Modern Electric
Company Overview
Modern Electric Co. operates as a father-son enterprise and focuses on providing electrical solutions for homes. With 39 years in the industry, we've likely entered more homes than any other company in San Mateo County. Our expertise in older home wiring is unmatched. Should you have the old-fashioned knob and tube wiring, don’t be misled into thinking you need a full rewire. That’s simply not the case.
Steer clear of handymen who do plumbing one day and painting the next.
Electrical work is a serious profession, not a hobby.
You get what you pay for; we promise quality work.
If you need a service call, outlet installations, recessed lighting, circuit breaker upgrades, room additions, kitchen renovations, or outdoor lighting, we’ve tackled it all and still do it daily.
Check out the discount we’re offering on our home electrical inspections.
Don’t risk being left in the dark.
Reach out to Modern Electric NOW!
Chester White founded Modern Electric in 1971. His son George came on board soon after.
They placed a simple three-line ad in the local San Mateo newspaper and waited for calls.
Over time, their business grew by delivering quality service and receiving referrals from satisfied customers.
Today, 80% of their business comes from repeat customers and referrals.
Once, Modern Electric had more than 20 electricians and worked on many commercial contracts, such as Gap Stores, Banana Republics, Crown Books, and Blockbusters.
Currently, 80% of Modern Electric’s work is residential.
“We are grounded in residential work; we have a deep understanding of the older homes on the peninsula”. We often work in homes that are now owned by their second or third owners. We can fish through walls, access attics, and go beneath homes to avoid opening walls unless it’s essential. I firmly believe that homeowners can save both time and money by selecting our services.
George White, your local owner.
I have been immersed in the electrical industry since childhood. As a child, my father brought my sister and me to the office on weekends, and we enjoyed playing hide and seek in the warehouse.
During high school, I worked at the shop organizing materials and cleaning trucks.
During the summer, I got to work on job sites and in our lighting store.
When my father launched Modern Electric Co. in 1971, we started slowly, but our reputation for quality work helped us grow rapidly.
People appreciate that we are a family-run business. Our motto is, “We treat your house like it’s our house.”
I’ve loved seeing the business expand throughout the years. We have built strong relationships with our customers, many of whom have become personal friends.
My father retired in 1985, but he was always proud of our little company.
I work in the business every day and take pleasure in connecting with our customers, resolving their issues, and upgrading their homes electrically.
Business Services
- Electric inspection
- Electric installation or replacement
- Electric repair
- Light fixture installation
- Light fixture repair
Business Location & Hours
| Mon: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tue: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wed: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thu: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Fri: | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Sat: | Closed |
| Sun: | Closed |
Recommended Customer Reviews
Dee S.I recently worked on a project with Modern Electric and perhaps the prior reviews which are from many years ago held true at that time but my experience with George was entirely different. He was incredibly rude, disrespectful and belligerent and I would never use him again nor recommend him to anyone! Service is everything in this world and if you can't provide it respectfully and professionally then it's time to retire or simply close your doors.
M B.I spoke with George today about an electrical issue that my home was having. I was very stressed because I did not know how serious the problem was. He requested a description of the exact problems that we were experiencing, and then he proceeded to call PG&E for me. He thought that this was the correct starting point because their work is free, and he thought that they may be able to resolve the problem for me. However, he told me that he would keep my name on the list, in case PG&E was not able to resolve the problem for me. He really went the extra mile, and put me at ease. If I needed electrical work in the future, I would definitely call Modern Electric to help me, and I would highly recommend Modern Electric to anyone looking for an electrician.
Janet C.Modern Electric was the only company to come up with a solution for our ceiling radiant heat in our condos. We froze for years because all the heat stayed in the ceiling, but modern electric was able to connect the heat to fans and vents that blow warm air from the lower walls to the room. Thanks to them, we are finally able to be warm. They were so knowledgable about how much each curcuit could handle and how big the heater could be.
Cindy S.I have used Modern Electric several times. They are knowledgeable, considerate, and the price point is very reasonable. They also put up with my constant pestering without complaint. The owner (George) is just a down right good guy. Very hard to come by these days!
Nancy M.This week my recessed kitchen lights started buzzing like crazy. I called Modern Electric and scheduled a repair visit. Brian arrived on time and completed the repair (it was the switch) quickly. The price was very reasonable.
Over the past 25 years I have used Modern Electric on several different occasions for electrical repairs. Each time I have been more than pleased with the service provided.
Jennifer D.George showed up on time for a free estimate. I had recessed lighting installed. His crew was completely professional. They showed up on time, they helped me decide the placement and how the lights should work with the switches. They were available for questions and cleaned up at the end of the project. I absolutely would recommend them.
D M.George White has been my electrician for 20 years. He was the electrician for my first remodel on my first home in 1990. When I moved to a second home, he rewired my garage and put in new service. Since then I've added outlets, outdoor lighting, and he's hung many, many heavy lighting fixtures. George charges a fair price and is more than fair. One time he sent over an electrician to hang a light--only we were missing a part. When we got the part he sent him back and only charged us for one hour. This sounds corney, but he will just call from time to time just to say hello. If you are looking for a veteran electrical company that does a good job and charges a fair price, George is your man.
E. S.I had a fantastic experience with Modern Electric.
I asked them to come out and do an inspection of my electrical system to put my mind at ease that everything was in working order. George (the owner) and Brian came out to do the inspection and really took the time to walk through and do a full assessment. They were very professional, showed up exactly on time, and very willing to answer all of my questions (and I had tons of them). At the end of the day they confirmed everything was in good working order and that I didn't need to upgrade or replace anything (whereas many of their competitors may have used the inspection as an opportunity to ""upsell"").
Very trustworthy and I would definitely recommend them.
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