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43 years of trusted experience
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Reviews
4.889 Reviews
Showing 1-25 of 89 reviews
Marcia M.
10/2011
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreErtan is really good at what he does, and for a fair price. Before starting, we walked through my home to show current locations of switches and outlets, and where we wanted to relocate them. My home was built in 1907, and some of the switches were in odd places, one was within reach of my 21-month-old son. Ertan followed all of our wishes, and made good suggestions. He was also very reasonable, even when he realized that working on our house would be difficult. We do not have drywall in many of our rooms, but plaster covering redwood planks. He found that cutting a hole in the wall to access the wires would take a long time, but he did not change his estimate and continued to perform the work. He also patched holes when he finished, which was a great help.
Description of Work: Ertan Atalay of Magnolia Electric replaced my service panel, added a new circuit breaker, replaced electrical switches and rewired outlets. He also installed GFCs in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,800
JANE K.
07/2011
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreHe has done work for me previously. He is very honest, very good, very straightforward and very easy to work with. He is professional. He put in a light fixture and light switch which had quit working. I think I spent less than $300 for the work. He is my go-to guy for electrical. I would rate him highly and would use him again in the future.
Description of Work: I use the services of Magnolia Electric & General Building Co.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
PATRICIA A.
01/2011
lighting
+ -1 moreMagnolia Electric & General Building did a good job with one of the sensor lights. I live right on the ocean and the weather can take a tole on the electronics. So, the one sensor light worked just fine but he had to come back to fix the other one.
Description of Work: Magnolia Electric & General Building installed outdoor sensor lighting.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
Matthew R.
10/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreHe was a very sweet man that seemed to care a lot about his work. He did an excellent job very quickly.
Description of Work: Several sockets in walls and some light fixtures.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$460
Greg J.
07/2010
electrician, remodeling
+ 0 moreThe job went great from start to finish. From our very first meting, Ertan always explained things very thoroughly and clearly, he was always punctual, he always kept us apprised of his progress and his schedule. We were on a very tight budget. Throughout the entire project - building, electrical, and other home improvement - he was always very sensitive to our concerns about cost and did everything possible to keep them down. He provided written estimates and out of four estimates, he didn't once go over bid. Ertan was also very considerate. As the work was going on, my wife and I adopted our newborn daughter and my mother was visiting for an extended period. It was touching how hard Ertan worked to control noise so as not to disrupt our newborn's naps or to disrupt my mother's trip. Also, Ertan was very creative in his solutions. On the second story rear staircase, we needed to reduce the rise of only two stairs - out of about 25. Ertan used a synthetic material that was thin but strong to reduce the width of the landings. This is remarkable since we obtained about six bids from building contractors. The majority of them did not know how to do this without tearing down the entire staircase and rebuilding the whole thing. Others said they would try but they could not make any promises. They made the project very daunting. Ertan inspired calm and confidence - and always delivered.
Description of Work: Our house is a pre-1905 duplex that we were converting from a TIC to condo's. The SF city inspectors issued a report of repairs that needed to be completed. We had to make all the repairs in the report. And then the inspectors had to come back, re-inspect and issue a certificate of completion. We passed inspection (on a very tight budget) all thanks to Magnolia Electric and Ertan Atalay! When obtaining estimates, many contractors (we got 10 other bids) looked at the report and turned it into a very complicated job that would have cost two and threes times as much as Magnolia's bid. Ertan and magnolia kept it simple, devised intelligent and creative solutions, clarified work with inspectors, advocated for us tirelessly with the city inspection and permit departments, saved us tens of thousands of dollars, and turned a potential nightmare into a very simple and smooth process. Ertan worked as our general contractor overseeing the entire project and as our electrician. Above all, Ertan guided us through this very, very complicated process. Regarding specific electrical work, Ertan wired the common space to an independent electrical panel, installed flood lights, added a circuit to the kitchens, wired tank-less hot water units and communicated with the inspectors, among many other smaller but numerous things the city inspectors wanted done. He always, always looked out for our best interests. (As a side job, while all the other stuff was going on, he wired our entire flat for stereo speakers.) His honesty and understanding of the process was worlds beyond other contractors. For example, one electrician said the inspectors wanted four new circuits in the kitchen; another said the inspection required about 18 new outlets in each flat. In contrast, Ertan was right! We only needed one more circuit in the kitchen (Ertan confirmed it with inspectors before starting work to avoid unnecessary work and cost) and only one new outlet in each flat. As general contractor, Ertan went far, far beyond the call of duty. He coordinated all inspections and obtained all permits. Plus, among other work, he rebuilt the lower flat staircase and brought the upper flat staircase up to code. His knowledge of the building code was outstandingly precise! Other contractors looked at the report and over-interpreted it; others were befuddled by it. For example, three other contractors wanted to tear down the entire top stair case and rebuild from scratch, a $25,000 job, at least. Ertan did it for $3,600. Other contractors said we needed architectural diagrams for the lower flat stairs, making it a $10,000 job all told. Ertan did it for $3,700 and was correct in knowing the city did not require architectural plans. The stairs look great!
