I had electricity problems in the house where only some areas of house had power, majority of house did not have power. This was on a weekend too. I found Howard through Yelp, and he was available and at once agreed to show up. He came, analyzed the situation, and figured out the root cause. There was some lack of information on my end regarding wiring layouts in my house, but he figured it out by himself. Then he went on to fix the problem. While he was fixing the root cause, he also pointed out what was the issue in depth, what caused the outage, etc. He's a great guy with 40+ years of experience in this field. He claims to have done big projects as well. His experience was evident in the work he did and the way he approached the problem. I would highly recommend him if you are considering an electrician for your issues. read more

We contacted Howard after buying a new home with some electrical issues. He went through the inspection report with us and explained all the findings and what needed fixing. He was quick and responsive and very professional. He did great work and explained everything he was doing. We will definitely be contacting him for any future electrical work and would highly recommend him. read more

I'd managed to accumulate a handful of electrical problems in my home, and it was time to find a reliable electrician. Howard Simons turned out to be the guy, and he was great! With his many years of experience, Howard knocked them off in no time--not only replacing a number of worn out dimmer switches, but also repairing a faulty three-way switch and wiring an outdoor outlet to a newly installed switch indoors. He was pleasant and accommodating. Reasonably priced as well! read more

Howard installed a Tesla Wall Connector in my detached garage and was an absolute pleasure to work with. He didn't shy away from having to run dozens of feet of thick wires through existing underground conduit, and accommodated all of my special requests around details of how I wanted him to install everything. He gave by far the most reasonably priced estimate, and was experienced with Tesla chargers already. Equipment functions flawlessly and I can definitely recommend him to anyone else who prefers working with an experienced small business. You're definitely not making a mistake! read more

I called Howard about a plug-in wall plate that stopped working, he told me what the most likely problem was and I tried his solution; it worked this guy is the best read more

Loved that he showed up at in a mask and wore one the whole time he was working in our home. Safety is really important to us during this time. He showed up on time, was the best price by far for the work, and finished ahead of schedule. He worked with us around our timeline and our availability and was extremely communicative. I felt he was extremely trustworthy and delivery excellent work. We have found our electrician for all our future work and would extremely recommend. read more

We had some outside electrical work that needed to be done and based on the Yelp reviews, we contacted Howard. We couldn't have made a better choice! Howard was right on time, very courteous, did great work and was quite reasonable with his pricing. I will be sure to contact Howard in the future for any other electrical issues that may arise in our home. read more

We called Howard this afternoon (the day before Thanksgiving) when we lost power in 1/3rd of our house. Howard discovered that our basement renovation resulted in multiple junction boxes being dry-walled over (a big no-no). After explaining the problem, he took the time to tediously saw holes and follow the BX cable from the fuse box through the ceiling to find the proper junction box. All in all, it took 3 hours, but Howard found the problem (a bad connection at the junction box) and fixed it. Sure, we'll have to fix the drywall, but it couldn't have been fixed otherwise. Furthermore, it will allow us to put in the proper access doors at the junction box locations to prevent it from happening again. With 18 people coming over for Thanksgiving in 16 hours, it would be no understatement to say that Howard saved our Holiday (and at a reasonable price). We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Howard to anyone needing work done. read more

It's hard to find a good electrician and one you can trust nowadays. They always wanna price gouge and cheat you for services you don't need. Well that's not the case with Howard. He did a phenomenal job completing 4 new outlets and putting them on a separate circuit. He also did a couple of other things which were not included in the estimate. He charged a fair and honest price and didn't require me to leave any kind of deposit for an estimate. All the work was clean and I have only the utmost respect for what he does. I would highly recommend Howard and would definitely use him again. He's definitely from the old school of when people actually cared about customer service and doing the job right. read more

