Winkler Electric

Sara L.

Winkler Electric came for a small repair. They arrived in a timely manner and made the repair. The electrician was very courteous. I will contact them the next time I need electrical work.

Jeanie P.

Incompetent, unprofessional and dishonest!!

Last April, I hired Winkler for a $2000 electrical job that needed to be done in order to sell my house in Fairhope, Alabama. I drove back from Texas....650 miles.... planning to meet Winkler at my house the next day. While I was driving, a woman who identified herself as his girlfriend called me and said he had to go to court the next day against his ex-wife and asked if I could wait another day.
""Okay, sure"" I said. So Iwaited an extra day while Winkler went to court. The following day, he showed up a half hour late, (He had his girlfriend call me again). I was perfectly nice about it. He, on the other hand, acted rude and angry. He barreled up in my drive and parked on the sprinkler system. I asked him to please pull up onto the driveway and off of my sprinkler system. He said ""well, who puts the sprinkler system next to the driveway!"" I said ""um...everybody?""

Once inside, I showed him the job, which he had declined to come scope out in advance. Now, he complained that he didn't have all the parts he needed to do the job (which was somehow my fault?) He said he would have to go ""clear up to Daphne"" to get parts. He went out to the garage and looked at my garage door opener, which had a sensor problem. He said he couldn't fix it, that I would have to call a guy who specialized in garage door openers for that. I said ""okay."" We went back to the den and were discussing the other things on the list. He was rude and agitated the whole time for no apparent reason. I said, ""Mr. Winkler, it's going to be a long day if we're going to spend it arguing."" He said ""I ain't arguing with ya"", then he turned to his young assistant whom he hadn't even introduced, and yelled ""Get on up in that attic!"" At that point, I was thinking I should send him packing. I walked out to my kitchen, thought about it for a second. This wasn't going well. I decided to tell him that and simply fire him. But just as I turned to go back into the den, the kid in the attic PUT HIS FOOT THROUGH THE CEILING, taking out sheetrock, lighting, wiring, and plumbing. Luckily,he wasn't hurt! He had broken his fall on the shower handle and not fallen completely through. He climbed back downstairs, and I asked him if he was okay. He said he was fine. I asked him if he was sure. He said ""yes ma'am, I'm really fine. I broke my fall on the shower handle."" Winkler was really yelling at him now. I called my husband, and told Winkler I needed for him to leave. (Wish I'd done it two minutes sooner.) He said he was sorry. I said, ""well, accidents happen, but we're done here. Luckily, your young man wasn't hurt. I need you to please leave."" On his way out, I said ""I'll have to send you a bill for the repairs."" He said ""I don't blame you.""

Later that day, I hired another contractor. In addition to the $2000 for the original electrical repair, I had to spend an extra $450 and an additional three days to repair the damage caused by Winkler. I had the new contractor separate the charges and paid both bills. That was at the end of April.

The first of May, I sent Winkler the bill for $450 (the damage he'd caused.)
I called him to tell him I'd sent it and gave him the amount. I was very polite, and he agreed to pay it. He didn't. May and June passed. No check..

In early July,I called him again and said I hadn't received a check from him. This time, he said he was going to send me a check for only $325, as he was subtracting $125 for his time! (I had spent three extra days of MY time repairing his damage, not to mention the extra day I had waited.) But I made a point of remaining completely civilized. I asked him when I could expect it. ""Hopefully today."" I said ""Hopefully, Mr. Winkler?"" I bit my lip so I wouldn't say anything I'd regret. I said ""Alright, I'll expect a check from you this week."" Didn't happen.

In August, I called him again and said I had still not received a check from him. He said he had been ""thinking about paying it but decided not to, since I'd ""threatened him"". WHAT?!?!? I said that was a bald-faced lie. I said ""In what way do you think I threatened you, Mr. Winkler?"" He said ""I ain't gonna repeat it."" He declined to answer because he was lying. I told him I'd see him in small claims court. He told me I couldn't sue him. I have no idea what he meant by that. I hung up.

Now I have the complicated task of filing a claim from another state. I suppose that's what Winkler is counting on. I am out of pocket $450 for damages he caused to my home, he is fully aware of it, and he simply doesn't want to pay me back.