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$18,000
Joe T.
07/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreErtan was punctual and when he came out to give a quote, he quoted a price of $300-400, depending on materials. I agreed to the quote. When he arrived (early on the date of install), he re-confirmed the price prior to starting as $340 and asked if this was OK, as he now had a firm price on materials. I OK'd the quote, he performed the install and was done very quickly. Not only was he efficient, but friendly, and did an exceptional job. I would hire Ertan again without hesitation.
Description of Work: Ertan installed electricity in our back yard from an existing box to the back fence and a new outlet.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$340
Tony L.
07/2010
electrician, lighting, remodeling
+ 1 moreWe have been doing a condo conversion by ourselves; hiring out each of the pieces separately and managing it ourselves. It was dragging on and on. We then called in Magnolia to not only do our electrical work but to take over the general contracting role. Once Ertan stepped in, he created order out of the disorder we made. We passed each of our inspections and now are in our final stages of the conversion. The city has their own hiccups in some of the process, but Ertan was patient and persistent to make sure things happened. Handing over the job to him made my headaches his and he never complained. I would use him again for both general contracting work and electrical work.
Description of Work: Installed exterior lighting. Installed a common electrical circuit. Update a list of miscellaneous electrical items. Installed some building duct work. Picked up general contractor role to finish off our condo conversion.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
Kathleen K.
07/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreVery well, Ertan arrived for both the estimate appointment and the day of work appointment on time. He was polite, (with a dry sense of humor) and didn't hesitate to tell me how he would complete work as well as offering opinion on work that was not needed. I was satisfied with all work performed and would not hesitate to call him again.
Description of Work: Installed doorbell ringer in back room downstairs, replaced doorbell, repaired back yard floodlight, repaired stairway switches, replaced kitchen receptacle plug, repaired switch in lower room to work on its own without having to turn on light.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$350
John G.
06/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreErtan, Magnolia Electric, is very pleasant to work with and is our goto guy when we have electrical problems.
Description of Work: Two timer switches were installed. Our window to get the work was done was short as we had visitors coming. Ertan showed up on time and got the work was completed with time to spare.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$150
t T.
06/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreFine work done. Pleasant fellow. But when I showed him the Angies printout that stated a discount of 10%, he was flumoxed. Never heard of such a discount - never heard of Angies. Couldn't give us a discount, he said. He took off about 5 or 10 dollars. We paid it.
Description of Work: Installed about 11 light fixtures.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$600
Response from Magnolia Electric & General Building Co
Mary P.
06/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreHe was honest, nice, efficient. He was awesome.
Description of Work: He fixed a fuse in a light.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$30
frances J.
05/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreI called the company because of my previous good experience with them. They responded immediately with a call back and scheduled an appointment with me right away. Ertan is the electrician who has done the work here both times. He is professional, courteous , and on time. Very easy to deal with.
Description of Work: Replace fluorescent lights with different fixtures and replace switches with dinners.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$150
Angela D.
04/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreWe first contacted Magnolia Electric based on the excellent reviews posted online. We were not disappointed. It became apparent early on that Ertan has a wealth of experience. We thought we might need a complete rewiring of our home and, a less scrupulous contractor might have played along, done everything we asked and given us a hefty bill. But Ertan didn't. He provided a very helpful consultation, during which we discussed various options. We talked about what work should be done versus what could be done; what made sense and what didn't; we talked about the level of disruption, the costs and the benefits of each option. Armed with these insights, my wife and I decided to contemplate our electrical upgrade a little longer. Ertan was good enough to drop by for a second consultation a few weeks later, whereupon we agreed the exact scope of the work, a start-date and an estimate for the total cost. Ertan and his colleague Jim completed all the work with a minimum of fuss and mess, taking about a week. At the end of the job, we had everything we had requested. (This comprised about 20 new wall outlets and GFCIs, several new circuits including a dedicated 220V circuit for the dryer, some rewiring of lights and switches, and relocation of one ceiling fixture.) Patching of walls and ceilings in the areas where work had been done was first class. All work was carried out with permits and there were no problems at either of the inspections. (In fact, the inspector at the final inspection told me, "you gotta a good guy here!") If there were any unforeseen problems during the course of the upgrade I wasn't aware of them and we came in right on budget, the final invoice matching the estimate. Throughout the job, Ertan and his colleague were professional and courteous and (per our request) were mindful of keeping doors to the street closed so as to safeguard our cats. Without question, we will look to Magnolia Electric for any future electrical work we require. They're truly outstanding.
