You should avoid doing your own residential electrical work for both safety and regulatory reasons.  Working on wiring without the right amount of experience and training, even for minor repairs, could be dangerous.  Any electrical repairs in the home need to be compliant with safety codes and only a trained electrician is properly equipped to complete the work both safely and legally. A certified electrician will have a license from the state that permits them to perform certain repairs for your home’s electrical system.

This depends on the nature of the project.  For certain small jobs, we can provide a remote estimate through a quick phone call or some pictures or measurements from the homeowner.  With larger and more complex jobs, a site visit will often be necessary.  In that case we generally will be onsite briefly to inspect the situation and then within 24 hours, on average, we will get an estimate returned to you electronically.  If permitting is required for your project, Fischer will outline what is required and help with the process.  This will be addressed in the estimating process.

The best approach if you think you might need an upgrade is to call an electrician to have an assessment.  If you notice visibly worn or fraying wiring, you will need a new panel.  If you need to add circuits into your home, you may need an upgrade.  If your panel is not up to compliance with current Washington building code and safety regulations you should consult with your electrician about an upgrade.  Fuses are commonly used in older homes electrical panels but these are not considered a fire hazard, if you have these you should call an electrician to upgrade you to modern circuit breakers.  If you are planning to install newer electrical equipment in your home, for example, air conditioning, a hot tub, or a new refrigerator, you may need to upgrade your electrical panel to ensure compatibility with the new equipment.