's done. Since this wasn't any kind of emergency, we agreed to touch base again in a couple of weeks. Sure enough, few days before he wrapped up his job, he called us to set up time to look at our house and give us an estimate.

David arrived promptly at our agreed upon time and got to work inspecting our main electrical panel (we needed to upgrade the main panel). He quoted us a very reasonable price and set up a date/time to come do the work.

We were pretty pleased at this point since the price was good and he seemed responsive and responsible, but he completely wowed us once he started doing the work.

When David got under our crawl space, he noticed that the wiring to our sub-panel was a complete mess, thanks to our last electrician. David diligently cleaned up all of it, organizing the wires neatly, and securing the wires properly. He didn't have to do any of this, he could have just replaced the main panel and gone about his way. He definitely went above and beyond. Plus, he was done in 1 day! And to top it all off, he didn't go over his estimated price despite the extra work.

David definitely made a satisfied and loyal customer out of us. We wouldn't go to anyone else for electrical work.

Cat B.

03/07/2014 12:00:00 SA

After getting a new dryer delivered, the tech tried to hook it up but the plug didn't match the outlet. Apparently, I had an old outlet that needed to be upgraded.

I haven't ever used an electrician but I've heard horror stories but this is the exact opposite!

I looked her on Yelp and found Tinpa and Michael! I called around 3:45pm and he asked if I was free around 4:15pm -- the SAME day!!! He showed up right on time with his assistant.

After assessing the situation and my dryer and plug he offered me a new plug instead of a new outlet AND he actually hooked my dryer up for me - saving me from having to call and schedule another time for Sears to come out.

I would definitely, DEFINITELY use Michael again. He was courteous, professional, kind, respectful and offered a great price!!!

Julia K.

7/26/2015

David is fantastic! He recently rewired our entire 1908 house, which still had the knob and tube wiring. He's incredibly detailed and thorough, and made sure to let us know if he had any concerns or if something we asked for might not be up to code (we passed with flying colors). He was also very patient with answering all of my questions, and scheduling his work around some other work we were doing at the house. I would definitely look to David if we have more electrical work come up.

Sarah N.

2/23/2011

Quick update.. Our house was built in the 20's and has an old circular fuse box. Needless to say when we blew a fuse my husband and I had to idea how to replace it and of course with Murphy's Law the fuse blows at 7:30 pm on a freezing night. I called David in a panic with my kitchen and bathroom down, no heat and 7 1/2 months pregnant I was not looking forward to a cold night. To my amazement David told me he would be there in an hour.

At 8:30 pm sharp David and his wife arrived. He checked the fuse box, taught my husband how to replace the fuses and then checked every connection to ensure we were totally safe and running. By 8:45 I had heat and every light was working. David just left about 10 min ago and again he gets 5 stars for the work, the customer service and being willing to come out on a cold night to help two clueless homeowners with an ancient fuse box.

David - You have customers for life! Thanks!

Emi J.

3/29/2012

We can't recommend David and his wife enough for their professionalism and honesty. The do great work and follow up as well.

Scott A.

7/19/2013

My wife and I just moved into our first house and wanted to do some electrical upgrades to bring our 1910 home up to current day standards. After consulting with Yelp and contacting a few different electricians we decided to go with David and we could not have made a better choice.

The first thing that stood out for us when we were meeting with David was his thorough and meticulous knowledge of the current building codes. He knew requirements, regulations and specifics that were needed for our job to pass inspection. He spent the time with us carefully describing these rules and helped us to understand his methods. He met with us about three times before we even hired him for the job to make sure that he answered all of our questions and that we didn't have any remaining concerns. He carefully detailed his plan and made sure our requests were met. On top of all of this, his bid was one of the most competitive that we received.

Once we contracted with David, he found time in his busy schedule to fit in our job and was in and out in less than four days. When it came time for the inspection, it was almost a formality because the Alameda regulators respect David so much that the inspector was just checking to make sure that David completed his usual superb job.

If you have any electrical needs, large or small, I would recommend David and Tinpa Electrical in a heartbeat. When my wife and I decide to move forward with some additional electrical needs in the nearby future, David will be the only person we contact from here on out.

Nik A.

11/13/2017

David was a phenomenal contractor, the best I have ever used, did a fantastic job with the panel and kitchen outlets to bring them up to code. Inspector commented on how clean his installation was and that he always sees great work whenever he checks David's work.

Jonathon G.