Description of Work: Installation of about 20 new wall outlets and GFCIs, several new circuits including a dedicated 220V circuit for the dryer, some rewiring of lights and switches, relocation of one ceiling fixture, patching of walls and ceiling at each location.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,500
ROBYN K.
04/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreWe were impressed by Ergan's punctuality, courtesy and speed. He even added outlet covers for plug outlets he was not working on. We we definitely use him again.
Description of Work: Installed 220 outlet for dryer
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$240
JANE K.
03/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreMr. Atalay made a visit as scheduled to view the job and provided a written estimate for labor and parts. We agreed to a day to do the work and he had to change the date, but it wasn't a problem for me as none of the job was an emergency or even urgent. He arrived on time on the designated day, with a helper, and repaired the problem lights in my unit, providing explanations of what failed in each of the four fixtures/switches. Then, he moved to the garage and fixed the very large fixtures in the 20 foot high ceilinged space. (He had to rent a ladder to do this part of the job.) He did everything as agreed and within the estimated price range. He was clean, polite, pleasant, and easy to deal with. I would hire him again.
Description of Work: Replaced faulty switch, faulty light fixtures in condo, installed motion detectors and new ballasts for light fixtures in common garage area.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$900
Michael L.
03/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreIt went extremely well. Artyan was thorough, careful, fast and courteous. He did an excellent job. I recommend him highly.
Description of Work: Artyan replaced/installed five ceiling lamps, repaired our doorbell and moved a fixed garage door opener button in our Victorian flat.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$625
sharon B.
03/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreHe took out the receptacle and changed it to a 20 amp receptacle. He told her to turn the heater off with a remote. He told her to leave it plugged it and turn it on and off with a remote. When I visited it in February, I could see sparks in the receptacle and I could even feel that the cord to the heater was warm. I called them to come back and they never came back. I had to call another company to fix the work, this company discovered that Magnolia electric never even checked for grounding. This heater should have its own circuit because it is of such a high voltage. This could've caused a fire; it was a very dangerous situation.
Description of Work: My mother's house is about 70 years old. She was using a higher voltage heater. When she plugged it in, it started sparking. In Nov she called this company about the sparks.
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$125
Response from Magnolia Electric & General Building Co
Christine E.
02/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreHe fixed it. Quickly, at a reasonable rate.
Description of Work: I wasn't sure what the problem was. I had no electricity in my living room. My handyman was clueless.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$125
MARK V.
01/2010
electrician, lighting
+ 0 moreThey told me they would call me back and didn't. Unreliable.
Description of Work: I called them up and spoke to a gentleman who said it would take 10 days before they could come out and look at the chandelier I needed help installing. He said he would call me back the next day. Two days went by, no call. Haven't heard back since...
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Response from Magnolia Electric & General Building Co
R G.
01/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreErtan is a very pleasant person and good at his work. He answers his phone, is punctual and schedules immediate follow-up. I highly recommend Ertan for any repair work.
Description of Work: Replaced two forced air heat units in two different rooms. The original builder had installed these upside-down and both had burnt out. Ertan purchased the two units immediately and installed these in a matter of two days from calling. Great service !
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$200
Jonathan F.
01/2010
electrician
+ -1 moreGreat service, unbelievably professional! Will definitely recommend to friends and colleagues.
Description of Work: Subpanel install in basement. Realignment of breakers on a full panel to create a subpanel.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,450
Jeff H.
