FAQs on Electrical Services

Yes, we are an Idaho licensed electrical contractor, and our electricians maintain active licenses in the state of Idaho. We also carry commercial general liability insurance with coverage that is typical for contractors.

Our team has over 40 years of combined experience installing electrical wiring and systems for residential, commercial, and industrial applications and jobs of all sizes.

Electricians typically handle the permitting process. There are a few exceptions, however, clients risk failing a final inspection by missing code requirements in their state if they are not working with a licensed contractor with a Master Electrician or multiple Master Electricians employed.

While not all electricians include permit and inspection fees in estimates, our quotes always include the cost of required permits and inspections.

When you partner with Panhandle Electric, we will assign one or several of our professional, trained and licensed electricians to perform the actual work based on the scope and timing. We are always happy to have you meet our actual team of professionals before you start your project.

For new construction and renovation projects, we recommend that only licensed contractors are on-site during active construction or electrical work to maintain a safe workspace. However, we encourage our clients to meet with us before and after projects are complete and/or schedule time to meet or review an active project so safety risk can be proactively minimized in advance of arrival.

Installation of a few lights, outlets, and/or switches can typically be completed in less than a few hours, however, depending on the scope, electrical projects can take up to a few weeks. Once we understand the scope of any intended project, we provide estimated time of completion to our clients so they can plan around the project as needed.

For new construction projects, additional costs can come up if clients decide to change the scope of the project after work has commenced. An example would be deciding to install upgraded lights that are a different size than originally intended. That change would likely require additional work or re-work depending on the stage.

For renovation projects, additional costs frequently come up with issues with past electrical work or electrical code violations are uncovered. We do our best to predict any surprise costs upfront based on our decades of experience, however, additional costs are common during renovation.

Electricians must complete rigorous in-class and on-site training and certification to obtain and maintain electrical licenses in the state in which they operate. These requirements involve maintaining a working knowledge of thousands of electrical code requirements to maintain safe electrical installations. Years of training, technical expertise, and risk of electrocution are some of the reasons why electricians charge what they do. Electrical contractors also must cover the cost of overhead in the hourly rate that they charge for their electricians. Overhead costs include cost of business requirements such as insurance, licensing, training, equipment, tools, warehouse space, work vehicles, etc.

Some electricians require clients to buy materials, however, we typically prefer to buy materials since we get discounts on electrical components since we oftentimes buy materials in bulk and direct which allows us to source parts are a lower cost than a client might obtain if they were to purchase materials on their own. We can also ensure the right light fixtures, ceiling fans, etc. are purchased in accordance with the scope of the project and any installation nuances when we buy materials directly. Despite several advantages of having your electrician source materials directly, some of our clients prefer to buy their own materials which is fine as long as coordinated in advance of starting a project.

Many electricians and contractors require up-front deposits to help cover materials cost incurred in advance or immediately when starting a new project and to help cover labor costs for the first week or two or work.

Panhandle Electrical typically require deposits for large projects ($5,000 - $100,000+) with new clients to cover upfront materials cost and labor cost for the first few weeks of work before we begin ordinary course billing post-completed work. Deposits are typically 25% or less of the overall cost and we have flexible terms on payment.

While not all electricians warranty their work, we warranty all workmanship provided by our employees be done in accordance with the National Electrical Code, be free from defects, including the installation of parts and repairs, for two years, and will repair any installation that we find to be defective free of charge, subject to the limitations detailed below.

Limited Lifetime Parts Warranty
Panhandle Electric warrants that all parts provided and installed by our employees be free of defects for two years and that we will replace, repair, or provide a refund for damaged or defective parts (at our discretion) free of charge. This warranty is subject to the limitations detailed below. Parts that are discovered to be defective within one year (365 days) of installation are covered by full warranty including the cost of the installation of the new part. Parts that are discovered to be defective after one year are covered under a limited lifetime warranty that covers the cost of the part but not installation. Panhandle Electric must be notified within 30 days of discovering the failed part for it to be covered under this warranty.

Non-Durable Replaceable Parts
Non-Durable Replaceable Parts are parts that have a limited life expectancy and are designed to be replaced. These types of parts are specifically excluded from this warranty and are not covered by Panhandle Electric. These types of parts include but are not limited to Light Bulbs, Ballasts, Transformers, Fuses, Batteries, etc.

LED Light Bulbs
LED light bulbs provided and installed by Panhandle Electric are covered under our part warranty for 1 year after installation. Warranty claims for LED bulbs must be made within the 365-day warranty period. This warranty extends to defective products or improper installation. Acts of God, abuse, or physical damage are not covered under this warranty.

Surge Protection
Panhandle Electric guarantees the proper installation of surge protectors under this warranty. Panhandle Electric does not guarantee, insure, or warranty against lighting or electrical surges except to the extent that Panhandle Electric will provide a new surge protector in the event one should fail under the Limited Lifetime Parts Warranty. Claims for components damaged by lightning or electrical surges are covered by the manufactures warranty only and not covered under this warranty.

Exception:
Non-Durable Replaceable Parts that were not properly installed are covered under the parts warranty.

General Conditions and Exclusions:
This warranty extends only to parts and labor provided by Panhandle Electric. Parts provided by others or installations done by others are expressly excluded from this warranty. This warranty does not cover items damaged by acts of nature, misuse, repair by others, or abuse. Light bulbs are expressly excluded from this warranty. Panhandle Electric provides no warranty coverage for light bulbs that were properly installed. Remedies for warranty claims are limited to the repair or replacement of the damaged part or faulty installation up to but not exceeding a full refund for the installation or faulty portion of the installation. This warranty does not cover the cost of repairs made by others unless authorized in writing by Panhandle Electric. This warranty does not apply to installations or parts for which Panhandle Electric has not received payment. Failure to pay for a service or installation voids any warranty coverage offered by Panhandle Electric. No warranty coverage is extended to pro gratis or courtesy repairs. This warranty is non-transferable and is only enforceable by the original purchaser. No warranty coverage or guaranties are extended to subsequent owners or occupants.

Both kinds of outlets feature hot and neutral wires, but the big difference is that three-prong outlets have a grounding wire, while two-prong outlets don't have one. Since three-prong outlets feature this grounding wire, they're much safer than two-prong outlets.

First, check that there are not too many appliances plugged into one circuit, as this can overload it. If it’s just one appliance, unplug it and either replace it or call a licensed electrician to repair it. You could also try connecting another appliance to the problematic receptacle. If it still shows signs of trouble, have the receptacle replaced and/or the circuit checked by a licensed electrician.

The average American experiences about 2 hours of power outage annually, excluding major weather events, according to the Energy Information Administration. That number tripled when events like winter storms, wildfires, and hurricanes factor in. Living in North Idaho, winter storms frequently cause power outages and with sub-freezing temperatures, people are more susceptible to extreme cold, as well as food spoilage, and even major home damage if pipes freeze.

In addition to weather, the power grid is also vulnerable to physical attacks. Attacks on U.S. power grids rose to an all-time high in 2022, with physical threats to electric infrastructure up 77% to 163, according to the DOE. Power grids are becoming a popular target of domestic extremists, who strike transformers and power lines in potentially coordinated attacks. Backup generators and/or solar installations can mitigate the risk of sustained power outages.

Our team at Panhandle Electric is highly experienced with installing back-up power generators for one or multiple residences or buildings. We can help you with everything from finding the right generator, to installing a generator and an automatic transfer switch if you would like your generator to automatically turn on in the event of a power outage.