2/26/2014

Over the past three years, I've worked with a lot of contractors to update a 1920 craftsman in Alameda and without question, David is the BEST contractor I've had the pleasure of doing business with. Not only was his quote highly competitive, but his level of work was excellent, not to mention David is a fantastic person himself.

David rewired our entire home and with the exception of some holes in the walls to run the wires, we never felt inconvenienced or as if we were living in a construction zone. A friend of mine who is a general contractor remarked how clean everything in my house was even after a day of cutting into the plaster to run the new wires.

The communication about what was going on in the house, decisions to be made, when work would be happening (or if there were any delays), when inspections would be take place, etc was perfectly appropriate; at no point did I feel uninformed or as if I was being lied to.

When searching for an electrician, I read a number of good reviews and was given first-hand recommendations of a several electricians in the East Bay, but I'm glad that I went the route I did. Based on his work in my home and the simple fact that he is pleasant and honest, I would recommend David in a heartbeat for any electrical work that you might need for your home.

Heidi M.

10/04/2018 12:00:00 SA

Excellent service! Responsive professional. Courteous and knowledgable! Provided top level service, at a reasonable price, and was able ot squeeze me in despite a very busy schedule! Thanks so much!!!

Michael S.

1/16/2018

David is a kind and honest person. He is a very skilled electrician. He explained what the issue was and showed me what the problem was before beginning work. He also cleaned up after he was done and left the place in original condition. I recommend his work to potential customers.

Ernest L.

1/28/2012

We wanted an additional cable outlet in our living room and found out that our homeowners association does not permit any visible outside wiring (although they don't seem to have issues with satellite dishes on roofs or balconies - go figure).

So we needed to have an electrician come in to install a new cable jack by splitting the line from an upstairs outlet and fishing it through the wall to our downstairs living room.

After reading the Yelp reviews, we contacted David and Helen at Tinpa Electrical and couldn't have been more pleased with the results. David was very upfront on our first contact and wanted to be sure we understood that he would need to cut small holes in the walls and ceiling in order to locate the cable and bring it downstairs. He quoted an approximate (and very reasonable) price over the phone, but also arranged to come out to look at the job for an exact price quote.

While here for the quote, we also mentioned that we needed a ceiling light fixture installed and he did the job (which we had been trying to do for an hour) in less than 10 minutes.

On the day of the install he arrived promptly, worked quickly and neatly and completed the job in under two hours. He was very careful about keeping the wall hole cutting to a minimum and used a high quality splitter for the cable outlet which works perfectly.

I would not hesitate to use Tinpa again, and highly recommend them to any Yelpers in need of quality electrical work done at very reasonable prices.

Christy Q.

01/11/2014 12:00:00 SA

David exhibited patience, professionalism and expertise during the installation of electrical of our garage. We were adding 12 ceiling lights and multiple outlets throughout in order to make it a functional workshop and garage. David took the time to listen to my husband's vision for the space ahead of time. He was hard-working and on-time and was neat, thoughtful and detailed in his product. For example, he cut out one long, narrow strip of sheetrock to place the multiple outlets above our workbench which allowed us to put the sheetrock back in easily like a puzzle piece. Since we had open trusses in our ceiling, he hid all the wires that he could and made it very neat and attractive.

His price for the job was also lower than the other bids we collected. Tinpa Electrical is a company we would definitley recommend to others.

Carol S.

3/13/2015

I am visiting my family in Alameda and helping to get some work done around the house. David and his helper, Kasey, did an excellent job for us. They removed our old ceiling fan, assembled the new one and relocated the electrical service box. David made sure the new fan was balanced and stable even at its highest speed and that the light worked from both the switch and the pull chain. All for a very good price and without a speck of sheet-rock left behind! David came when he said he would, did a great job and was remarkable responsible about minimizing the mess. We will call him first for anything electrical in the future!

V P.

9/19/2017

What can I say about David from Tinpa Electrical that is not positive? David is fabulous! We moved into our townhouse in 2013, and David has installed 1 chandelier, and 3 ceiling fixtures for us. Also, he has come out on short notice several times to fix burned out sockets, and other electrical issues we've had. Most recently, our kitchen lighting was flickering and went out completely. I contacted David, and we scheduled an appt for 2 days later (he's busy). However, he contacted my the next day and stated that he could come that day. He diagnosed the situation and fixed it. Not only is David a competent electrician, he is also a humble, kind, and respectful person. I would highly recommend David, and I will recommend him to all of my friends.

Carrie H.

12/30/2015

David is great, super responsive and on top of things! Also, super fast turnaround and honest pricing. Thank you!

