Most people assume a handyman can handle the work when a light switch stops responding or an outlet goes dead. Sometimes that is true. But the moment the symptom points to something inside the wall, at the panel, or anywhere along the circuit, it is electrical work, and electrical work requires someone who can trace the problem to its source, not just replace the part that stopped working. That is what we do in Los Altos Hills, for homeowners, property owners, and anyone managing a residence in this town.
Los Altos Hills is a town of large parcels, older homes on original wiring, additions that were built in stages, and outbuildings that run on circuits nobody has touched in decades. The electrical systems here reflect that history. We handle everything from a single dead outlet to a full service upgrade, and we are available at any hour, any day of the week. When you call, the person who picks up knows the trade well enough to scope the job before anything is scheduled. Every job gets treated like it matters, because it does.
Scheduling a service call is simple. You call, describe what is happening, and we ask the questions needed to understand the scope. The price is confirmed before anything is put on the calendar. That applies whether the job is a single outlet replacement or a panel upgrade that will take most of the day. There are no open questions about cost when the work begins.
We are available nights, weekends, and holidays. There are no after-hours restrictions. If a circuit fails on a Sunday evening or a breaker trips during a holiday weekend, we take the call and work out the timing from there.
Emergency calls are answered. If you are dealing with sparking outlets, a panel that is buzzing or warm to the touch, or a complete loss of power to part of the house, those are not situations to wait on.
Call (650) 614-5391 and we will walk through what you are seeing, assess whether it needs immediate attention, and confirm what the visit involves before we schedule it.
For households where someone is home and working around a visit matters, we confirm the details on the call.
A rental property between tenants is the easiest time to do electrical work that would otherwise mean scheduling around someone's day. No furniture to move, no occupant to coordinate with, and no interruption to someone's routine when the power needs to come off for a circuit repair or a panel replacement.
Access is straightforward when a property is vacant. We confirm what is needed on the call, and the visit covers the work without the usual complications of working around an occupied home. For property owners in Los Altos Hills who manage rentals or guest houses on larger parcels, this window is worth using. A panel that has been carrying deferred work, an outbuilding on an undocumented circuit, or a kitchen that needs GFCI protection brought up to current code are all jobs that go faster when the property is empty.
The scope of the electrical work is priced before it starts, so there is no ambiguity about what the visit covers or what comes next.
When a property in Los Altos Hills is sold or rented again, the electrical system gets looked at by an inspector, a buyer's agent, or a tenant who notices something. What we leave behind matters. When we finish a job, we test every circuit, label every breaker, and document what was done. That record has real value when the property changes hands and someone needs to know what the system looks like and what has been updated.
An electrical safety inspection covers panel condition, grounding and bonding, GFCI and AFCI protection, visible wiring, and load capacity. For a home that has had additions or outbuildings added over the years, it gives a clear picture of what the system actually contains, not just what the original permit called for.
Older homes in this area sometimes carry wiring that was code-compliant when it was installed but does not meet current standards. Aluminum branch-circuit wiring and ungrounded outlets are common findings in pre-sale inspections. We handle aluminum-wiring remediation, grounding corrections, and GFCI installation so that the report does not come back with items that delay closing. A plain answer on repair versus upgrade is part of what we provide before any work is scheduled.
Large parcels, detached structures, and homes that have been expanded and updated over decades generate a specific set of electrical needs. What follows covers the job types that come up most often in a town like this, and what each one actually involves.
Recessed lighting in a room that has never had it means running new circuits, cutting into the ceiling, and connecting fixtures that integrate with the existing switching. Retrofitting older recessed cans to LED trims is a simpler job but still involves confirming the existing wiring can support the fixtures and that dimmer switches are compatible. Both jobs are common in homes that are being updated, and both are done without disturbing finished walls when the layout allows for it.
A refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or microwave on a shared circuit is a tripping breaker waiting to happen. A dedicated circuit means the appliance has its own breaker sized to its draw, which removes it from competition with everything else on that run. In kitchens and laundry rooms that have been updated with new appliances, the existing circuits are often undersized for what they are now being asked to carry. We run the circuit from the panel, size the breaker correctly, and confirm the panel has the capacity before anything is scheduled.
Wildfire-season public-safety power shutoffs are a real concern across this region, and a generator that is not properly wired is a hazard rather than a solution. A transfer switch isolates the home's electrical system from the utility before the generator is connected, which protects utility workers and prevents damage when power is restored. We wire the transfer switch, connect the generator circuit, and confirm that the critical loads are covered. The generator hardware itself is outside our scope. The hookup and transfer switch work is what we handle.
A hot tub requires a dedicated 240-volt circuit, a disconnect, and a panel with the capacity to carry the added load. A workshop or detached garage with power tools needs circuits sized for the draw of the equipment, not a single outlet run from the house on an extension cord. EV charger installation follows the same logic: a dedicated 240-volt circuit, a load calculation, and a panel assessment before the circuit is run. These are jobs where the panel conversation happens first, because the panel determines what is possible.
