I asked for an estimate multiple times which the owner promised but did not deliver. Instead I sent the owner a list that was a summary of the items we discussed which he had estimated 2-3 days to complete. After insisting on the cost before the project started, I received a rate in a text message which I multiplied by time estimate to come up with a cost.
After 2 days of work by two electricians sent by the owner, I received an invoice equivalent to cost of the entire project. At this point the lights were blinking and could only be shut off at the breaker, the fan was not working properly, and most of the work was still incomplete. I called the owner to ask why he was billing for the entire project. He said you can just pay it - we will get it done. When I said I shouldn't have to pay for the entire project before the work is complete and explained the problems so far, he said it's ok just pay part of it.
This led me to believe my understanding of the cost to complete the project and the rate was correct. I paid my estimated time they were at my house and thought the balance would be for the rest of the project. Instead, I got more invoices, the work wasn't getting done, and eventually needed to be fixed by other people.
Before hiring someone else, I requested an estimate for the remaining work and clarification as to how subsequent invoices were calculated got no response. I asked the owner in email if he could come on site to help finish up the project and got no response. After finding even more problems in my house (cut wires hid in the wall mentioned below) I asked the owner to call me multiple times and instead got numerous text messages. He promised to call me but never did.
Finally, I sent him a letter explaining the problems, sent a check I thought was fair, and hired someone else to finish the work. He refused to cash the check and put a lien on my house.
I hired two different electrical companies and below are the problems they found with the work.
Line voltage electricians:
* Unable to locate a permit in the city's online records.
* Found the dimmer at Living Room was the incorrect type which caused the lights to not work properly and at times not work at all. Replaced Dimmer and tested.
* Found the Electric Hot Water Heater Circuit was on a 20-Amp Circuit Breaker, code requires this to be on a 30 amp breaker to provide sufficient power. [TR: Electricians on site from Parker Electric told me on site the breaker did not need to be upgraded. The owner sent me a quote to upgrade the breaker after I hired someone else.]
* Found incorrect supply voltage at fan. Fan was supplied with 240v which caused the fan to fail. We re-wired fan for correct voltage of 120v and replaced fan.
* Found existing wiring to be fed from 15-Amp Lighting Circuit. Code requires a dedicated 20-Amp Circuit for Bathroom Receptacles. Corrected and tested.
* In addition, they completed all the items from a list I sent to the owner of Parker Electric after he came to my house to document what we discussed, which he said would take 2-3 days and was not anywhere near finished in that time frame and most of what was had to be re-done.
These are the items documented by the low voltage electricians:
* Her exhaust fan for her rack was installed backwards.
* The new DSL line was terminated different on both sides so there is no way it could work.
* And I found spliced speaker wire hiding behind a 2 x 4.
* In addition to the above three items, the subsequent electricians quickly installed the boxes with banana plugs in the wall as I originally requested and never got from Parker Electric (in fact, I gave up after so many attempts and agreed to something I didn't want just to try to get things working). The new electricians got the stereo equipment working in less than one day the way I wanted, which Parker Electric didn't have completed after coming to my house four times.
I am very happy with the work done by the subsequent electricians.
