Electrical service: fixtures, outlets, switches, and EV chargers
Half-price unlicensed electrical work is how homeowner's insurance gets denied after a fire. Every outlet swap or fixture change stays under §7048; panels, circuits, and EV chargers route to a C-10 licensed electrician. Clear from quote one.
What electrical covers
DIY vs. hire — which makes sense for your job
When DIY works
Replacing a light fixture with identical amperage on a confirmed-off circuit is the safest DIY — confirm breaker off with a non-contact tester, photo the old wiring, match white-to-white / black-to-black / ground-to-green. Everything past that (new outlets on existing circuit, switches for 3-way, anything with load rating) pushes into code territory where a $60 call saves $6,000 in insurance denial.
When to hire
A pro verifies breaker states, uses a voltage tester on the wire nuts before touching, follows NEC code for box fill and amperage, and leaves a photo log of the install. Most fixture swaps: 30-45 minutes. New circuit: 2-4 hours + permit.
Permit, license, and safety
California's electrical rules are strict. A handyman can swap a light fixture, outlet, or switch with same-amperage under §7048 if total job cost is under $500. Any new circuit, panel work (even adding a sub-panel or changing breakers), service entrance, EV charger circuit, solar service-panel work, or anything that requires LADBS permit — licensed C-10 electrician only. Permit and inspection handled by the electrician, not the homeowner.
Common permit triggers: new circuits over 20A, EV charger circuits (always), panel upgrades (always), service meter swaps (always, involves DWP coordination), and any work inside the main panel. Skipping permits is high-risk: insurance carriers deny fire claims when unpermitted electrical work is identified as the cause.
This hub covers electrical generally. We serve Los Angeles County — for LA-specific pricing, neighborhood-level detail (pre-1978 homes, earthquake considerations, HOA rules), and typical local sub-contractor routing, see our Los Angeles electrical page.
Related reading
A few pieces we wrote for LA homeowners thinking about this category:
- Knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring in LA — How to identify legacy wiring and what you can and cannot do without re-wiring.
- Installing an EV charger at your LA home — Panel capacity, permit path, and why the cheapest bid is usually the slowest install.
Related services
Ready to get it done?
Tell us what you need. We'll match you with a vetted Los Angeles pro.