J C.

4/29/2018

David was very helpful and thorough. He methodically problem solved our electrical issue. I appreciated his professionalism and courtesy. Will totally call him if we need an electrician in the future.

Chris S.

4/16/2016

We've used Tinpa a couple of times. David always explained things very well, presented some different options, and had great pricing. We'll definitely use him again.

M L.

8/19/2013

I hired David to run a dedicated 20A circuit to a bathroom I planned to remodel.
Turned out to be a slightly bigger job since my existing panel couldn't support another circuit. David was really helpful and fair in his recommendations.

We ended up replacing the breaker panel and running the line. Even though I spent more than I anticipated, David's prices are extremely fair and most other electricians in the area.

The quality of his work is excellent. The Alameda city inspectors that came in recognized the fine work and I passed all my electrical with flying colors! The process of pulling a permit and passing the inspections can be a daunting process. I would feel confident in using David's service in the future for any electrical needs regardless of the scale or difficulty.

K S.

02/03/2017 12:00:00 SA

I left a voice message on David's phone but didn't hear from him in the same day. I thought he might call back at the end of the day, so I waited. But nothing happened. The next morning I still didn't hear anything from him. Therefore, I called another electrician, but he was too busy and unable to schedule an appointment until the following week. So I planned to wait a little longer since now I have someone who was going to get back to me. I then wrote a review on Yelp giving one star for not getting any response from David. In the afternoon David called me back and was able to schedule an appointment for the following day. Later on he found out about the Yelp review and asked me to change the review. His explanation was that it takes a business day for him to return calls. I understand that he was busy on his job and he was getting too many calls. So I agreed to change my review.
Initially I was going to wait until the job was done to write a nice review, but I couldn't find out the result until just now because of an unexpected complication. In the meantime, David asked me to remove the previous review. So, not knowing how to remove the old review, I wrote a new review. I don't appreciate being pressured.

Kristin W.

10/24/2015

David has done electrical work for us many times in Alameda. He responds quickly when we contact him and gives us advice on what materials (canned lights, etc.) we will need. He will buy them & bring them with him or let us buy them on our own & have them ready. He is always courteous and professional. David does great electrical work and advises us on the different options we have available. He prices are reasonable & he always explains what he is charging us for. I can't say enough good things about him, but perhaps the thing I love the most is he cleans up any mess that is created from drilling, etc. and is very respectful to not scratch floors, etc. Highly recommended.

Brett S.

06/12/2019 12:00:00 SA

I absolutely find it rewarding as a Homeowner when you're able to support a local business. David with Tinpa Electrical was OUTSTANDING! He was always on time and responded in a timely manner via phone, e-mail or text. His quote was very fair, especially considering we had more electrical work done than we anticipated. David is very familiar what is regulation (code) within Alameda. He took care of all the busy work for us such as secure permits, inspection and coordinate with AMP. After a job was completed, David would make sure the work area was clean and safe. He is very respectful when entering/exiting your home and explains things very well so you have an understanding as to what changes are taking place (or need to take place). I felt that David was very honest in the work that needed to be done and he did not try to up sell us with items that were not necessary. Thank you David for a job well done! We will recommend you to friends and family and will definitely call upon you for any future electrical needs.

Puneet M.

11/20/2014

I haven't logged into yelp in a long time, but after the awesome service that David and his wife provided I wanted to make sure that they got the props they deserve! Had them come out on a few occasions and they've always been prompt, figured out the issue quickly and had very reasonable rates.

Highly recommend the service!

Rachel C.

7/14/2014

We had David install some new recessed and under cabinet lighting in our kitchen and we were so pleased with the work he did. He advised us on the right type lighting to buy and was incredibly patient with sourcing the under cabinet LEDs.

Top notch, very professional work.

Jane M.

12/06/2009 12:00:00 SA

I called Tinpa based on my Yelp search for Alameda electrician, and I definitely lucked out on this one! 2 kindly folks showed up at my house that same evening to fix the 75-year old switch that had finally died... sweet and courteous family service, extremely good rates, and the chance to support local Alameda business! Highly recommended.

Chris C.

6/25/2015

David was very responsive via text message during initial contact with him. However, in one of his text messages he mentioned he doesn't have a business license to work in Oakland. He is only licensed to do business in Alameda.

Vedder M.

11/20/2010

Tinpa Electric is Wei Guo (David) Zeng: He is the electrician you want working on a home you care for. David is thorough, efficient, knowledgeable, professional, accommodating and friendly.