The price for electrical work depends on what the job actually involves, and that is not always clear until the work is underway. A diagnostic visit starts with a symptom. What the fault turns out to be, what has to be opened up to reach it, and whether the existing circuit or panel can carry the change are the things that move the number. A simple outlet replacement and an outlet replacement that reveals deteriorated wiring behind the wall are two different jobs.
We tell you what we find and what it takes to fix it before any additional work is authorized. The scope of the electrical work is priced before it starts. Honest recommendations on repairs, never an upsell, is the standard we hold to when the diagnostic is done.
Call (650) 614-5391 and describe what is happening.
We ask the right questions, confirm what the job involves, and give you a rate before anything is scheduled. If the job requires a site visit to assess the panel or the existing wiring before a price can be confirmed, we tell you that on the call. There are no open questions when the work begins. One call is enough to get the visit booked.
On large residential properties in Los Altos Hills, panels are often located in garages, utility rooms, or dedicated electrical rooms rather than in a hallway or basement. Knowing where the panel is before the visit starts saves time. If the property has a detached structure on its own subpanel, knowing that ahead of the call helps us scope the job accurately.
Clear access to the panel and to the work area is the main thing that determines how quickly a visit goes. We do not need the whole property cleared. We need a path to the panel and space to work at the fixture or outlet. The work area is left as it was found when the job is done. We test every circuit. We label every breaker. We leave it safe.
We cover Los Altos Hills and the surrounding communities throughout Santa Clara County. If your property is in or near this part of the county, we handle it. Have a look at our services page for the work broken down.
We regularly work in:
If you are not sure whether your address falls within our range, a call to (650) 614-5391 will confirm it quickly.
A grid-tied solar system without battery backup will not supply power during a shutoff, because it is designed to shut down when the grid goes down for safety reasons. A battery backup system wired through a transfer switch can supply critical loads during a shutoff regardless of whether the solar panels are producing. We handle the electrical side of that hookup, including the transfer switch and the circuits feeding the critical loads.
Older properties often have wiring from multiple eras, each with its own characteristics and code requirements. We assess the condition of each section, explain what is safe to leave in place, what needs to be updated, and what the code requires for any new work that connects to the existing system.
Homes on larger parcels in this town often have wiring that dates back several decades, with circuits that were added over time and not always documented. Ungrounded outlets, undersized panels, and aluminum branch-circuit wiring are common findings. Outbuildings and additions sometimes run on circuits that were never permitted, which creates both safety and resale concerns.
If the structure has its own subpanel or circuits that are separate from the main house, those circuits should be assessed on their own. A detached garage or workshop that has been wired informally over the years may have grounding issues, undersized breakers, or connections that were never brought up to code. We assess the structure and the supply circuit from the main panel as part of the same visit when that is the scope.
We look at the number of open breaker slots, the rating of the existing breakers, and the total load the panel is already carrying. A panel with open slots can still be at capacity if the existing circuits are drawing close to the service rating, so a load calculation is part of how we assess it.
If the job is a repair that has been waiting, a panel that needs more capacity, a generator hookup before the next shutoff season, or wiring in a detached structure that has never been properly documented, we handle it.
Call (650) 614-5391 and we will scope the job, give you a rate, and get it scheduled.
Reach out and we'll get it diagnosed. That is what Menlo Park Electrical Company is here for.
Electrical work in the surrounding towns: Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View.
Below is a plain-language look at the electrical work we handle for homes, rental properties, and businesses in Los Altos Hills and the surrounding Peninsula communities. Each row covers what the service includes, who it fits best, and one practical detail worth knowing before you call. If a job you need is not listed, call and we will tell you whether it falls within our scope and what it involves.
| Electrical Service | What It Covers | When You Need It | Things to Know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated Appliance Circuits | Dryer, range, and dishwasher circuits, Refrigerator and microwave circuits, Hot-tub wiring and disconnect, Workshop and power-tool circuits | Any appliance that draws a consistent heavy load and needs its own circuit | A hot-tub circuit requires a dedicated line, a disconnect within sight of the tub, and GFCI protection. We handle the full run from the panel out. |
| Electrical Panel & Service UpgradesMost Popular | Panel replacement and load calculations, Service entrance and meter coordination, Subpanel installation for garages and additions, Capacity assessment for EV chargers and appliances | Homes adding EV chargers, major appliances, or an addition to an older panel | Many Los Altos Hills homes still carry 100-amp panels that were sized for a fraction of the load a modern household puts on them. A capacity check on the call tells you where you stand. |
| Lighting Installation | Recessed LED and under-cabinet fixtures, Pendant and chandelier wiring, Outdoor and security lighting, Motion-sensor and pathway lights | Renovations, new construction, and properties adding exterior lighting | Outdoor lighting in Los Altos Hills is practical year-round. We run circuits, mount fixtures, and leave the work area as it was found. |
Call (650) 614-5391 and we will walk through what the job involves, what it costs, and when we can get it scheduled.
(650) 614-5391