Here's the question that matters most with electrical work: "Is my house safe?" Because unlike a bad paint job, bad electrical doesn't look bad — it just sits there quietly until the day it doesn't. If your panel is more than 20 years old, if your breakers trip for no reason, if your lights flicker when the AC kicks on — that's your house telling you something. I'll come out, look at it for real, and tell you straight what's going on. Free estimate, priced in person.
I'm Joe. I run Onel Construction right here in Boca Raton. Fifteen years in this business. Onel Construction LLC is a licensed general contractor (CGC1511492), and I run electrical work the way I run everything — licensed electricians, permits pulled, city inspections, and me supervising the job personally. Electrical is the one trade where "good enough" can burn your house down, so I don't do good enough.
The Panel Conversation Every Boca Homeowner Needs to Have
A lot of homes in Boca Raton — especially the ones built in the 70s, 80s, and 90s — are running on panels that the industry has moved past. Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels, undersized 100-amp service trying to feed a modern house with two ACs, a pool pump, and an electric car charger. I've opened panels in this town that made my stomach drop.
Here's what I check when I look at your electrical:
- Panel brand, age, and capacity — is it safe, and can it handle what your house actually draws?
- Breaker behavior — tripping breakers aren't annoying, they're a warning.
- Aluminum branch wiring — common in older Florida homes, needs proper remediation, not a wire nut and a prayer.
- GFCI and AFCI protection — code requires it in kitchens, baths, garages, and bedrooms now. Most older homes don't have it.
- Surge protection — in the lightning capital of the country, a whole-house surge protector is cheap insurance for everything you own that plugs in.
If your panel checks out, I'll tell you so. I'm not in the business of selling you a panel you don't need. But if it's a problem, I'll show you exactly why — with the panel open, pointing at it — and give you a written price to fix it.
What I Do
- Panel upgrades and replacements — 100 to 200 amp service upgrades, full panel swaps.
- Rewiring and dedicated circuits — kitchen remodels, home offices, workshops, hot tubs.
- EV charger installation — permitted, dedicated circuit, done to code.
- Lighting — recessed cans, under-cabinet, landscape, security lighting.
- Troubleshooting — flickering lights, dead outlets, mystery trips. I find the actual problem instead of guessing.
- Whole-house surge protectors — installed at the panel.
- Generator hookups and transfer switches — hurricane season is every year here. Be ready before it, not during it.
The Permit Question
Yes, I pull permits. Every electrical job that requires one — which is nearly all of them. Florida law is strict on electrical, and for good reason.
Here's the part most homeowners don't know: unpermitted electrical work can void your homeowner's insurance. If there's ever a fire and the insurance company finds unpermitted wiring, they have grounds to deny the claim. A permit costs a fraction of the job and buys you a city inspection plus a paper trail that protects your coverage. When a handyman says "we don't need a permit for this," he's gambling with your house and your policy. I don't gamble with either.
What Goes Wrong With Cheap Electrical Contractors
- No permit, no inspection — the most common and most dangerous shortcut. See above.
- Oversized breakers on undersized wire — the breaker never trips, the wire overheats inside your wall. This is how houses burn.
- Backstabbed outlets and loose connections — fast for the installer, arcing and heat for you.
- Unlabeled mystery panels — sloppy work now means dangerous work later, when someone has to troubleshoot it live.
- The vanishing act — electrical problems show up months later. The cheap guy's phone is disconnected by then. Mine isn't.
I had my own wind mitigation done in 2022 and I've been through enough inspections with my engineer, Troy Bishop, to know exactly what the city looks for. My electrical work passes because it's done right the first time — not because anyone looked the other way.
How the Job Works When You Call Me
1. You call or text (561) 462-9293. Describe the issue — photos of the panel help a lot.
2. I come out and look at it myself. I open the panel, I test, I show you what I find.
3. Written price, in person. No phone guessing, no ranges that triple on the invoice.
4. Permit pulled, work scheduled. Licensed electrician does the work, I supervise, city inspects.
5. You get a labeled panel, a clean install, and my name on it.
Why Me and Not the Other Guy
Fifteen years doing this. Onel Construction LLC is licensed and insured — CGC1511492. I don't send a salesman — I come out myself, I look at it myself, and I price it in person. On electrical, that matters more than anywhere: I'll open your panel and show you the truth instead of selling you fear. Permits pulled, inspections passed, licensed electricians doing the work, and a contractor who answers his own phone if anything ever goes wrong.
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Related Services
- Plumbing — re-pipes, water heaters, and rough-ins under permit.
- Impact Windows & Doors — the other big protection upgrade for Boca homes.
- Garage Doors — wind-rated doors, openers, and the electrical that runs them.
- Painting — fresh walls after the electrical rough-in is done.
FAQ
How do I know if my electrical panel needs to be replaced?
Age, brand, and behavior. Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels, anything over 25–30 years old, breakers that trip regularly, or a burning smell near the panel — any of those means call me. I'll look at it for free and tell you straight.
Do you charge for the estimate?
No. Free in-home estimate, written price, no obligation.
Will the power be off all day during a panel upgrade?
Usually a few hours while we swap the panel — I'll tell you the plan before we start so you can plan around it. Most upgrades are done in a single day.
Is a whole-house surge protector worth it?
In South Florida? Absolutely. We're the lightning capital of the country. One strike can take out your AC boards, your fridge, your TVs. A panel-mounted surge protector is a few hundred dollars protecting tens of thousands in equipment.
Get a Real Number for Your House
Call or text (561) 462-9293. I'll come look at your panel or your project, free estimate, real price in writing, licensed and insured (CGC1511492). Or visit onelconstruction.com.