NELSON ELECTRIC

Description of Work: We had called this company to come out to our house to install an outside receptacle to our garage. When we called to make an appointment we were told the service charge for parts and labor would be around $150. When the electrician had showed up to our house I showed him what we needed done and asked for an estimate before he started work. I was told that I would have to call the bookkeeper in the office to get an estimate. I then told the guy we were quoted around $150 and I really didn't want to have the work done if it would be over that price. The guy said he would do his best to keep it around that price, so with that agreement I gave the go ahead. It was a very simple installation and the guy had worked at our house for about 1.5 hours at the most. When he was all done I asked him for an invoice and I was told he didn't write the invoices and that we could stop by the office later that day and get a bill. So we did, and come to find out the "Bookkeeper" was not in all that day and only is in the office a couple of times a week. A few weeks later we received a invoice in the mail for over $250 and the majority of the charge was for labor because we were overcharged by one hour. We then called the owner and let him know of our concern and he told us that he would talk to his employee and get back to us. We never heard back from the owner until we received a two page letter explaining how we were charged for travel time of one hour, the thing is this business is located less than 8 miles from our house. We were also told that we never asked for an estimate and his guy wouldn't admit that I asked him at least twice for an estimate and I had stated I wouldn't have the work done if it was over $150. I was appalled and offended by this bold face lie because we most certainly asked for a written estimate instead we settled for a verbal agreement on the price. So we got duped! because the owner refused to make it right with a reasonable discount for the overcharge on the labor. But interesting enough he spent at least an hour writing two different letters consisting of 3 pages to tell us a story of how another customer that was the wife of an attorney couldn't get him for anything and if she couldn't get him we most certainly wouldn't be able to. Then he listed the name of his attorney and how he's friends with the local sheriff and if we wrote any complaints about his business he would have us charged with "Cybor Bullying" and we would be sued. So I guess we'll find out because I think it's more important to expose these shady business practices then to be intimidated for speaking the truth. We were also told that most people don't even ask him for estimates they just have him do the work. If he blatantly overcharged us for such a small job just imagine how much he could pad a major job?