Electrician Near Me | Lumentek’s First One Star Review Story

Electrician Near Me | Lumentek’s First One Star Review Story

All right, let’s dive into basement developments and other electrical work of an electrician near me. Today, we’re talking about recent projects, trends in basement suites, and the growing demand for permanent Christmas lights and other services. Here’s a breakdown of what was discussed.

Basement Developments

Q: What kind of basement developments have you done recently or over the past year? Any basement suites?

A: We’ve done quite a few in-law suites. They’re becoming more popular. Most basements we work on are standard setups—family rooms and additional bedrooms.

Separate Dwelling Units (Basement Suites):

When it comes to legal basement suites, the process involves:

• Separate Electrical Service: A legal suite requires its own electrical meter and panel, with every circuit tied directly to the basement panel.
• Future-Ready Setup: For in-law suites, we often install a separate panel so it’s easy to upgrade to a legal suite in the future by running a feed to the street.

Kitchen Setups:

• Most in-law suites include a wet bar with a sink, dishwasher, and counter plug circuits.
• For full suites, we’re usually installing a range and a full kitchen. For partial kitchens, we set up smaller appliances like a fridge and microwave.

Q: How common are these setups?

A: Probably about one in every three or four basements we do includes some sort of suite. The rest are primarily family spaces—people just want more finished space and are tired of looking at vapor barriers.

Air Conditioning Installations

Q: You’ve been doing air conditioning hookups. Tell me about that.

A: We’ve been handling a lot of these. It’s fairly straightforward—run a separate line from the panel to the unit, install a disconnect, and wire it up.

Some jobs are quick and can be done in an hour. Others can take all day, especially when running conduit outside or navigating finished drywall ceilings. We usually take care of all permitting ourselves, which simplifies things for the homeowner.

Permanent Christmas Lights

Q: Permanent Christmas lights are starting to get busy. What’s the demand like?

A: It’s picking up as we approach the season. People love them because they’re tired of putting up lights in the cold weather. Another reason is aesthetics—many homes in Red Deer lack pot lights on the upper levels, so the top half of the house appears dark. Celebrate® lights can solve this problem and are often comparable in cost to retrofitting pot lights.

Setup Process:

• We typically run wiring from the garage through the attic. Once the track is in place, everything is hidden, providing a clean look.
• The lights operate on a 24-volt system, controlled by a central unit in the garage. Each controller supports five separate runs, with up to 1,000 feet or 1,000 lights per run.

Applications:

• We’ve installed these lights on fences, around garage doors, and, of course, along soffits. While practical, some applications like framing garage doors can lead to dents from vehicles or kids, so we recommend caution.

Growth of the Business

Q: How long have you been operating in central Alberta?

A: This is my third year. By January, we’ll have completed three full years and will be moving into the fourth.

Background:

• We moved to Alberta from BC, knowing only a handful of people. Initially, I worked a job that kept me away from home too much, so I started LumenTek to create a better balance.

Goals for the Future:

• I want to grow the company, move off the tools, and focus on industrial work while having a team handle residential projects.
• We’re also streamlining operations with job kits for specific tasks like AC installs and Celebright® lighting to ensure everything needed is on-site, cutting down on wasted time.

Service Work Highlights

Recent Jobs:

• Restaurants: Repaired ice makers, installed exterior lighting, and set up signs.
• Plug Repairs: Addressed issues like plugs overheating from portable ACs or space heaters. Often, quick-wired plugs fail under high loads.

Tips:

• Upgrade to commercial-grade receptacles for heavy-use appliances.
• Avoid straining cords to extend plug life.

Challenges with Customers

Q: Any memorable customer interactions?

A: We recently got our first one-star google review. The customer had us wire a garage, and everything passed inspection. Later, they decided to make changes, took apart our work, and reassembled it incorrectly. When it didn’t work, they blamed us. Unfortunately, we couldn’t warranty it since it wasn’t our work anymore.

Lessons:

• Electrical work should be left to professionals. Taking apart inspected work can lead to bigger issues.
• We always aim to address concerns professionally, but some situations are beyond our control.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in Red Deer or central Alberta and need electrical work, LumenTek – the electrician near me offers reliable, professional service. Whether it’s basement developments, AC hookups, or Celebrate® lighting, we’re here to help. Just don’t take apart our work—it’s not under warranty! Thanks for tuning in, and we’ll see you next time.