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Smith Electrical Contractors reviews
• updated MAR 3, 2026Loading map...
The Verdict
Smith Electrical Contractors earns a spot at the top of our San Diego picks. We analyzed nearly a hundred reviews spanning EV charger hookups, panel upgrades, and complete solar installations, and the consistency is striking. One homeowner called in for a Tesla wall charger, got an appointment within days, and watched the crew arrive 20 minutes early and finish in under 90 minutes with the inspector right behind them. Another had a panel upgrade quoted, scheduled, and coordinated seamlessly with SDG&E so they never got stuck playing middleman. We found 80 mentions of careful, corner-free workmanship and zero complaints about follow-up support once the job closed out. Richard, one of their lead technicians, earned 22 individual callouts for explaining every wire pull and breaker shuffle with the patience of a teacher. The trade-off: their quotes run higher than a handyman with a truck. If you want the cheapest bid, you'll find it elsewhere. But if you want an electrician who'll reorganize your breaker panel instead of insisting you need a whole new one, and who'll come back two days later to reposition an EV charger because you're not fully happy with the mounting spot, the premium buys you something tangible.
If price is your only lens, shop around. But if you want an electrical contractor who pulls permits without complaint, arrives early instead of late, and treats a $2,000 charger install with the same care as a $15,000 solar system, Smith Electrical is the call.
3 Stories That Stood Out
Roger C. needed a pro to install a Tesla Wall Charger at his home and turned to Yelp, where he found Smith Electrical Contractors and strong reviews for owner Dave and his crew. He booked an inspection with a $100 deposit so they could measure the panel load and confirm the system could handle the EV charger. The price felt a bit higher than he expected, but he accepted that pulling a permit and doing the job correctly justifies the cost. They had to wait about a week for the charger to arrive; on install day the crew showed up twenty minutes early, introduced themselves, laid out the plan, and wrapped the job in under 90 minutes. A city inspector arrived soon after and signed off on the work. Pleased with the punctuality, professionalism, and quality of the installation, he plans to hire Smith Electrical Contractors for electrical work at his business, Crystal Palace Banquet Hall.
When Steven H. bought a new Tesla, he wanted a wall charger installed at his house and first tried a recommended contractor who, after a single photo of the electrical panel, insisted a new panel was needed and sent him toward SDG&E. He waited about a week only to learn SDG&E wouldn’t survey the panel for roughly four more weeks, so he called Smith Electrical instead. Smith got him an appointment in 2–3 days for a proper load survey; the electrician came out, measured the demands of the A/C, refrigerator, pool equipment and other big loads, and discovered the existing panel had enough capacity—only a reorganization of breakers was required. They booked the install for within a week. On install day Joseph arrived early, installed the Tesla charger, relabeled the breakers to reflect the new layout, arranged the inspection for the same time slot, and wrapped everything up in under two hours. He handled the job with clear experience installing Tesla chargers, leaving a tidy panel and a same-day inspection on the calendar—an outcome that avoided an unnecessary panel replacement and a month-long delay.
Debra D. had her home's electrical panel moved and upgraded, and what set the job apart was how smoothly Smith handled coordination — an employee stayed on-site during SDG&E work, they lined up with her chosen solar installer, and they never pressured her to use Smith for the solar side. She found their bid was lower than another estimate and that scheduling was efficient; office staff and most on-site people communicated clearly and walked her through every step. The team, from the office through owner Dave Smith, treated the project professionally and made sure she wasn’t left juggling utility approvals. The one snag came from the stucco repair subcontractor: they rinsed out in her newly planted, mulched front area and left stucco sludge on the plants, so she had to return and hose everything off. Bottom line: the project coordination and clear communication stood out — just confirm in advance where any stucco or washout cleanup will happen.
Platforms Monitored
Performance by Work Type
How We Got To Trust Score 94
Clean Record
Unauthorized Activities
Passed screening
Misleading Claims
Passed screening
Background Check
Serving customers for 17 years
Among the longest-standing installers in the market.
BBB Rating: A+
Excellent BBB standing. Strong complaint resolution.
Natural Review Patterns
Reviews were posted naturally over time.
What You Can Expect
Liana hired Smith to handle an electrical panel upgrade and walked away thoroughly impressed. The crew paired reasonable pricing with clear communication and steady follow-up, and proved reliably on time and professional throughout the job. They executed an extremely thorough scope of work — leaving no detail overlooked — which made the whole process feel organized and worry-free. Because of the combination of fair cost, meticulous planning, and dependable service, she plans to call them for future electrical needs and felt confident recommending them for panel upgrades.
AK A. hired the company for a complicated home installation and watched their strengths show up right away. They discovered Nick handled the initial visit with patience and answered every question, then saw Edgar and Octavio arrive on time and execute the work cleanly — meeting all technical requirements and keeping communication clear. When other contractors and dependencies created hurdles, the crew stayed responsive and helped navigate those issues until resolved. The combination of punctual crews, solid workmanship, and steady communication is what convinced them they’ll use the company again; what stuck most was how the team stayed calm and effective through the project’s complications.
Jo-Ellen P. is having solar installed on her home in South Clairemont/Bay Park and welcomed Richard from Smith Electrical to handle the electrical work. She discovered he explained the process patiently, stayed consistently kind and courteous, and carried out his tasks with professional care. When access to the electrical panel required moving belongings, he didn’t ask her to do it—he moved things in her garage himself so the installers could get on with the job. What stuck with her most was that combination of clear explanations and the extra effort of rearranging her garage to make the work easier.
Brent met the owner of Smith Electric about three years ago, and since then the company has handled multiple projects on his 1960s-era home. Most recently he had them install a complete solar system, and the process — from proposal to final inspection — took roughly two weeks. He walked away with a system he’s very happy with and a crew that treated the house as if it were their own. The crew left the site spotless; their attention to detail and cleanliness made a strong impression. Because of the quick turnaround, solid workmanship and the care they showed for his home, he expects to be a customer for life.
Heather arranged two electrical upgrades over the last year and hired Smith Electric for both. She watched each job proceed perfectly smooth, with every team member treating the work with noticeable care and professionalism. What stood out was the company-wide attention to detail — not just a single technician but the whole crew handled the projects carefully. She plans to call them for any future electrical work and keeps them top of mind for upcoming projects.
Matt connected with Nick about two weeks ago to get a quote for a Tesla wall charger, and the crew completed the install today. He found the process smooth and ended up with a fully working charger and confidence that the team can handle any future electrical needs. What stuck with him was the quick turnaround from initial quote to finished installation.
Richard turned to Smith Electric again to install an EV charger at his home. They rerouted and added circuits and ran conduit to get the charger connected, finishing the electrical work cleanly and without hassle. He’d used them before and found the same mix of friendly crews, efficient work, and fair pricing this time around. What stuck with him was the dependable, hands-on approach—precise circuit moves and neat conduit work that left the garage ready for charging.
Ken had a Smith Electrical technician out yesterday to switch his home over to solar power. The installer arrived and worked efficiently, completing the switchover faster than he expected while keeping the job tidy and professional. The speed and steady professionalism of the visit is what stuck with him.
Valerie F. had her solar setup upgraded to a larger electrical panel and watched Richard take charge of the job from start to finish. She appreciated that he communicated what he was doing at every step, worked promptly, and made a point of ensuring the installation was correct before moving on. His friendly, hardworking manner kept the project low‑stress, and the upgrade was completed without lingering questions or loose ends. What stuck with her most was the steady, step‑by‑step communication and the confidence that the bigger panel was installed properly.
Long-term Satisfaction
Recent customers rate Smith Electrical Contractors 4.9 ★
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.