I have a nearly 100-year-old Craftsman in Alameda with a kitchen remodel just completed. I brought in David based on other Yelp reviews and a call to one of his references. David has easily met and exceeded my expectations. He moved and upgraded the service panel, added new electric receptacles, rewired old knob and tube wiring for light fixtures, brought in electricity and lighting to a stand-alone garage, wired the small basement for a washer / dryer and new wiring needed for the kitchen... all with no problems regarding permit requirements (He's licensed in the state of California). When I was faced with options, David patiently explained the choices. At the end of the job, David asked me to rate his performance on an A to F scale (What contractor does this?). He said he wanted to learn how he could do his job better. I said, A+ squared. Excellent work. Sorry, I can't help you get any better than you already are.

Hire David Zeng. In this review the accolades are deserved. His rates are VERY reasonable and he's great at what he does.

Serena D.

11/19/2010

Second time customer...David is just fantastic! He did a wonderful job replacing the breaker box in my home and I would call him back without hesitation for any electrical work.

Most highly recommended!

Justine G.

02/11/2015 12:00:00 SA

A+++

We had an unexpected electrical issue come up in our 1923 home. I called Tinpa Electrical and they helped me right away! He was very professional, kind, and quick! He knew what he was doing, and we felt we were in very good hands. He was even sweet with our daughter and cats! What we were expecting to be a huge bill ended up being super cost effective, and the problem is 100% solved. We will absolutely call Tinpa if we ever need electrical help again!

Yaniv S.

1/23/2016

I called David for a simple problem which he helped me fix over the phone. Very helpful and saved me having him or someone else come in. Definitely will use again!

JT W.

6/18/2011

Oh my god, yes, in agreement with all the other reviews. I picked these guys due to all the yelp raves. David and Helen (and family member helpers) rewired 2/3 of our entire house (1925 craftsmen with lathe and plaster walls and knob and tube wiring- definitely a complicated job) and installed new 200A service panel, for seriously 1/2 to 1/3 of 4-5 other quotes for the same job from many other reputable area electricians. I did my homework.

To semi-quote them (I agree with other review of minor language/communication barriers, but which are easily worked through), they are pairing low hourly rates (like 60/hr!) with solid hard work, high quality, and friendly responsive service in order to build their business and establish a solid clientel (business only 2 years old here in states). Take advantage now before they realize how much more they are worth and raise their rates accordingly.

Passed inspections no problem. David really does know his stuff. All throughout the process his knowledge of most current electrical code checked out (I have a family member who is a building inspector code-enforcement officer). And once again, these people are really nice! Everything you want in someone to contract to come work on your house.

Couple other small things, they are not really pet people so a little afraid of our dogs but tolerated them well. And since David does such quality work and is a family run outfit, bigger and more complicated jobs may take a little longer so be patient with time-frame from start to finish.

Matt W.

12/10/2010 12:00:00 SA

I figured with such a spotless rating on Yelp I couldn't go wrong. I wasn't disappointed. David is friendly, punctual, affordable and does quality work. He installed two new outlets, troubleshot another and brought us up to code in a couple areas. He even straightened up our wiring around the panel. All for a very good price. Believe the reviews, he's that good.

Sharrell W.

5/15/2011

OMG!!! Wow, what can't I say. This husband and wife Team David and Helen are awesome! I am so thankful for Yelp. I am currently remodeling my fathers house in Oakland which is very old and without any upgrades. I called and spoke with David and he accommodated me many of times considering I live is So. CA and fly up every other weekend for this huge project. David was efficient and timely each time we spoke or met. He sketched out my dads layout and what I was asking for. We came up with a price and two days later David and his team came in on white horses saved the day and did a fabulous job on my dad house. I would use and also refer them to anyone. As a matter of fact I will be contacting him this week regarding recessed lighting in the bathroom and possible sconces. Please hire he and his wife they are a great team.

laurie h.

4/15/2011

David upgraded our office electrical when we were on vacation. He did great work, left the place spotless, was very reasonable on his prices. David is a gentleman, always leaves his shoes outside, is a thorough communicator, lets you know what you need to know about what he is doing. Couldn't recommend him more! Thanks David, laurie and Mike in Alameda

Tony A.

6/14/2011

Okay, maybe just a tenth of a star reduction for some very minor lingual mishaps. But these guys are just as good as the reviews stated and I couldn't have been more pleased with their ability to work within our budgetary constraints and the idiosyncrasies of our home. We'd just gotten a secondhand hot tub spa situated in our back yard and wanted the electrical hookup installed before my birthday weekend without breaking the bank.

