Everything LA homeowners commonly ask about residential electrical work — pricing, permits, code, panels, EV chargers, warranties. Organized by category. Click any question to expand.
Yes. Alpha One Electric is a California C-10 licensed electrical contractor (CSLB #1137961). We carry $2,000,000 general liability insurance and full workers’ compensation coverage. Our license can be verified directly with the California Contractors State License Board.
We serve greater Los Angeles, with a focus on Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Woodland Hills, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Tarzana, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Northridge, Porter Ranch, and surrounding cities. Full city list on our Service Areas page.
Most LA estimate requests get a response same-day and a same-day or next-day site visit. Call before noon and we typically have a written estimate to you the same day.
No. All site visits and written estimates are free. We don’t charge for assessment, load calculations, or written quotes.
Yes. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and bank transfer. For larger projects we also offer milestone payment schedules tied to project phases.
Most LA residential panel upgrades range $3,400 to $8,500 depending on amperage, location, and whether LADWP service-drop coordination is required. Itemized written quote on every job. See our Panel Upgrades page for full details.
Most LA EV charger installs run $1,400 to $3,200 if your panel can handle the load. If a panel upgrade is needed first, total cost rises to $5,000-$10,000. EV Charger Installation page has the full breakdown.
Yes — for projects over $2,500 we work with multiple financing partners offering rates from 0% APR introductory periods to longer 60-84 month terms. See our Financing page for details.
Premium-tier electrical work costs more because we use Siemens panels, Leviton Decora finish devices, rigid steel conduit on exterior runs, full LADBS permits, and professional inspection coordination. Cheaper quotes typically use bargain-tier panels, fewer permits, and less attention to finish.
Yes — for any new circuit, panel work, service upgrade, EV charger, pool electrical, or major rewiring. Replacing existing fixtures one-for-one usually doesn’t require a permit, but anything more substantial does. Unpermitted work can void insurance and create disclosure issues at sale.
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is the safety standard for residential electrical work. The 2023 edition is the current adopted version in California. It includes specific requirements for AFCI/GFCI protection, tamper-resistant outlets, EV charger circuits, and panel grounding. We build every job to NEC 2023.
We do. Alpha One Electric pulls every permit through the right authority (LADBS for City of LA, LA County DPW for unincorporated areas, City of Malibu Building & Safety for Malibu). You don’t make any calls.
For panel upgrades and service work, LADWP needs to disconnect and reconnect your power at the higher service capacity. We coordinate the shutoff date with DWP, meet their crew on-site, and handle the inspection. You don’t need to call DWP.
Most residential electrical permits in LA issue within 3-5 business days. Larger projects (whole-home rewires, multiple circuits) can take 1-2 weeks. We file the day you approve the quote.
For most modern LA homes, 200A is the right answer. Older homes with 100A often run out of capacity once you add an EV charger or modern HVAC. Larger luxury homes (4,000+ sq ft) typically run 320A or 400A.
Siemens SN/PN-series panels have the cleanest internal layout, the most reliable bus and breaker contact, and parts that stay available for decades. We don’t install other brands.
Almost always yes. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok and Zinsco panels have well-documented failure patterns. Most insurance underwriters now require replacement.
All of them. Tesla, Rivian, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Lucid, Audi, Polestar — every modern EV charges on a standard Level 2 outlet or hardwired charger.
For most homeowners with one Tesla: Wall Connector is cleaner. For multi-EV households or homes that may switch car brands: NEMA 14-50 with a portable charger gives flexibility. We talk through trade-offs on the site visit.
LADWP’s Charge Up LA program currently offers up to $1,000 in residential rebates for Level 2 EV charger installation. The rebate goes directly to you, not us. We provide all required paperwork.
Most LA homes built before 1955 originally had knob-and-tube. To verify, check the attic — K&T uses ceramic insulators (knobs) and ceramic tubes through joists. Or ask us to look during a free site visit.
Three possible causes: overloaded circuit, short circuit, or failing breaker. We diagnose with proper tools (clamp meter, circuit tracer) and fix the actual cause, not the symptom. See our Troubleshooting page.
Turn off the breaker for that circuit immediately. Don’t plug anything in. Call us — burning smell is one of the urgent issues we treat as priority dispatch. Most cases are loose connections that need rework.
Every Alpha One Electric installation comes with a written workmanship warranty. If something fails because of how we installed it, we fix it. No fine print, no run-around.
Siemens panels carry separate manufacturer warranties (typically 10 years on breakers, lifetime on the bus). Lutron, Leviton, Hayward, and other brands all carry their own manufacturer warranties. We provide the documentation.
If a city inspection fails because of how we installed something, the rework is on us. We pay for the re-inspection fee, do the corrections, and return for the second pass. First-pass inspection success is the standard.
Free phone consultation. No high-pressure sales. We’ll answer your specific question and tell you straight whether we’re the right call for your project.