Immediately following the destruction of our detached garage by hurricane Irene, I contacted Williamsburg Electrical Services because they're a small business (locally owned and operated) and I wanted to support the small businesses in our community. I was happy to hear that the electrician could come out the next day to disconnect the the power to the detached garage because it posed a safety/fire hazard. At the time, we were without power and had no idea when power would be restored and feared an electrical fire in the garage due to the extensive damage unless we disconnected the power.
To make a long story, well short...the electrician came out and within 30 minutes he disconnected the cable at the main box and at the garage...at least, it appeared he did. Although he charged us $95 for 1 hour of work, I was happy to have the work done and the electrician was nice and polite. This service occured on or about 13 Sep.
Well, this past weekend I was removing storm debris from the garage (we're doing the demolition ourselves so it's slow going). I was picking up bricks in the area where the electrical wires are located (keep in mind, we thought the wires were disconnected and had been working on the demolition in all kinds of weather including rain). I was picking up a brick from off the cut wires (we had pushed over onto the ground what was left of the exterior brick wall and some of the bricks fell on the cut wires) when I heard a "zzzzzht" of electricity and I jumped back only to find a portion of my glove burned. Yikes, one of the wires was still hot! Thanks goodness it didn't electrocute me! I immediately called Williamsburg Electrical Services. I was able to get the same electrician on the phone (he's actually the owner of the company). He said he could come out in a couple of hours or it could wait until Monday. I opted to wait because I didn't want to be charged an emergency call. We put a plastic tub over the wires per his suggestion.
I said I'd make this long story, short. The electrician agreed to come at 2:00pm but at 2:45 pm he hadn't yet arrived so I called him and he said I was next. So much for keeping the customer informed. He finally came out a little after 3:00pm and spent no more than 30 minutes trouble shooting the problem. When he was finished, he said it would be $95. I almost fell over. Afterall, I had paid him back in September to disconnect the power to the detached garage. As far as I was concerned, he hadn't completed the job. I told him that I had paid him already to disconnect the power back in September and didn't think I should be charged. He responded by saying that how could he disconnect something that he couldn't see (this is him believing that he didn't cut the power at the detached garage because of the bricks now on the ground but he did...I certainly didn't the cut wire and the others next to the one still hot); he just failed to cut that particular wire in the electric box located in our house).
Bottom-line, I hired this company in September to perform a service which was to disconnect the power to the detached garage and they failed. Their negligence could have gotten me killed (electrocuted). To charge me twice for a job that should have been done right the first time is simply highway robbery. Do NOT recommend this company to anyone. read more