Have a question about our electrical services? Browse the categories below for quick answers. If you don't find what you're looking for, give us a call at (843) 754-1671.
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Beyond the most common questions, Charleston-area homeowners and business owners ask us a lot of follow-up questions about how electrical work in the Lowcountry actually gets done. Here are deeper answers to the questions that come up most often after the initial conversation, organized by topic.
Most EmergenServe residential service work is priced by the job, not by the hour. We arrive, diagnose the issue, and present a written quote with the total price before any repair work begins. This protects you from surprise charges and protects us from disagreements about how long a repair should have taken. For larger projects like panel upgrades, EV chargers, generators, and remodel electrical, we provide a detailed written estimate that breaks out materials, labor, permitting, and any optional upgrades.
We do charge a small diagnostic fee for service calls. That fee covers the trip out, the on-site diagnosis, and the written quote. If you authorize the recommended repair, the diagnostic fee is credited toward the work. If you decide not to proceed, you have a written assessment of what is wrong and what it would cost to fix, useful information whether you proceed with us or not.
Charleston, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Summerville, and the surrounding municipalities all require electrical permits for any new circuit, service change, panel work, or major addition. Light fixture replacements, outlet replacements, and most simple device swaps do not require a permit. When a permit is required, we pull it in our name as the licensed electrical contractor and we coordinate the inspection. Permit and inspection costs are itemized in your written quote, never hidden.
Every EmergenServe job is backed by a written workmanship warranty. If something we installed or repaired fails due to our work, we return and fix it at no charge. Manufacturer warranties on parts (breakers, panels, EV chargers, generators, fixtures) follow the manufacturer's terms, and we help you process any warranty claims that arise.
We carry general liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance on every employee, and we are happy to provide certificates of insurance to property managers, HOAs, and commercial clients on request. This protects you from any liability if an incident occurs during work on your property.
EmergenServe answers the phone 24/7 for true electrical emergencies. A 'true emergency' includes complete outages with utility power confirmed on, smoke or burning smells from outlets or panels, sparking, exposed energized conductors, water intrusion into electrical equipment, and any condition that puts your family or property at immediate risk. Non-emergency issues (a single dead outlet, a flickering light, a planned upgrade) are scheduled for the next available business day to keep emergency capacity open for genuine emergencies.
Yes, EmergenServe offers financing options for panel upgrades, generators, EV chargers, and other larger residential and commercial projects. Ask your estimator for current financing terms.
Yes. We offer annual and semi-annual maintenance and inspection contracts for residential and commercial customers who want predictable preventive care for their electrical systems.
Absolutely. We routinely provide second-opinion estimates and assessments. Our diagnostic fee applies, but you walk away with a written, independent professional assessment of the work being recommended by another contractor.
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