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Peter Mc Carthy Electric

About us

Thank you for your overwhelming response! As a result, we are unable to take new clients until 1/1/2016 We are an electrical contractor specializing in retrofitting older wiring. We have rewired many older homes from the 1870s- 1960s, and I am expert in redesigning electrical systems to meet modern power requirements and Chicago electrical code. My blog on my website chronicles various jobs we have done and issues I have encountered. I am a 4th generation electrician in Chicago and take great pride in my work.

Business highlights

29 years of experience

Services we offer

Electrical repairs.

Reviews
4.992 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
95%
4
4%
3
1%
2
0%
1
0%
Showing 1-25 of 92 reviews
Diana R.
Aug 2017
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Mr McCarthy was very professional and punctual. We are very happy with his work.

Robert S.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$285
Peter was on time, cheerful and knowledgable. He got right to work on the pull chain light then I showed him where my new light fixture should go in my upstairs office. I assisted by setting him up with ladder for the 10-12 foot ceiling and killed the electricity to the office by turning off that circuit breaker in the basement. He worked quickly and knowledgeably. He told me that he specialized in old houses and knows their electrical peculiarities. As our house was built in 1894 this came in handy for our needs. He worked about an hour and ten minutes and provided a metal ring extension of sorts that allowed my new light fixture to mount more easily. He finished, we chatted briefly, I paid him (throwing in a modest bonus), he thanked me and he split, leaving me two requested business cards and a receipt.

Anna J.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Peter was very responsive and professional. We appreciated his depth of knowledge, and he did an excellent and very efficient job. We would absolutely recommend him and use him again.

Homeowner
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$6,000
If you are reading this it is because you are like me--careful and want to vet who you work with. Good for you. I did the same thing before hiring Peter. I phoned and spoke to four people who had hired him--all extremely positive reviews. I hired him and hoped that he was as good as what my friends reported--and he was. Peter is very honest, thoughtful, careful, doesn't take short cuts, offers ideas without being pushy, listens to what you'd like, and does beautiful work. He is also very well informed about building codes so you don't have to worry about work that wouldn't pass inspection. I have hired him to do other work since and will ALWAYS AND ONLY hire Peter for electrical work! 
I cannot more highly recommend Peter. 
Vanessa Georg
PS Almost forgot, Peter is also a really down-to-earth nice guy! Great personality! 



Jon O.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Both experiences turned out great! We had a small time window to get work done before moving into our new place and Peter got it done by being quick to reply, start work and professionally finish the jobs. The next time, we also needed quick emergency repairs so our kitchen plumbing could be finished. Again he replied immediately and got the work done as soon as possible. We really appreciate how well he knows old buildings and the time he takes to explain his plan and work. Overall, the high quality of his work was shocking (sorry, poor choice of words)! We feel lucky to have found an electrician we trust and will keep going back to anytime the need arises.

Adam P.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Peter provides fair prices, knowledgeable estimates, and high quality work. He is a busy guy so you oftentimes can't get him right away. However, the quality of his work and his expertise with old systems is worth the wait.

Barbara I.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$300
The price was reasonable. Pete showed up right on time. The work was well done. We sold the condo. Soon we will be contacting Peter Mc Carthy for electrical work in our new condo

Rafael B.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
I can not brag enough about the services that were provided by Peter McCarthy. He is an absolute master of his craft. He is honest and treated the work done on my home as if it were his home. My home is 128 years old and needed a major overhaul in bringing the electrical up to code. He gave me a virtual history lesson of my home walking my through the different wires, circuits and light switches found all throughout my house as he was doing the job. He did exactly what he said he would do and in a timely manner. To quote the city inspector when he came to inspect my house, "Whoever your Electrician is, he definitely knows what he is doing." When we told the city inspector who did our job, he stated that he was familiar with his work before and that it was quality work. If you are in need of any electrical work, I highly recommend that you contract Peter McCarthy. If by chance you call him and he happens to be busy, don't give up, his services are definitely worth the wait.

Michael R.
Oct 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Mr. McCarthy designed a new solution running power directly from the breaker box through the wall at the back of the house, and implemented it quickly. We have not had any problems since!

