James W Zimmerman

I recently moved into an "as-is", bank-owned condo. Among many other deficiencies, the kitchen lighting -- fluorescent fixtures -- didn't work (if it lit-up, it did so for only 5-10 minutes, then went off). I asked the plumber who installed my new hot-water heater to recommend a residential electrician, and he put me onto "Jimmy Z Electric".
Jimmy came over at the agreed-upon time, tested the lighting, and diagnosed the problem as being the ballast. Indeed, they were the original units (this is a 30-year-old condo complex). I gave him money for parts (bulbs and ballast) -- he asked for $40, I gave him $100. When he returned with the items and the receipt from Home Depot, the bill was $101. Another thirty minutes work, and we were good. He charged me $40 for labor.
To my surprise, not more than five minutes after he left, one bank of lights failed. I called him, reported the issue, and within another thirty minutes he returned. Would you believe that one of the ballast units was faulty? So, he pulled-and-replaced both of them -- went back to Home Depot and got two others with a different lot number (good thinking!). Another twenty minutes' work, and everything was jake... and at no additional cost.
I'm happy, my kitchen is now well-lit, and I've got another senior-citizen professional upon whom I can count!