Their schedule was full but if we could manage a minor task in advance of their arrival, they'd have us up and running by doing a couple of hours after dinner. God bless 'em! I spent my birthday in warm, jet-swirled waters. And I certainly won't have to spend an hour researching who my next electrical contractor will be when I need someone; David and Helen are our new go-to guys!

Sal S.

06/05/2014 12:00:00 SA

My wife and I recently purchased a home in Alameda. We had a fan and light fixture that wasn't working and could not find anyone to look at it for us. We got on Yelp and saw Tinpa Electrical.

We spoke to David and he stopped by and diagnosed the problem on the day we called. The next morning he brought over the parts and got everything working perfectly.

He was very neat and professional and did a good job of explaining how to use the new controller he installed.

The work was done promptly and the price was fair. I would give Tinpa the highest recommendation and will use them for any future electrical work.

Sal

Andrew Y.

6/14/2010

David is unbelievable. He's very helpful. He's knowledgeable and can visualize fixes that you don't see right away. You want your wires to come into your house and be hidden. He can do it. If he has to put a hole in your wall, he can patch it. He's a wealth of knowledge and I'm glad that he's available to us in Alameda. I would definitely use him again.

Marina B.

02/12/2011 12:00:00 SA

Nice, knowledgable & very reasonable. Also called Sunday morning was at our house that afternoon and fixed the problem in less than an hour. I will def. Use David again!

Jonathan S.

8/29/2011

I couldn't agree more with all the other postings. Tinpa Electrical should get 6 stars!

We had quotes from other electricians who all told us they would need to rip out part of the walls to install lights on the ceiling and wanted twice as much. Then, thanks to Yelp, we called Tinpa Electrical and he was able to do the work without any unnecessary cutting and patching.

They work hard, get the job done fast and offer the best prices. I highly recommend Tinpa.

Mary H.

07/06/2016 12:00:00 SA

Well, I can only add to all the five star reviews which are so deserved. Okay, so Home Depot removed my old electric range and left the new range in the middle of my living room at the weekend, saying I needed to get an electrician to put in a new/updated outlet in the kitchen before they could install the range. Ahhh! David totally came to my rescue. Not only did he call me back within the hour but he was available the same day. Lucky me, he had a cancellation! He took out the old outlet and wires (that were all over the kitchen floor) and put in a new range outlet, not jutting out like before but actually in the wall with everything intact - so I could have my new range in the kitchen hurrayyyy - plus he bought and installed the required circuit breaker for the range, installed two new ceiling light fixtures, and fixed a light issue in another room. David is not only a top notch electrician but a great person. And at an affordable rate too! I am more than happy to give Tinpa Electrical my highest recommendation. I actually had David do some electrical work for me back in 2010 and then as now he's knowledgeable meticulous, honest, and does fantastic work. Thank you David!

George A.

04/04/2012 12:00:00 SA

Needed a chandelier type light installed in a high ceiling living room where none existed before. David was able to install new wiring and my light fixture for a very reasonable price. His work is meticulous and clean. He delivered exactly what he promised, showed up on time, and completed the job quickly. I was so pleased with the work and his prices that I went ahead and had him install recessed lighting in my family room.

But here's why he gets a 5 star rated from me:

While turning off the power to do the living room from the control panel, David noticed an improperly installed breaker. He fixed it for no additional cost.

I had failed to purchase the correct dimmer switch for the recessed lighting project. David's wife, without hesitation, went out and got the right one for me saving me the hassle.

I will not hesitate to call Tinpa Electrical for all my future electical needs.

Franck A.

5/24/2013

David is fantastic... He did all my electrical work during the remodel of my house, which was built in 1894. He saved my life and a lot of money. More importantly I passed all inspections in Alameda without any issue. He knows all the building codes related to the his field and will always provide you with the best and cost effective solution. He is very meticulous, affordable, hard-worker, professional, always on-time and never came up with any change order. As a homeowner it has been a pleasure working with him and I wish his company success. I recommend 100% this company. Franck

M N.

7/22/2011

If I could give 10 stars, I would! David is just amazing. He is hardworking, honest, and humble. He knows his stuff and he gets things done so well. I wanted to rewire and install tracklighting in my living room and family room. David came after long day of work and accomodated me into his schedule and he did it all. He also charges really reasonable amount, that I am just really impressed. And he works really hard! I am going to David for all my electrical issues from now on.