Howard is the REAL DEAL. I needed some major electrical work done on my new (older) home, and had several electricians come in to give me an estimate. As i mentioned, this was no small job, the house was still wired to a fuse box from the '50s, so hopefully you can imagine what kind of undertaking this was. Out of all the estimates I received, the thing that stuck out about Howard was his attitude. While the other 3 electrician's (who I found on Yelp) gave me long-winded, repetitive, and overly salesy pitches; Howard gave it to me straight. He told me what needed to be done, asked what I wanted to address, informed me how many days the job would potentially take, and then he left. no nonsense. no drama. no BS. After considering all the other estimates, I chose to move forward with Howard and let me tell you I made the right choice. Everything I asked for was completed per my original request. The price was competitive, yet reasonable. The job was completed on time without any problems. What more could you want from your electrician. If you want to be coddled by your electrician, then look elsewhere. If you want to be 'scared' into getting more work done, then look elsewhere. If you want to overpay for your electrical work, then look elswhere. BUT If you want an experienced electrician who will LISTEN to you, give you a fair deal, and complete the job successfully, then Howard is your guy. *** if you leave him an email/voicemail, and he doesn't follow-up right away, don't get discouraged. Howard is a very busy guy and is always out on a job- be patient! He WILL get back to you. read more

After reading the reviews, I would have expected more. After coming in to the house and helping resolve the problem (a minor one) he stayed around 20 minutes longer to make the total time over 1hr, and billed us more. He also didn't want to take his shoes off when coming in the house and did not have covers for them...on a rainy day, I would expect a Yelp 5 star to have been more courteous. On the bright side, he charged the hourly rate that he states and he came on time. All in all, an average experience. read more

Hopefully this 5-star review helps balance out the guy who got free advice and decided as a thanks he would harm this guy's perfect rating. What a tool. I would hire Howard again to do work in my home. The cost was extremely reasonable. The job was installing an extra breaker and running a new circuit in my basement with two extra outlets and extending an existing line for a 3rd outlet. Howard 1) Picked up the phone when I called 2) Came over to provide an estimate quickly 3) Has a good appointment turnaround 4) Shows up on time 5) Keeps the work area clean 6) Is happy to answer any and every question. We have been burned by different contractors and handymen in different ways (we're young first-time homeowners with a fixer-upper) so I really appreciated that Howard looked at the problem we had, provided a fixed-bid amount to do this job, and made sure that he was doing exactly what we wanted with our home. read more

I hired Howard Simons Electrical when I somehow lost electricity to the 2nd floor of my house while at work one day. I called Howard at 6:30 pm and he was able to come out the next day (.We used a few long extension cords from downstairs to get us through the night ) Howard tested the circuit box and found the problem quickly. He went to his truck, got the parts and fixed the problem- and explained what he did and why. My 2nd floor electricity was restored within 30 minutes and I was charged $100 total parts/labor. Howard was very pleasant and courteous and knew what he was doing. I would not hesitate to hire Howard SImons Electrical for any future electrical repair. read more

Howard is the man. Straight and to the point. He fixed our electrical breaker problem and was honest about it. I got other electricians to come out and they all said I needed to replace the entire electrical service to the tune of about $2000-3000. Howard told me that he would not replace the service unless need be and he did not think it was necessary. He will be our go-to electrician from this point on. Call Howard, you wont be sorry. He may be busy so be patient and wait for a call back. It is worth the wait for someone honest and whom will save you money in this day and age. read more

I needed some electrical work done for a kitchen remodel and called Howard Simons from a recommendation by a friend. Not only did he perform the work in a timely, professional manner--he found a serious problem in wiring done by a previous electrician. Howard is now my go-to guy for any electrical work on my house. read more

Howard is excellent. I highly recommend him. I first called him a few weeks ago when I had an electrical issue in my master bath. While we were talking on the phone, he advised me to check the simple things first, like the circuit breaker. Turns out, the circuit breaker had popped. Switched it back on, and most (but not all) of my problem was solved. I appreciated his willingness to help troubleshoot over the phone -- even when he wasn't getting paid. Howard came to the house a few days later to resolve the remainder of the issue. A couple of hours later all was well again! He even installed an exhaust fan/light while he was here. Howard is friendly, knowledgeable, prompt, and professional. If I need any additional electrical work in the future, he's my guy. read more

Howard was prompt and did a great job separating and creating new circuits in our home. We discussed and agreed on pricing before he completed any work, and stuck to the quoted price. I recommend and would definitely use Howard again. read more

I was visiting family in Skokie and my great-Aunt's ceiling fan had clearly been broken for awhile. We found Howard on Yelp and he was able to come the next day and fixed it immediately. He was super pleasant and really knew his stuff. My great-Aunt now loves him and wants him to fix all her stuff - but I don't know if he'll fix her hip! Seriously - check this guy out if you live in Skokie area! read more

