I've been a homeowner for 20 years. As a woman it's often hard to hire contractors who treat you with respect: when they're doing the work or when they're billing you. Mills Electric made me feel like we are part of a team that was working together to get power restored to my home after a huge tree fell onto a power line and damaged the weather head on my roof. The power company came out and cut my power and told me it wasn't safe to have power hooked up to my home until 1) I had the tree removed (my dime) 2) had an electrician replace the weather head and check the meter and 3) have an inspector from the Dept. Of Labor and Industries inspect this very minor repair. Bellingham had just had a snowstorm with high winds and below freezing temperatures and we are currently bracing for another storm. I understood PSE's rationale but the fact was they left me without power and just expected $2,500 worth of work to happen immediately on my part to keep my family safe and warm. "That's part of being a home owner" is all they said. Challenge accepted. The tree was gone in an hour and Mills came in and did their work but also helped me get the permit going and left a copy with me so that PSE would have no choice but to reinstall power today. I am grateful for their help. I cannot imagine the alternative right now, while my toes are finally thawing. Everyone was nothing but helpful and respectful. read more