Sunny E.

3/23/2012

I called David from Tinpa after my power had been out for over 24 hours. PG&E was not being responsive. He came over within a couple of hours and immediately fixed my problem. He was the most affordable electrician (on an hourly basis) of the three that I had called that day, AND he ended up providing a discount because it was so easy for him to fix my problem! He took the time to explain what had happened, and what I need to do in the future in the event that I had another electrical outage (that was my doing and not necessarily a result of a larger power outage). I also happened to have two outlets that needed fixing, which he did within half an hour. I would definitely call David again if I need an electrician!

Peter R.

01/11/2016 12:00:00 SA

I worked with David and his wife a few times now and can highly, highly recommend them. Very cost efficient and top quality work.

Mischa L.

09/06/2011 12:00:00 SA

I can't recommend Tinpa Electrical enough! We called on a Monday, David and his wife Helen came out to give us a quote a day later and did the work the following Tuesday. They spent a whole day on our small projects and really took their time to make sure it was done right. They were very very nice and we felt that our house was in good hands. We will definitely use them again (which we know we will need to do)! Thank you David and Helen, you were awesome!!! :)

Steph P.

12/29/2012

David is very professional, prompt, efficient and good at his trade. He came to my loft to fix several issues. He was effective, fast and reasonably priced. I am so thankful to have my electrical issues resolved. I would definitely recommend David and I will be sure to call him should I have any future issues.

SassTraveler B.

05/11/2012 12:00:00 SA

Responsive, helpful, capable, reasonable. Installed an outdoor outlet for me by connecting into an indoor outlet on the other side of the wall. Gave me options on the different types, including benefits of each. Made a decision, and they had it done in about one hour. Very pleasant, very polite!

Brian C.

5/29/2013

David redid electrical wiring in my 1974 house and upgraded the circuit board to modern standards. He fixed problem with weekly short circuits and installed outlet for quickly charging our electric car. He did not recommend more work than we needed and charged a fair price. I highly recommend!

Rico Chet R.

11/01/2012 12:00:00 SA

Tinpa Electric is simply the best. I hired David to do the complete electrical for a ground up new residence and his work product is beautiful. He did the rough in electrical, the finish electrical, telephone, cable, CAT5 internet wiring, and audio/video wiring for the whole house. He is very efficient, and on time, working this big project into his schedule without causing any delays for other subcontractors. That's extremely valuable when building a house.

The thing that strikes me the most is that he really takes the time to think things through BEFORE starting the project. He thinks out of the box and visualizes functionality. While we started the rough in work, he would comment about changing the location of various outlets and switches so that the locations would make sense when actually using the switches or plugs. He and his wonderful wife, Helen, recommended dimmers, LED lighting, and placement which resulted in a very beautiful and functional layout. Most of the time, contractors will follow your plans exactly and then charge you for change orders afterwards because the problems arise after the work is done. David really thinks through the changes for you BEFORE you realize you will need them later on.

I interviewed at least 3-4 contractors for every area of the house, plumbing, electrical, heating, roofing, painters, etc and Tinpa Electric is the one company that stands out. My general contractor liked him so much that he started to recommend him as well.

David has also done commercial work as well as residential work for me and the inspections pass with no problem. If you want a family run, honest, reliable, efficient and to top it off a really smart guy, call Tinpa Electric.

Susan F.

11/20/2016

I called David again because I wanted to update all my old pull-cord closet lighting fixtures. He spent a lot of time with me on the phone as well as emailing back and forth about the type of fixtures to get. Unfortunately I listened to the Home Depot people and instead purchased the wrong type of fixtures. So when David and his helper arrived and took a look at all I had purchased, he said none of it could be used. He offered to go with me to purchase the proper fixtures, but I decided that the cost for the installation for hidden wiring, plus the extreme inconvenience of then hiring a drywall contractor to repair what was cut away, or having the ugly exposed wiring, which would meet code, was just more than I wanted to spend and that I'd just live with the very outdated lighting. David and his helper left and was very gracious in not even charging for his time and the trip. What an honorable man!

J Y.

1/18/2010

Right when I had my brand new electric dryer delivered and installed, I had the misfortune of discovering that the existing 220V outlet had never been wired to the electrical panel. A quick search on Yelp led me to Tinpa Electrical. David came out on a Sunday morning and did a very skilled, efficient, and extremely reasonably priced job. Nothing beats freshly dried laundry! The price came in under the estimate and I wouldn't hesitate to call Tinpa again if I need electrical work in the future.