I'm going to add my voice to the chorus of people praising Howard. He was such a pleasure to work with-- we needed a more detailed evaluation of a commercial office/industrial space following a somewhat alarming general inspection. Howard made time that week and was flexible when we needed to reschedule. He was the only one of our specialists that requested the home inspection in advance of our meeting -- and actually read it! He came prepared to walk the clients through exactly what the home inspection said and why. He went above and beyond in so many ways. I am a Chicago-dweller so typically I would never have been yelping Skokie electricians so we got lucky. Howard will permanently be in my Rolodex! I don't know how his pricing compares -clients have not embarked on the repairs yet, but Howard would be a welcome addition to any home inspection team. Edit: also, Michael C, regarding your "middling" review, if you think an electrician that shows up on time, get the job done within 20 minutes of the anticipated timing, and does not want to repair your BROKEN ELECTRICITY with his shoes off is "average", then best of luck finding a professional that will satisfy you. Gross. read more

I hired Howard after reading all the wonderful reviews here. They are all true. Howard was prompt, courteous and professional. The work he did in my condo was finished quickly and I was charged a very fair rate. I am so happy to have a "go-to" electric guy to use and to recommend to my friends! read more

Howard Simons is a prideful, experienced , extremely capable and more than anything else, DEPENDABLE !!! I have hired Howard for mostly electrical work at my home and business. He is also an accomplished carpenter. IF YOU WANT A CONTRACTOR TO SHOW UP 'ON TIME' EVERY TIME COUNT ON HOWARD...' I GUARANTEE IT' !!!!!!! TRY HIM, YOU LIKE HIM read more

Ok. I was looking to help a family member with a complicated electrical problem. Wasn't sure where to turn. Found H.S.E. on Yelp. The guy on the phone was helpful. He told me the path I was currently taking was incorrect. Saved me some time. I was grateful for that lil' bit of info. In my book, that's worth 3-stars. read more

great service honest and very reasonable hands down someone you can trust. read more

After reading the reviews, I have called Howard to get the quote on replacing the electrical panel and circuit breakers in our new house. Howard showed up within few days and gave me price that was way better than the other electrician quoted me. I went with Howard and let me tell you, I was not disappointed at all. Howard put a new panel , secured the open wires and relocated few switches where were hard to reach before. Relocation of those switches, yard light's timers and securing extra wires were not included in the estimate. I was amazed to see he went above and beyond on this project. Very Clean work, very knowledgeable and an honest guy. Definitely recommended. read more

We needed to have a number of small things done -- fix light switches, replace outdated outlets, install a chandelier -- and Howard had good reviews so we called. He was able to schedule the appointment pretty quickly after I contacted him, he called when knew he'd be late, he worked hard on our projects, and he did a great job for a good price. We're thrilled with the work! read more

I called Howard again when I ran over a pipe in the back yard and blew a circuit. He walked me through everything on the phone and then came and fixed it. Howard is great!!! read more

Howard was about 45 minutes late, but he called to tell me he would. Due to constuction in the area, he had a tough time finding parking, but did manage to park. He showed up with the proper supplies, had drop clothes and even wore booties to avoid scratching the hardwood floors. He went right to work the cut out for the box was position the wrong way, but Howard made a quick cut in the ceiling, re positioned the box and did a great job masking the opening cause by the original cut out. He finished the job in an hour, cleaned up everything. Howard Simons Electrical exemplified is what service should be. Professional, friendly, communicative. I would highly recommend Howard Simons Electrical to anyone. read more

I called Howard after we had a scary experience one night with our front hall ceiling fixture, which spouted flames after I screwed in a light bulb. He came over the next day and confirmed that our fixture was shot. He was very prepared and professional and did a fantastic job. I had him come back to install a replacement fixture and install a new one in my daughter's room as well. Both jobs were quick and look great! I would definitely use Howard again! read more

We used Howard to have out house rewired. It was built in the late 40's and had old wrapped electrical wires throughout. Howard was great and also added in some additional outlets. We were having our kitchen redone too and he worked with the GC on outlet placement. read more

Super impressed! Very knowledgeable and fast. He knew exactly what was going on and fixed us right up! Highly recommend!