SUSAN A.
Jan 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
It went well


Response from Peter Mc Carthy Electric
"S, Thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate them. I wish you a fabulous 2016! Pete"

Michael R.
Nov 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$200
unknown

LaTosha N.
Oct 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$175
unknown

Borja S.
Aug 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,400
This year, I undertook a major project: adding central A/C to my condo in a 100+ year old building in Hyde Park. Doing this required a number of electrical upgrades to support the A/C equipment: adding a new subpanel in the basement of the building, and running new power feeds up to my unit and to the roof of the building (where the condenser would be located). When the A/C contractor told me these upgrades were necessary, the choice was clear: Peter McCarthy. Several years ago, Peter upgraded the entire electrical system in my condo when I moved in (it still had cloth wiring from the 50s, a huge fire hazard), and I have not had a single electrical issue in my condo since then. Although I already wrote a glowing review at the time, it's worth pointing out that, with several years of hindsight, I can appreciate what a great job Peter did. I would not trust any other electrician with any electrical work in my unit, so I immediately asked him to come on board for the A/C project. Peter coordinated everything with the A/C contractor, and had all the upgrades done on time, allowing the A/C contractor to finish the installation on schedule. 
Peter knows old buildings, he is enthusiastic about his job, and is just plain and simply great at it. I strongly recommend him for any job, big or small, specially if you live in an older building.


Response from Peter Mc Carthy Electric
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Those words mean a lot to me. Have a great COOL summer! Peter"

STACZA L.
Jan 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$600
Peter is a great electrician. This is the second time I have hired him for a small-ish job. He responded very quickly to my phone call and was able to come over the next week to give me an estimate. We were arranging some drywall work at the same time, so I wanted Peter to come in first to do the wiring so that the drywall could be repaired when he was done with his interior work. Then once the drywall was completed and painted, Peter could install the sconce. There was alot of coordinating with many different people and it all worked out in the end. I would hire him again. 

ALISON B.
Jan 2015
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$200
Mr. McCarthy saw our earlier Angie's List review, apologized on that forum and in person, and got in touch with us immediately to go over the estimate again and get started on the work.  He has completed some of it and is working on the rest of the items.  We were impressed with his graciousness and professionalism and are looking forward to working with him.
Response from Peter Mc Carthy Electric
"(Member name removed), I apologize most sincerely to you and your family. I try my very hardest to keep up with clients and with all the expectations out there. Family needs sometimes get the better of me and I simply blow it. Also, At times I get so backed up I feel overwhelmed and don't know which way to turn. Both of my employees I counted on for years left last fall, and I am trying my best to handle things on my own. I am not doing a very good job I see. I drop the ball sometimes but in your case it looks like I dropped it so severely. I am deeply embarrassed and ashamed. I did not intend to cause you such hassles. I will reach out this very morning (8AM, Sunday) and see if I can be of service. Again I offer my deepest apologies."

WESLEY W.
Dec 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$6,500
It took two to three to days.  It went well.  They were knowledgeable and neat.  They cleaned up everyday.  Two workers came.  The owner, Peter, is personable, bright, funny and friendly.  The price is good. They can be busy, but work you in in a reasonable amount of time.

Marissa T.
Nov 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,000
Our experience with him was fabulous. He was on time. He understood our budget constraints and he was willing to work with us. It was nice to know he was not willing to loose the business over pricing.  He is really great.

ALINE L.
Oct 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Peter was very patient and accommodating about coordinating with the masons, who rescheduled 3 times on short notice. He even tested the fans for me after bringing them down so that I would know if they were resellable.
Response from Peter Mc Carthy Electric
"Thank you [member name removed]! It has been such a pleasure knowing you and your family over all these years. I always enjoy working for you! Happy Halloween! Peter"

Colin R.
Aug 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
We were extremely happy with the work Pete did for us. We were under quite a bit of time pressure when we got in touch with him. The closing date on our condo had been pushed back a couple of times, and we were worried that we wouldn't be able to complete all of the updates the condo needed before moving in. With my wife seven months pregnant, we didn't want to have a lot of dusty work done on the apartment after we moved either. Another electrician we contacted told us that we would probably need to rewire the entire apartment at great cost, and he wasn't going to be available to do that work until after our moving date. Pete must have sensed our desperation, and he also seemed to sympathize with my wife's situation. He agreed to come by to give us an estimate, and he also promised that when he made the estimate he would let us know whether he could get the work we needed done in time. In other words, he wouldn't make any promises or commitments he couldn't keep. 
Fortunately for us, it turned out that the work wasn't as extensive as the other electrician had imagined, and Pete was able to complete the work for us in a week. Throughout the repairs, Pete tried very hard not to damage the walls more than necessary, and he took great care to keep our hardwood floors in good shape too. He made a few suggestions for other electrical upgrades, but he didn't put any pressure on us to add anything to the job. In the end, we did ask him to add a few new outlets, all of which have proved very handy. He seemed to know a lot about the older electrical systems that are common in vintage buildings. 
In addition to the quality of the work, we were really impressed by Pete's professionalism. He takes a lot of pride in doing the job well. He is also incredibly friendly. Lastly, when one of the pull chains on a closet light fixture broke a few months after installation (we bought the fixture, so clearly not Pete's fault), he came out and fixed it without charging us for the visit. He even added loops to the other closets to make sure those pull chains would work better too.