Celia F.

3/28/2011

We had some electrical work we wanted done in our circa 1920s home and found David through yelp. He came and estimated how long the job would take and gave us a very reasonable hourly rate. Not only are we very satisfied with his work but he came in under what his estimated time would be! He really seemed to have our best interest in mind. We are very happy with Tinpa Electric.

debra t.

11/23/2010

Dave handled electric lines to new tankless water heater, pulled the city permits, coordinated with other trades, got the inspector's sign-off, was courteous, skilled and neat. I have found my electrical contractor. Thank you Dave.

r c.

2/27/2010

Tinpa is outstanding! Efficient, knowledgeable, and good value! Thank you for a job well done.

Frank P.

1/28/2015

Weiguo (David) and KC are two of the finest workmen I've met and I spent over 30 years in the Navy, so I know good, hard work and talent when I see it. We had our 1916 Craftsman rewired. Their work is flawless. Their pricing is fair. They pay attention to detail. They are patient. They strove mightily to meet the schedule, and they did. You may have to wait a bit to get on their calendar, but the wait will be worth it. If you want top-notch talent and workmanship, hire Weiguo and KC.

Jim F.

01/11/2010 12:00:00 SA

I have used Tinpa for over a year now. I initially hired David to install a bathroom fan, alone with the required switch. I was planning on cutting the hole for the fan myself, but I quickly realized that David would do a much better job than I, and much faster! He finished that job in less time than estimated, and from then on David has done many jobs in my house, and has done electrical work on my sailboat as well. I cannot say enough about David's professionalism, his honesty and kind ways. You will not be dissatisfied if you hire Tinpa for your next project; large or small.

rebecca c.

03/05/2011 12:00:00 SA

Furnace stopped working. Slept with both dogs for heat last night. PG&E came today & determined it's not a gas or furnace problem, but an electrical one. I've never hired an electrician. Where to start?!?!? Yelp, of course. Tinpa Electrical had nothing but glowing reviews. Called. Wei Guo Zeng (aka David) & his wife were here within 15 minutes. Problem was loose wires in a scary electrical box. Fixed within 20 minutes. VERY reasonable (low) rate, especially considering it was WEEKEND service, with very short notice. They even removed their shoes before coming into house, which, in my house-puts their socks at risk! Nice, friendly, excellent service. Ten stars.

Aaron T.

05/03/2011 12:00:00 SA

David is a top-notch professional. He is reliable with good pricing. We had a problem with our outdoor lights and circuit breaker. Another electrician couldn't solve the problem. David came by and fixed the problem within 90 minutes. Great guy!

Betty H.

4/14/2011

My cousin recommended David who did the all the eletrical at a house he purchased last year. We have a 1930s house with old tube and knob wiring in our garage and ever since we got our new high efficiency washer, the lights would flicker in the living room whenever we did laundry. David was great in replacing some of the knob and tube wiring that we had since I didnt want to replace everything in the garage and then redoing some of the lighting I had in the garage along with putting my washer & dryer on a dedicated circuit and doing a couple of other items and all within a reasonable price. I will definitely be using David again for my electical needs. Plus he was great in doing the work in So. San Francisco when he's located in Alameda.

Reva K.

8/17/2014

I had a few electrical problems around the house and finally decided to call an electrician. Looked on Yelp and decided to use Tinpa Electrical based on the reviews. Wow, I was so impressed. I called early Saturday morning and David was able to work me in that afternoon. David and Casey (David's intern) arrived at the house were friendly, listened to the issues and fixed the items promptly. I trust them. I also appreciate a company owner that will take time to train others. I watched how David let Casey do the work and guided him through the areas where Casey had questions. That is a good teacher. The prices were very reasonable. Thanks David and Casey - really nice job.

A C.

5/15/2010

I called David on a Saturday afternoon and he was able to come by same day. He replaced a faulty outdoor GFCI which kept tripping causing my irrigation system to be ineffective. He quoted a reasonable price on the phone and stuck to it. He wouldn't even accept a tip for his speedy and efficient service on a Saturday. I couldn't have found him without Yelp's help. Thanks everyone!

Missy B.

03/11/2011 12:00:00 SA

I can't recommend Tinpa highly enough. David was prompt, reliable, professional and reasonable. And his wife even cleaned the cover to a light fixture. Great company. I am very satisfied. Thanks so very much.

Jason Y.