I hired Howard in May to upgrade our electrical service from 60A to 200A. He did the work in early June, and promised to return shortly to have it inspected, and ultimately to have the ComEd service replaced. Repeated emails and phone calls have gone unanswered (it is now late July). I finally called the city myself to have it inspected. Notably, Howard did not pull a permit for the work he did. He made several expensive-to-correct mistakes with regard to Park Ridge code (e.g., not installing the right type of meter socket). Moreover, Howard has not been licensed with Park Ridge in 10 years. Ultimately, 1.5 months later, the work is not complete, and now I have to pay out of pocket to have his work re-worked by another electrician. read more

I'm glad I found my new go-to electrician! Howard is more knowledgeable and experienced than other electricians I've hired. On top of that, he was extremely honest and helpful with all my questions. I highly recommend him to anyone that wants an honest and professional electrician that gets the job done right. read more

Believe the glowing reviews: Howard delivers excellent work at a reasonable price. We needed an outlet put behind our mounted TV, and he was able to get the job done perfectly at a price that was a fraction of the one quoted by the bigger companies. Electrical work is not something most people feel comfortable doing on their own (myself included) but you can trust Howard. read more

Had Howard back to repair some ancient bad wiring. Thought is was going to be an easy repair but turned out to be very complicated and extensive. Howard was persistent in finding a solution and made sure that it was fixed appropriately and completely. Hire this man! read more

Howard is fantastic! Showed up at the time he said he was going to, quickly assessed the issue and charged a reasonable rate. If you are looking for someone who you can trust, Howard is the guy! Will definitely use him again. read more

Expert electrician. Kind and resourceful. Extremely helpful to guide us through troubleshooting our electrical issue before scheduling the house call. Will DEFINITELY call again. Thanks, Howard!! read more

I called Howard based on his excellent Yelp reviews. He arrived on time at my house this morning and took care of my electrical issue. The job turned out to be a bit more extensive than anticipated, yet his pricing was fair and I'm confident with his quality of work. I am pleased to recommend Howard to other Yelp users.. read more

Look no further if you want an HONEST and EXPERIENCED electrician. During the extreme cold (yes, the one when where it was colder here than in Antarctica) our power went out for a few hours and as a result, several of my circuit breakers did not respond. I have the outdated push-in on/off circuit breakers. Howard told me that these types of circuit breakers are no longer manufactured, but he has a "collection" of good ones of the type I needed that he had collected over his many years of EXPERIENCES. Here's the HONESTY/KNOWLEDGEABLE part--another not-so-honest or not-as-aware electrician could have told me that because my type of circuit breaker are no longer manufactured I would need to install an entirely new circuit breaker box. Think thousands!!! He also fixed a ballast that I thought needed to be replaced. Again, HONESTY and EXPERIENCE. Howard explained I had to have both fluorescent bulbs in place for the fixture to function properly. I only had one in that constantly flickered Of course, he had the exact bulb size I needed (also hard to find). Upon completion, I felt Howard's bill was quite reasonable and all systems are go! [He is also an aficionado repairing and restoring very old cars. :-) ] My highest recommendation for Howard! read more

Howard himself answered the phone and he was at my rental property within a couple hours to replace a bad breaker switch. He met with my tenants and also fixed a light switch in their apartment. I wish all contractors worked this way. Howard was quick, prepared and reasonably priced. I would definitely use him again and recommend him to others. read more

Based on the reviews here, I called Howard first thing on a Monday. We needed someone to figure out why we were living in electric bizarre world. Lights and outlets were working in some parts of the house but not in others. If you turned on the switch in one room, it didn't turn on that room's lights but it did turn on the lights in another room. Lights which previously had worked were now dead (we have a house that was built in the 20s and much of the wiring is still original). Howard was pleasant and businesslike on the phone, listened to my description of what was going on, asked if it was an emergency (not really...just annoying), and told me that he might be able to come by late that day depending on his previously scheduled work but was definitely available two days later. He said he would let me know as the day progressed if he would be able to come by that same day. Howard called midafternoon when he was on his way. He diagnosed our problem, explained it, fixed the immediate issue for a fair price, and gave us a fairly-priced cost for replacing the old wiring in our house. He also told us approximately how long that project would take, which is important to me because I telecommute. Our experience with Howard was wonderful. We look forward to doing business with him for all of our electrical needs in the future. He is friendly, knowledgeable, and explains well what the problem is and how to fix it. read more