Last week, a homeowner called and said, “My kitchen lights went out again. I think it’s just a bad switch. Can you tell me how much it’ll cost to fix?”

If you’ve ever wondered the same thing — you’re not alone. So instead of giving vague answers, we’re going to walk you through exactly how this works at Coffin Electric.

Step 1: Service Call – $69

Before we open a switch, breaker, or outlet, we start with a $69 service call fee. This covers:

A professional safety check of your electrical system

A walkthrough of what we’re seeing and why it matters

Making sure it’s safe before we begin diagnosing

This is not the diagnostic itself — it’s the check-in before the real work starts.

Why We Have to Diagnose the Whole Circuit

Most electrical problems come down to one (or a mix) of these three things:

Bad part — the breaker, switch, outlet, etc.
Bad wire — damaged, loose, or deteriorated wiring
Bad connection — a loose terminal, back-stabbed outlet, corroded connection, etc.

Even if it looks like a bad switch or breaker, we can’t just swap it and walk away. Here’s why:

That switch is part of an entire circuit

If there’s a loose wire upstream or a burnt-out connection downstream, it’s going to fail again

And once we touch it — we’re responsible for it

So we diagnose the whole circuit, not just the obvious part.

Step 2: Diagnostic Levels (Unlimited Time Included)

Once we start diagnosing, you’re not paying by the hour. Each level gives us unlimited time to find the problem — no stopwatch, no pressure, no guessing.

Diagnostic Level Cost What It Covers

Level 1 $285 Single appliance or known device failure
Level 2 $376 Single dedicated circuit to a single point of use in one room
Level 3 $508 Single circuit with multiple rooms or wiring 40+ years old
Level 4 $609 Arc-fault breaker issues, multiple failures, up to two circuits

What’s Included in the Diagnostic?

Unlimited time to figure out the issue
Simple repairs like fixing a loose connection or replacing a bad switch or receptacle
Breaker replacements are NOT included — those are billed separately because they involve panel work and additional safety procedures

If the repair is simple — you’re covered.
If it’s bigger — we stop, show you what we found, and get your approval before doing anything else.

Common Small Repair Costs (After Diagnostic)

Repair Type Typical Price Included in Diagnostic?

Replace standard light switch $100–$150 ✅ Yes
Replace receptacle (outlet) $100–$200 ✅ Yes
Replace breaker (standard, GFCI, or AFCI) $150–$300 ❌ No — billed separately

Bottom Line — What You Can Expect

$69 – We show up, inspect, and ensure it’s safe to begin
$285–$609 – Diagnostic with unlimited time, depending on complexity
Simple fixes included — switch, outlet, loose wire
Breaker replacements or larger repairs will be talked through first — no surprises

At Coffin Electric, our goal is simple: solve the problem the right way the first time — safely, honestly, and with no surprises when the bill comes.

What It Really Costs When an Electrician Comes Out