The Electrical System Nobody Thought About
- A 60-year-old panel running a house full of modern appliances, tripping breakers weekly
- Two-prong ungrounded outlets everywhere — no place to plug anything in safely
- Extension cords running permanently because there are not enough outlets
- Flickering lights and warm switch plates that signal wiring problems behind the walls
- A previous homeowner’s DIY wiring that was never inspected or permitted
- No GFCI protection in kitchens, bathrooms, or outdoor areas
A Home Electrical System That Works and Is Safe
- A properly sized breaker box with room for future loads — EV chargers, hot tubs, workshops
- Grounded, three-prong outlets in every room, with dedicated circuits where needed
- Electrical wiring that meets current NEC code, properly secured and protected
- GFCI and AFCI protection in every location the code requires
- Lighting repair and replacement handled by a licensed electrician, not a handyman
- Every connection inspected, permitted, and documented by your electrical contractor
- A system your home inspector will pass without a second look
Residential Electrical Services for Every Home
Whether your home needs a single outlet replaced or a complete electrical overhaul, these are the electrician services our company handles every day.
Electrical Panel Upgrades
100-amp to 200-amp upgrades, fuse box replacement, sub-panel installation, and main breaker swaps. Our electrician sizes your service entrance for current needs plus future additions — EV chargers, home additions, workshops. The foundation of every safe electric system.
Wiring & Rewiring
Whole-home rewiring for older homes with knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring. New circuit runs for appliances, additions, and renovations. We fish wire through finished walls without tearing your house apart, and every connection is to current NEC code.
Lighting Installation
Recessed lighting, pendant fixtures, under-cabinet LEDs, outdoor landscape lighting, and dimmer switches. Lighting installation includes design, electrical wiring, and fixture mounting. We also handle lighting repair and replacement for existing fixtures. New construction and retrofit — including fishing wire through existing ceilings without opening drywall.
Outlet & Switch Work
New outlet installations, GFCI upgrades in wet areas, USB outlet additions, two-prong to three-prong conversions, and smart switch installations. Our electrician adds outlets where you actually need them and brings existing ones up to code. Includes repair and replacement of damaged or faulty receptacles.
Ceiling Fan Installation
New ceiling fan installation, fan replacement, and adding fan-rated electrical boxes where none exist. Fan installation includes wiring, bracing, and mounting — even in homes where there is no existing ceiling box. Our electrician ensures proper support so the fan does not wobble or fall.
Electrical Safety Inspections
Full home electric service inspections for buyers, sellers, and homeowners who want to know what they are dealing with. We check the breaker box, wiring, grounding, GFCI/AFCI protection, smoke detectors, and code compliance. Your electrician provides a written report with findings and repair recommendations.
“Scott Redfern was absolutely wonderful. He took the time to figure out the best approach for our situation and was able to get our outlets that were constantly tripping in multiple rooms on separate circuits. His great thinking allowed us to get this done without ripping up tile. He even went out of his way to get a section of drywall for us to do the patch. Our house is older and has some quirks that put off other electricians but Scott did a wonderful job.”
— Verified Google Review, St. Louis
Your electrician should know your house as well as you do
Every house has a story — the addition that was wired 20 years ago, the kitchen remodel where someone tapped into the wrong circuit, the breaker box that has been full since the last owner added a hot tub. Our electricians read that story in the wiring and repair it properly, not just patch over it.
As a full-service electrical contractor, Bates Electric handles everything from lighting and fan installation to complete rewiring — exclusively with W-2 employees, not subcontractors. Every electrician is licensed, insured, background-checked, and trained on our standards. We pull permits, schedule inspections, and stand behind every service call with a warranty.
- Licensed, insured electricians — no subcontractors, no handymen
- Upfront pricing before work begins — no surprises on the invoice
- Permits pulled and inspections scheduled on every job that requires them
- Clean work — we protect floors, patch drywall, and clean up after ourselves
- Same-day and next-day availability for urgent electrical repair service
Residential Electrical Services at a Glance
Is This You?
“My breakers trip every time I run the microwave and the toaster.”
That circuit is overloaded. Your kitchen needs dedicated circuits for each major appliance — microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, garbage disposal. Our electrician adds the circuits so nothing trips and nothing shares a line it should not be on.
“We just bought an older home and the inspector flagged the wiring.”
Common with homes built before 1970. Whether it is knob-and-tube, aluminum wiring, or an undersized breaker box, our electrician repairs what the inspector flagged and brings the system up to current code. Bates Electric does this daily — older homes are not a problem, they are what we specialize in.
