Hi Lite Electric Inc.

Ludicrous pricing and questionable business practices, in my opinion. Stay away and read below if you need more details.

We posted our project on homestars with details of the job and pictures, asking for quotes. Hi-Lite called immediately, and offered to send in an electrician same day to provide the quote, which was fantastic. We were informed that this would only entail a $89 travel fee, which we accepted.

Electrician showed up very quickly, and was extremely professional and polite. The problem was that, as it turned out, to actually provide a quote he needed to perform additional "circuit evaluation", which would cost another $196. We were surprised, but as he was already there we decided to agree (mistake, with hindsight). The "evaluation" ended up being: turning on the breaker and using wire tester to check that associated box was live.

Electrician then called the main office and brought back the quote, which was roughly DOUBLE the quotes that we received from two other licensed and very well-rated firms. None of them charge travel of "evaluation" fees. One company was able to provide written quote simply by asking us to take pictures of the wiring and panel with our phone...NOT by charging $300+.

It's important to emphasize that their electricians are very polite and professional -- it's not their fault. The problem, I think, remains with their management which seems to be building a business around hidden fees and penny-pinching.

NOTE: I'm posting anonymously hoping to protect the electrician who responded to the job.