09/2009
electrician
+ -1 moreHaving dealt with many contractors in the past, it was refreshing to have Ertan show up on time - sometimes early! He started on our recessed lights and quickly had them installed within the first day. One of the things we were most concerned about was the damage that would result from installing the recessed lights in existing construction. We were pleased that Ertan took great care to minimize the number of cuts he had to make into our walls. For those cuts that he did have to make, he professionally patched them and sanded them over (we still need to paint, though). He was quick on installing the new circuit breaker panel and meter, installing grounding rods, and installing the electric (and spa disconnect) for our hot tub. What one contractor told us would be a 2-week project took Ertan only 4 days to complete. We did have one small problem after Ertan finished the project, but he was very responsive and quickly came to our house to resolve the issue. All in all, we would definitely use Ertan again. I can't say enough about his punctuality and willingness to do what we asked. We would recommend him for most any project.
Description of Work: We received three estimates for some significant electrical work that needed to be done done in our house. Magnolia came in about half of the most expensive estimate, and about 50% cheaper than the other estimate we received. We needed our entire circuit breaker panel replaced and the ampage in our house increased. We also had a hot tub installed (with the spa disconnect) and seven recessed lights.
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,000
R Anthony S.
08/2009
electrician
+ -1 moreHe initially gave a fair estimate. The trouble began when he started making recommendations. The worse was that although I requested under-cabinet lighting under every cabinet--he stated there was no need to do this up front (pull so many wires), but since a wire was required for each fixture per city codes he would just pull the three wires, then install the three lights and after the inspection he would connect the remaining fixtures to the existing ones. It was my mistake to agree, but he is quite friendly and gave a very fair quote--so I thought it wouldn't hurt to make the job easier for him. The problem is once he was paid, and the inspection passed--he would not come out to install the remaining fixtures--even though I had purchased them. As well, when I asked if he was going to measure for the placement of the overhead canned lights he said it wasn't needed. Again, it would have required adding some wood supports to get them symmetrical. They looked OK until the cabinets were in and then became obvious his shortcut made the job look shabby. (At the time he was laying out the fixtures I had supplied the plans for the cabinets and even marked their outlines out on the floor.)
Description of Work: Avoid this electrician at all costs! He never finished the job as promised and ignores all of my phone calls. If you want the cheapest bid, and don't care about quality then you may want to consider him...but even then I expect he will disappoint. By the way, I put today's date as the date the work was completed because a date was required--however, he never finished the work!
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$2,318
Response from Magnolia Electric & General Building Co
Natalia Z.
07/2009
electrician
+ -1 moregreat experience overall, we had a lot of work to start with but ertan was wonderful - he has great insight into things and instead of asking "what do you want me to do", he'd say things like "what are you planning on doing with this room, what are you going to place on this wall, etc". he helped us plan out our lighting in such a way that it would complement the house and our tastes. he was also very helpful in other areas as we were doing our remodel, things that he may not have needed to participate in but didn't mind the bother. very helpful, attentive, patient, and understanding.
Description of Work: re-wired whole house during our remodeling, placed recessed lights, installed ceiling fans and fixtures
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,000
steve C.
04/2009
electrician
+ -1 moreexcellent. work was without problems.
Description of Work: install new outlets, misc repairs
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Yes, I recommend this pro
$400
Contact information
534 N Civic Dr #D, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
magnoliaelectric.orgService hours
Monday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMTuesday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMWednesday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMThursday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMFriday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMLicensing
Bonded
Insured
State Contractor License Requirements
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.
Service Categories
Electrical,
Lighting,
General Remodeling,
Ceiling Fans,
Appliance Repair,
Kitchen and Bath Remodeling,
Phone Wiring,
Homebuilders
FAQ
Magnolia Electric & General Building Co is currently rated 4.8 overall out of 5.
Monday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Magnolia Electric & General Building Co accepts the following forms of payment: Check
Yes, Magnolia Electric & General Building Co offers free project estimates.
No, Magnolia Electric & General Building Co does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Magnolia Electric & General Building Co does not offer a senior discount.
No, Magnolia Electric & General Building Co does not offer emergency services.
No, Magnolia Electric & General Building Co does not offer warranties.
Magnolia Electric & General Building Co offers the following services: Complete kitchen & bathroom remodeling, new house wiring, remodeling, lighting, service meter box change, insurance upgrade, rewiring existing home, condo conversion, phone & TV cabling as part of new construction wiring, panel upgrades & recessed lighting.
Phone & TV cable at existing system & ceiling fan installation.
Contact information
534 N Civic Dr #D, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
magnoliaelectric.orgService hours
Monday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMTuesday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMWednesday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMThursday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PMFriday:
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM