Score
Carnahan Electric reviews
• updated MAR 3, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
We found a contractor whose technicians are skilled but whose billing practices will make you regret the call. The work itself? Generally solid. In one review, an electrician diagnosed flickering lights on a pre-holiday Friday and found a loose connection that had stumped the homeowner. Another customer described a whole-house generator installation that's run seamlessly for years, switching over so smoothly the computer doesn't even reboot. But five separate reviews describe the same nightmare: being hit with surprise fees, minimum charges that weren't disclosed upfront, or refusals to fix mistakes without paying another service call. One homeowner watched an electrician disconnect working exterior lights, then was told he'd need to pay $90 just to have someone come back and reconnect what had been functional before the visit. When customers pushed back, responses ranged from dismissive to openly rude. You're not hiring an unreliable crew. You're hiring people who do competent work but treat billing transparency like an optional courtesy.
If you want an electrician who'll show up fast and solve the problem, Carnahan can do that. But if you expect clear pricing before the work starts or goodwill fixes when mistakes happen, look elsewhere.
3 Stories That Stood Out
Dogglover T. called Carnahan Electric to troubleshoot exterior lighting at their home and got a same-week visit from a tech named Pete. At first the job looked straightforward, but that night they discovered several exterior lights that had been working when Pete arrived were no longer functioning. When they called back, Pete acknowledged he had changed the timer and then told them he would only return to correct his work if they paid an additional $90 service fee. They asked him to check with the owner; John, the owner, gave the same answer — a minimum $90 to come back out. Faced with lights left nonfunctional and a refusal to fix those changes without another charge, they now have to hire a different electrician to undo what Carnahan altered. The moment that stands out is not the quick arrival but that the crew left the system worse than it was and insisted on another bill before making it right.
Pam L. called from her El Dorado Hills home when three outlets stopped working. She explained the problem and a technician replaced one outlet but couldn’t wire it correctly. The crew never disclosed a $250 two-hour minimum, yet she was billed $260 for a job that took about ten minutes and required no parts — and no receipt was provided to explain the extra ten dollars. She phoned three times trying to get the charge corrected; after persistent follow-up they refunded only $10. She ended up with a short, costly repair, no clear paperwork, and a feeling that the company handled the billing and customer service poorly — a $260 bill and a $10 refund were the concrete takeaway.
Sarah S. found herself scrambling to cool a small studio because her cat had been attacked and needed a quiet, comfortable place to recover. She had a portable air conditioner ready, but none of the outlets were grounded, so the unit couldn’t be used. After her husband phoned five companies and learned each couldn’t come for at least a week, she tried a few more numbers and Carnahan Electric actually answered the phone and arranged to send a tech that afternoon. The technician called a few hours later to set a time, showed up on schedule, inspected the situation, and proposed a plug-based solution that would let the AC run safely without opening walls or doing full grounding work. He offered to install it right then; the job took under an hour and the bill was about $90. What stuck with her was the same-day response and the affordable, noninvasive fix that solved an immediate, stressful problem.
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 68
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: A+
Excellent BBB standing. Strong complaint resolution.
Review Patterns
What You Can Expect
Kathy H. hired Nate and Rodney to install a Generac 22 kW whole-house generator on a home that already had solar, and they navigated the tricky integration without a hitch. She watched them work through the complications the solar system introduced, laying out a clean, safe plan and explaining each step as they went. The pair finished with professional, friendly workmanship, left the site spotless, and handled cleanup down to the last detail. Kathy singled out Jim Carnahan as well for having such capable employees—what stuck with her was the seamless solar integration, clear communication at every stage, and an impeccable final result.
Laura Brown faced an urgent situation: a client's home needed an electrician the same day photos were scheduled. She reached out to Carnahan Electric, and a technician arrived in about an hour. Clinton quickly assessed the issue, explained each step to the sellers, completed the work efficiently, and left the house ready for the photo shoot. The sellers were impressed with his clear communication and speed, and Laura appreciated that Carnahan turned a last‑minute problem into a same‑day solution.
Liz s. had been a long-time customer who'd called the company for work many times and trusted them to do a solid job. After a recent service she discovered the invoice was inflated, so she pressed them twice; each time staff promised to correct it and they did issue an adjustment, but the corrected bill still ended up about twice what it should have been. When she rang back to point that out an employee dismissed her, told her to pay what she thought fair, and then hung up. Unwilling to keep fighting or deal with the rude person on the phone, she paid the last invoice but included a note saying she would no longer use or refer the company. The clear takeaway: a repeat customer walked away over an overcharge and a curt, dismissive response.
William H. had Carnahan Electric install a whole-house backup generator for his Pollock Pines home several years ago and discovered it has worked flawlessly since. When the grid drops, the generator kicks in with almost no pause—enough that his computer only needs a quick reboot and then runs as if nothing happened; he only notices when the rest of the lights come back on. After a different contractor replaced the furnace and left a wiring problem that kept the heater from running, Carnahan came back out, re-wired the system, and got the heat working again. What stuck with him most was their response: they arrived within an hour despite the snowy, not-easy drive from Shingle Springs. He’s glad he spent the money on a whole-house unit and wishes he hadn’t waited so long; he even left his contact at billzz4321@att.net.
Performance Heating & A/C Inc leaned on Carnahan for electrical work and came away impressed by the company’s practical know‑how. They found the technicians experienced and capable of getting the job done efficiently. Crews arrived on schedule, worked professionally, and completed the electrical tasks without fuss. The experience left them grateful that Carnahan could reliably handle their electrical needs — a partner they’d call on again for future jobs.
Pam L. called from her El Dorado Hills home when three outlets stopped working. She explained the problem and a technician replaced one outlet but couldn’t wire it correctly. The crew never disclosed a $250 two-hour minimum, yet she was billed $260 for a job that took about ten minutes and required no parts — and no receipt was provided to explain the extra ten dollars. She phoned three times trying to get the charge corrected; after persistent follow-up they refunded only $10. She ended up with a short, costly repair, no clear paperwork, and a feeling that the company handled the billing and customer service poorly — a $260 bill and a $10 refund were the concrete takeaway.
Jeff called them when his lights began flickering on the Friday before a holiday. The crew showed up, discovered the culprit was a loose connection, and handled the situation with clear expertise and professionalism. He left relieved that a single, identifiable fault had been found and dealt with promptly despite the timing — the technician turning up on a holiday eve is what he remembers most.
James Ward faced two separate major generator failures and turned to Carnahan for help. The work fell outside the usual jobs Carnahan handles, but they dug into the research, did what was necessary to repair both problems, and billed him at a very reasonable rate. He ended up with a generator that runs better than new. The memorable part: they took on an unfamiliar challenge, learned what was needed, and delivered a reliable fix without an inflated price.
L. R. called the company for an electrical service and ended up with a $210 charge for two hours of labor, even though the electrician was on site for under ninety minutes. They found the tech arrogant and unfriendly, which made the short visit notably unpleasant. Frustrated by being billed for more time than was spent, they walked away determined not to use the company again — a sharp reminder to check billing practices and expect professional behavior on any service call.
Long-term Satisfaction
Recent customers rate Carnahan Electric 4.2 ★
Long-term reviews carry the most weight in our methodology because they are most representative of what you should be paying for: a system that will perform for years.