Spark Services Electrical Inspection

Electrical Inspection in California

A written check before you buy, sell, insure or remodel.

A full electrical inspection in Los Angeles runs 250 to 600 dollars and is the cheapest way to find out what a house is hiding.

The short version

A home inspector is not an electrician and does not open panels the same way.
Ask for photos and a written list, not a verbal all clear.
Insurers ask about panel brand, wiring type and age.
A report gives you a number to negotiate with.

When one is worth paying for

Before you buy a home over about forty years old. Before a policy renews when the insurer starts asking questions. Before a remodel, so surprises land in the budget instead of mid job. And after buying a place where the last owner clearly did work themselves.

A general home inspection touches electrical. It is a look, not an examination, and the report usually ends with a line telling you to have an electrician check further.

What gets checked

The service size and condition, the panel brand and every breaker in it, grounding and bonding at the water and gas lines, a sample of outlets on every circuit, protected outlets in wet areas, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and whatever is visible in the attic, the crawl space and the garage.

The electrician should pull the panel cover. Almost everything that matters is behind it.

Reading the report

A good report sorts findings by urgency. Safety items first, code items next, then things worth doing eventually. Every item should have a photo and a rough price.

Take the safety list seriously and treat the rest as planning. Not every old thing in a house is dangerous, and an honest electrician will tell you which is which.