My house has flickering lights and dimming every time a large appliance goes on. Even smell smoke in an around the rooms if we don't turn it off. Electrician bid the job and says he did everything he could but the problem still exists and we can't run fridge, washer and other large appliances still. He says he did all he can and suggests calling gas and electric co. Do I have to pay him what he bid since the problem still exists?
It really depends on what the scope of work that was agreed upon. If you hired him to rewire a light and some fixtures and he did...then he is owed the money. If you hired him to fix the same problem you have, then maybe and maybe not.
Could you give more information as to what he was hired to do?
Either way, if there is anyone living in the home it needs to be addressed. Although I'm not sure why he suggested you call the gas company...unless I'm missing something.
@Nanci Gorton What work did he do? It could be the circuits are overloaded or something he didn't look at. If the problem still exists, tell him he hasn't solved the problem.
The electrician replaced/upgraded the wires in the main panel as I guess he thought that was the problem. It probably needed it but did not solve the problem we were having and called him to do. He suggested now I call gas and electric co. I did and they came and determined it was an open neutral and got to work to fix it. All good now not because of what he did. Now he says he knew it was an open neutral but our panel was old and he thought that would help. Any suggestions on paying him less?
I would pay this guy ZERO DOLLARS. He said he could fix the issue and didn't. You smelled smoke which could have caused a house fire. If he completed 9/10 items on a scoop of work that's different and I'd agree to pay but that's not what you described.
Yeah, was this guy licensed? Sure sounds like a putz to me. That’s an easy diagnosis. As in, I could’ve caught that and I’m not an electrician. Finding the exact open spot isn’t as easy and requires checking any/ all junctions, but finding out it’s a neutral issue takes minutes.