Linnea M.
Jun 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,430
We hired Peter McCarthy Electric based on work done for us in the past and his glowing reviews on Angie?s List. We chose to use a local contractor to support our neighborhood businesses and because McCarthy Electric specializes in older buildings like ours (1915 construction) and knows how to deal with oddities like gas pipes in the ceilings. 
Job: to replace original (1915) wiring in front half of vintage condo unit (entry hall, living room, sunroom, dining room, butler?s pantry).  We decided to have this done at this time because we were preparing to have the old cracked ceilings taken down and replaced in the front rooms of the unit. It made sense to do this prior to redecorating, for peace of mind and safety.  Peter came to review the situation and suggested a work plan that would be minimally disruptive to us (doing the front half of the apartment now and the back half later).  We asked him to add additional outlets in the living room and dining room and to check to see if perhaps there were old sconce boxes behind the wall over the fireplace. He said they would look for evidence of those when they worked on the ceiling fixture box. If no boxes were found, we asked that new ones be installed, using switched fixtures if necessary though we preferred to have them controlled from the wall switch.
Scheduling: We were able to schedule the work within a short time, based on the availability of Peter?s crew.  The job was done quickly (two days), with a plan to return after the ceiling replacement/painting was completed, in order to install new lighting fixtures. 
Preparation/clean-up: Peter?s crew covered the wood floors with heavy paper in work areas to prevent damage and cleaned up at the end of the work-day. 
Sconce boxes.  Peter?s crew did not find evidence of sconce boxes over the fireplace so they installed new ones (braving an insecure, badly-cracked ceiling to run the wires), and wiring them so that they can be operated by a wall switch (added to the existing switch box for room?s ceiling light). We hadn?t thought to ask about sconce boxes in the dining room, but when they rewired two of the dining room outlets and the ceiling light, they found evidence of sconce-box wiring above the outlets, so they located the boxes and opened them up. After calling me to let me know about this discovery, they rewired them to operate via a wall switch (again, added to the existing switch box for the room?s chandelier). This was a happy surprise, and they included this in the original cost of the job.
All switches and outlets were replaced as part of the rewiring, and Peter pointed out where plaster repairs were needed to secure one outlet box more securely.  The new outlets were taped over to remind painters to not paint over them, a nice touch.  Peter?s crew returned soon after the other renovation work was completed, and installed our already-purchased light fixtures ? a semi-flush ceiling fixture in the living room and chandelier-style fixture in the dining room as well as a pair of sconces in each room and a semi-flush ceiling fixture in the butler?s pantry.  The results are beautiful, and we?re very happy with the work done as well as the service we received from Peter McCarthy Electric.

Adrienne H.
Jun 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$175
I got a quick response from Mr. McCarthy when I "messaged" him. The service provided was superior!  The cost was exactly as quoted; even repaired a couple of things seen, but of which I was not aware.  I will recommend highly to family and friends!! Very prompt!

Zak L.
Jun 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,300
Although Peter was slightly difficult to pin down at first, once the work started it was incredibly effortless on my part. Peter and his crew displayed the utmost professionalism and communicated effectively. The installed sconces in the bathroom look perfect and benefitted greatly from Peter's custom alterations. Moreover, Peter kindly took the time to re-plaster the damaged walls in the bathroom, perhaps knowing that I am a young graduate student with a limited mastery of such skills. He clearly is diligent at his job and committed to providing exemplary service - he certainly managed to sort out the mess to which my condo was reduced by less talented electricians. All in all, it was a pleasure to work with Peter and I look forward to his assistance on future electrical projects.

Sam H.
Dec 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Peter did a great job.  He did the job in two stages, a good deal of it before the installation of the air conditioning system itself.  What was most important about the way Peter handled the job was that he made himself available on the day that the air conditioning system was installed.  This made if possible for him to talk to the AC installers directly about their requirements and preferences for how the electric line was connected.  The entire job went much more easily because of Peter's collaborative approach.  Another thing I am very grateful for is Peter's care in securing the electric line to the roof in a way that didn't puncture the roof or otherwise damage it.  There is more electrical work to be done inside my unit and I will definitely be asking Peter to do it.

EMILIO K.
Jul 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$250
Last-minute call, excellent response and service.

Barbara G.
May 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$215
No problems since Peter did the work.
Showing 1-25 of 92

Licensing

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FAQ

Peter Mc Carthy Electric is currently rated 4.9 overall out of 5.

No, Peter Mc Carthy Electric does not offer free project estimates.

No, Peter Mc Carthy Electric does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.

No, Peter Mc Carthy Electric does not offer a senior discount.

No, Peter Mc Carthy Electric does not offer emergency services.

No, Peter Mc Carthy Electric does not offer warranties.