Bonham Electric reviews
• last updated FEB 26, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
Bonham Electric will show up on time and finish the panel upgrade. But whether they'll show up at all depends on what else is on their schedule. We analyzed customer stories spanning panel replacements, rewires, and smaller electrical jobs. Two patterns stood out. First, the panel-upgrade work itself earns consistent praise. In one 1960s house, the crew replaced a 60-year-old breaker box, coordinated same-day inspections with the county and utility, and even fixed mismatched AC wiring they spotted mid-job. Another homeowner watched the team work straight through a scorching afternoon to finish before the inspector arrived. The installs passed on the first try. Second, communication falls apart when you're not a priority project. Three customers reported missed start dates, days of radio silence, and owners who never returned to fix mistakes. One homeowner's bedroom fan sat broken for three weeks after the initial install because no one came back to reset the remote transmitter. If you're hiring them for a major panel job and can lock in a firm schedule upfront, you'll likely get clean work and a smooth inspection. If your project is small or hits during their busy season, prepare to chase updates yourself.
If you need a main panel replaced and can pin down a start date in writing, Bonham Electric will likely deliver a code-compliant install and handle the inspection dance with SMUD. But if your job is under $2,000 or you need reliable follow-up, their track record suggests you'll spend more time managing the schedule than they will.
Reviews That Shaped Our Verdict
Debbie B. needed her mother's electrical panel replaced on a ranch-style house with the original 1958 box — the old panel kept tripping whenever her brother plugged in his RV. She contacted five contractors and only two came out; Ralph showed up in person, inspected the wiring, and patiently walked her and her mom through exactly what a new panel would look like, what SMUD and the county inspectors would require, which trees might need to come down, and how long the job would take. He produced the only complete, itemized estimate — not the cheapest, but the most thorough and professional — and that level of detail set the project in motion. After the trees blocking the meter were removed, Ralph arranged the SMUD appointment and county inspection dates and kept them copied on every email. On install day his crew, Andy and Austin, arrived right at 8:00 with a SMUD lineman who shut the power off; they worked steadily until about 3:30 to remove the old box and fit the new main panel. Inspectors signed off, SMUD reconnected the feed, and the crew answered questions and worked safely and cleanly even on the hottest day of the year. Office coordinator Lori handled the billing simply and迅速
Howard hired Bonham Electric to wire a new spa at his home and they set a firm start date — which came and went with no show or contact from Ralph, the owner. He called the next day and Ralph explained an opportunity had come up that delayed them; the crew then promised to begin the following week once the building permit arrived. Instead, they tried to pull the wrong permit and Howard had to steer them to the correct one. Work finally began about ten days later than originally planned. The team had originally quoted 2–3 days to finish the job; it stretched to nine calendar days from when work actually began, and the final inspection took three attempts before being signed off 26 days after the project started. Throughout the job Howard found himself repeatedly reaching out to Ralph for any schedule updates or to confirm when crews would arrive. At one point the foreman showed up at 8:00 p.m. to correct installation issues. After Howard emailed a complaint he received more communication for a short while, but it didn’t last. The installation crew itself earned praise — polite, competent workers — and that was the only reason Howard left two stars instead of one. The distinct, j
Liz L. had given Bonham a five-star review in December and even steered friends his way, but a string of mistakes turned that recommendation into regret. She watched a friend take a half day off for a scheduled visit that ran late; the crew showed up well past the appointment, Mr. Bonham spent most of the time on his phone, and the friend ended up losing the whole day. For her own project, Bonham installed a new ceiling fan in her bedroom. When the weather warmed and they tried to use it, she discovered the installer never changed the factory remote code — a basic step that left the fan vulnerable to any nearby remote set to 1234. The fan began cycling on in the night — one evening it activated a dozen times — and the bedroom became unusable. She called Ralph; he promised to come by and explained he would have to take the fan down to access the transmitter. A week passed, she followed up by email, and after three weeks without a response the fan still sits idle while they sweat through the heat. She had other jobs lined up with Bonham but now plans to hire another electrician and pay again to fix the original mistake. She found him through HomeAdvisor and wants others to know:迟
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 75
Clean Record
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 13 years
Among the longest-standing installers in the market.
BBB Rating
Not BBB rated.
Review Patterns
Contractor License
License information could not be confirmed.
What You Can Expect
Libbie G. worked with Bonham Electric on several projects over an 18‑month period and, pleased with those results, hired them to rewire her entire house and add a new breaker box in the garage along with other electrical work. Ralph and his crew — particularly Mike and Austin — ran the job smoothly: they showed up on time every day, cleaned up at the end of each shift, and walked Libbie through progress so she always knew what was happening. The combination of reliable crews, daily cleanup, and clear communication is what stood out, and she plans to call Bonham Electric for future projects.
In early 2017 P.K. P. hired Bonham Electric to replace the main breaker panel on a 1960 house they had just purchased. When they called for a price the crew asked about future plans — hot tub or pool — and recommended a 125-amp panel that fit the house instead of pushing a 200-amp upgrade just to upsell. That practical recommendation set the tone upfront. A technician came out to inspect the old breaker box, laid out the plan, provided a reasonable written quote, and showed proof of insurance, license, and bond before locking in a date. One or two days before the scheduled replacement, a crew turned up unannounced to install the grounding wire; the office had forgotten to call, but the crew explained why the grounding needed to be in place ahead of the main job so the panel work could be finished in time for the city inspector. They installed the ground cleanly and to code, and while in the garage they discovered several exposed wires left by the previous owner and promptly capped them with wire nuts. On the replacement day the crew arrived around 8–8:30 a.m., worked through the morning and into the afternoon, and swapped the panel without hiccups. They also uncovered a wiring/
Peggy J. needed the electrical junction box for a new wall oven shifted about 18 inches to fit the appliance in her kitchen. Bonham Electric booked an appointment that matched her timeframe; a week ago Austin called ahead, reviewed the oven’s printed installation instructions with her, and planned the new box location to ensure proper clearance. He installed a slimmer junction box so the oven would sit correctly and left the work neat. Two days later a crew returned, connected and installed the oven without issue. Peggy has relied on Bonham Electric for other jobs—recessed LED lights, bathroom fans, outlets, and CO/smoke detectors—and appreciated the combination of careful, friendly technicians and coordinated follow-up that made the whole project straightforward.