04/08/2014 12:00:00 SA

I called Tinpa Electrical with an urgent request to install a 220V outlet. I was in a jam because a new appliance had to be installed that day, but we discovered the missing outlet at the last minute. David listened to our problem over the phone and offered to come out in the late evening to help us out. He didn't even start the job until almost 6pm. Kudos for the flex hours. Very friendly, knowledgeable, and cleaned up really well. He even helped me move the old oven out to the curb. Very satisfied and will be a repeat customer.

Judith M.

9/19/2012

I had the original knob & tube wiring in my 1920s house brought up to code by Tinpa Electric. They did an excellent job, were very careful to keep the work areas as clean as possible, and were extremely professional. They were very good at keeping me informed of how the job was progressing, and completed it on time. They're also a pleasure to have around--just really nice people. And to top it off, the price was very reasonable! Great job!

Eleonore H.

2/17/2014

Absolutely professional! Needed new wiring for my microwave oven from the panel in the garage to the kitchen. David came up with an easy solution, drafted the drawing for the permit in no time and finished the work within the time frame estimated. He also found a safety issue with my heater and fixed it on the spot. I am very grateful to have found his service and plan to use it in the future.

Deb B.

9/23/2011

Wow! Just off the phone with David who helped me diagnose and fix a problem over the phone free of charge. It was relatively simple, but another electrician I talked to this morning quoted $250 for coming out for a diagnostic and fix. David insisted on not charging for the time, but I plan to send him a check anyway.

Zack B.

2/18/2013

Absolutely amazing! It's rare when a service professional blows my mind with their professional, humble, expert, well priced skills. David came to my house of Friday at 6PM and installed some dimmer switches till about 8PM. He was basically booked, but squeezed me in cause I have a new baby and needed help. His price was half of what one of his competitors quoted. Really really awesome, will definitely use David in the future and recommend him to my friends/colleagues.

Tighe P.

09/04/2011 12:00:00 SA

David and Helen were professional, friendly, and proficient. They also did the job for a very reasonable price. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking to get electrical work done in the bay area.

Di Y.

1/23/2013

David is a very professional electrician. Some parts of my house were out of power earlier this winter. I called David and he came with Helen to help me in a very short time. In five minutes he figured out that it was a circuit breaker related issue. After spending a lot of time finding out the well-hidden breaker (there are two separate breaks in my house: one is in the garage, and the other one is behind a wall installed closet...), David also helped me test out each outlet that is connected to that breaker, and suggested me not to connect high power electrical equipments with those outlets since it is hard to reach the hidden breaker if it turns off again. I felt so lucky to have David as my electrician. I would definitely call him again if I have any future issues!

Chris Y.

7/16/2013

I have to concur with the other reviewers that David was prompt, knowledgeable, patient, and very professional. He did a great job with 3 small outlet repairs for me and I am very happy with the whole experience. I'd hire him again and would recommend him to others as well.

N K.

6/21/2013

David fixed our kitchen lights--reliable, fast, inexpensive..great experience!!

CA Reviewer P.

09/06/2013 12:00:00 SA

I selected David after reading the Yelp reviews. All the reviews were right on...he does great work and is extremely trustworthy. Not only that, but I had quite a small job and other electricians were not even interested in doing the work. David stopped by on this way to one of his larger jobs and took care of my electrical issue. I felt very lucky that I selected the right electrician..!

David A.

4/29/2012

Man have I been on a winning streak lately. Tinpa Electrical rounds out my finding good quality help. Honesty and integrity, follow up and suggestions... it was all there. We did a LOT of electrical work. moving outlets, setting new lights, upgrading the whole works. I just can't say enough about them, They just flat out care about quality workmanship.

Peter H.

08/04/2011 12:00:00 SA

David and Helen are the best we've come across. We recently moved into a house in Berkeley and were told by all other electricians (we got estimates from 4!) that to get a new outlet into one of the rooms would be next to impossible due to the construction of that particular room. David said, everything is possible, it just depends on how. He was able to not only do the job, but took on the entire rewiring of the house so quickly and beautifully, that we were dumbstruck. David and Helen are reliable, courteous, modest and hardworking beyond the call of duty. Although David is a licensed electrician and knows the Berkeley labyrinth of laws intimately, if you ask, you will find out that he used to work as a general contractor as well, and thus understands the structure of houses from start to finish - a huge plus in that business. He reads up on everything and knows his job better than anyone I've seen. He also charges the most reasonable prices of all the ones we tried. In short, David and Helen are the correct choice!