“I want to add an EV charger but my panel is full.”
A Level 2 EV charger needs a 40 to 60-amp dedicated circuit. If your electric service is full or undersized, we upgrade it first. We handle the breaker box, the new circuit, the charger installation, and the permit — one company, one service call, done right.
“Half the outlets in my house don’t have a ground wire.”
Two-prong ungrounded outlets are a safety issue and a code violation in new work. We retrofit grounded outlets, run ground wires where needed, and add GFCI protection where rewiring is not practical. Your devices and your family are safer.
“The lights flicker when the AC kicks on.”
Flickering usually means a loose connection, an overloaded circuit, or an electric service that cannot handle the inrush current from your HVAC compressor. Our electrician diagnoses the root cause — it could be a connection repair, a circuit issue, or a lighting issue — and fixes it properly.
“I’m renovating and need everything electrical handled.”
Kitchen remodel, bathroom addition, basement finish, or whole-home renovation — Bates Electric handles the complete scope as your electrical contractor. Rough-in wiring, service capacity, lighting layout, fixture placement, and final connections. We coordinate with your GC or work directly with you.
How We Work
Every project at Bates Electric follows the same process — whether it is a single outlet repair or a whole-home rewire.
- Free estimates with upfront pricing on every service call
- Same-day and next-day scheduling available for most home electric work
- All work permitted and inspected where required by local code
Call or Schedule Online
Tell us what you need — whether it is a repair, replacement, lighting, or something else. Our team asks the right questions so we can send the right electrician with the right materials.
On-Site Estimate
Your electrician evaluates the job, explains what needs to happen and why, and gives you an upfront price. No surprises, no hidden fees. You approve before any work starts.
Professional Installation
We do the work — clean, to code, and on schedule. We protect your floors and furniture, label everything, and test every circuit before we call it done.
Walkthrough & Warranty
We walk you through everything we did, answer your questions, and leave you with documentation. Our work is backed by a warranty and we are here if you need us again.
18 Markets. One Master Contractor.
Bates Electric is the electrical contractor homeowners trust across 18 locations. Same standards, same quality, same licensed electricians — wherever you are.
- Every market staffed with local, licensed electricians who specialize in home electric service
- Same process and quality standards in every location
- Full-service electrical contractor — from lighting and repair to whole-home rewiring
Ready to Get Your Home’s Electrical Right?
Schedule a free estimate with Bates Electric. Our electrician will come out, look at what you need, give you a straight answer and an honest price for the service. No pressure, no games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Costs vary by the type of service. Outlet or switch repair and installation typically runs $150 to $400 each. A breaker box upgrade from 100 to 200 amps ranges from $1,800 to $4,000. Whole-home rewiring for older homes can range from $8,000 to $20,000+ depending on size and complexity. Bates Electric provides free estimates with transparent pricing before any work begins.
Common signs include frequently tripping breakers, a breaker box that still uses fuses, a 100-amp service in a home with modern appliances, visible corrosion or burn marks, or planning to add major loads like an EV charger, hot tub, or workshop. If your home is more than 30 years old and the electric service has never been upgraded, ask an electrician for an inspection.
Yes, if your home has knob-and-tube wiring, aluminum wiring, or ungrounded two-prong outlets. Old wiring is a fire risk, cannot handle modern loads, and will be flagged on home inspections. A licensed electrical contractor can rewire the home so you can add grounded outlets, dedicated circuits for appliances, and bring the system up to current code. It is one of the highest-value safety upgrades you can make.
Most electrical work beyond simple fixture swaps requires a permit. Service upgrades, new circuit installations, rewiring, and adding outlets to unfinished spaces all require permits and inspections in most jurisdictions. As a licensed electrical contractor, Bates Electric pulls permits, schedules inspections, and ensures all work meets local and national electrical code. You never have to deal with the permit office yourself.
Simple jobs like outlet repair or lighting replacement take 1 to 2 hours. A service upgrade typically takes a full day. Adding circuits or running new wiring to specific rooms takes 1 to 2 days. A full home rewire on a 2,000 square foot home usually takes 3 to 7 days depending on accessibility and the age of the home. Your electrician gives you a timeline during the estimate so you know what to expect.
A licensed electrician has completed thousands of hours of supervised training, passed state exams, carries proper insurance, and can pull permits. A handyman may be able to swap a light fixture, but anything involving circuits, breaker boxes, or wiring behind walls should be done by a licensed electrical contractor. Improper electric work is a leading cause of house fires and will create problems when you sell the home.