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Holderby Electric vs Winters Electric
El Dorado Electrical Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Winters Electric offers complete contractor protections including workers compensation, while Holderby Electric has more experience but lacks workers comp coverage.
| Holderby Electric | Winters Electric | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 | ★ 4.7 |
| Years Licensed | 24 years | 19 years |
| License # | 799909 | 892563 |
| Workers' Comp | — | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Placerville, CA | South Lake Tahoe, CA |
| Website | holderbyelectric.com | www.winterstahoe.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Holderby Electric
Customers emphasize Holderby Electric's willingness to handle urgent situations with after-hours responses, punctual service calls, and efficient completion of diagnostic and repair work.
Winters Electric
Customers consistently praise Winters Electric's scheduling responsiveness, thorough diagnostic capabilities that identify problems others missed, fair pricing, and professional office communication throughout diverse project types.
Key Takeaway: While both respond quickly to urgent needs, Winters Electric shows broader documented capabilities across complex installations and permit coordination, whereas Holderby Electric's feedback centers on emergency diagnostics and repairs.
Customer Reviews
Holderby Electric
Always ready to go above and beyond. Always punctual and get the job done quickly. Love theses guys
Shane showed up at 9pm and detected the problem. We were able to get the power company out there to repair on their end before morning. Very professional.
Winters Electric
Dan is an excellent electrician and was able to come out the same day for the initial diagnosis. He quickly identified an issue that other electricians had failed to figure out. He was very thorough, ...
Really impressed. They sold me on their quality and they delivered.
I'm here to say the guy showed up and was so determined to hook up a line so we could have an electric dryer outlet. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be for this house. He tried 4 different times in...
Consider Holderby Electric if...
- ✓ You have an urgent electrical emergency after hours and need someone willing to respond outside normal business hours for diagnostic work and immediate repairs
- ✓ You're in Placerville proper and want the closest available contractor for quick on-site response times
- ✓ You've confirmed your homeowner's insurance provides adequate coverage for contractor injuries and you're comfortable accepting that risk
- ✓ Your project is straightforward diagnostic or repair work rather than complex installation requiring permits and inspections
Consider Winters Electric if...
- ✓ You want complete contractor insurance protection without relying on your homeowner's policy to cover potential worker injuries
- ✓ Your project involves complex work like full rewiring, panel upgrades, or installations requiring permits and coordinated inspections
- ✓ You need diagnostic work and value contractors specifically praised for identifying problems others have missed
- ✓ You're in the South Lake Tahoe area or prefer a contractor with documented experience across diverse residential and commercial project types
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask Holderby Electric about their liability coverage specifics and confirm with your homeowner's insurance whether your policy covers injuries to uninsured contractors working on your property
- → Ask both companies for references from projects similar to yours in scope and complexity, particularly if you need permit coordination or complex installations
- → Ask Winters Electric about their typical response time for your location if you're in Placerville rather than their South Lake Tahoe base
The Bottom Line
For most homeowners, Winters Electric is the safer choice with complete insurance protection, demonstrated capabilities across complex projects including permit coordination, and strong diagnostic skills praised for catching problems others missed. Their 19 years of experience is more than sufficient for handling residential electrical work competently. Choose Holderby Electric only if you're in Placerville needing emergency or straightforward diagnostic work, you've confirmed adequate homeowner's insurance coverage for contractor injuries, and you value their additional five years of market experience. Don't ignore the workers comp gap—call your insurance agent before hiring any uninsured contractor to understand your actual liability exposure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If an electrician is injured while working at your home, your homeowner's insurance may become the primary coverage for medical bills and lost wages, potentially leading to rate increases or claims against your policy. Before hiring any contractor without workers comp, call your insurance agent to understand your specific exposure and whether you need additional coverage.
The five additional years represents meaningful experience with evolving electrical codes and systems, particularly valuable for complex diagnostics. However, the insurance gap creates financial risk that falls on you as the homeowner. The value of that extra experience depends on your project complexity and your comfort with potential liability exposure.
Winters Electric shows documented experience with panel installations and coordinating the required permits and inspections for such work. While Holderby Electric may certainly handle panel upgrades, their customer feedback emphasizes diagnostics and repairs rather than installation projects requiring permit management.
Both have strong feedback for emergency responsiveness. Holderby Electric is specifically noted for late-evening emergency calls, while Winters Electric receives consistent praise for same-day scheduling. Your location matters: Holderby Electric is based in Placerville, Winters Electric in South Lake Tahoe.
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How We Compare Contractors
License Verification
All license data is sourced from official California CSLB records and verified regularly.
Review Analysis
Customer reviews are aggregated from Google and analyzed to identify patterns in service quality.
Detailed Comparison
We analyze credentials, insurance, experience, and feedback to highlight meaningful differences.
Not all licensed contractors are created equal. While a valid license is the baseline requirement in California, contractors can vary significantly in experience, insurance coverage, and customer satisfaction.
- Experience matters: A contractor with 15+ years of experience has likely encountered and solved problems that newer contractors haven't faced yet.
- Workers' compensation protects you: If a contractor without workers' comp insurance has an employee injured on your property, you could be held liable.
- Reviews reveal patterns: Individual reviews can be misleading, but patterns across many reviews often reveal a contractor's true strengths and weaknesses.
- Bond amounts vary: A contractor's bond provides financial protection if they fail to complete work as agreed. Higher bonds offer more protection.
Taking time to compare contractors on these factors can save you from costly mistakes and help ensure your project is completed by a qualified professional.
Data Sources: License information from California CSLB. Ratings and reviews from Google. Last verified March 12, 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information. We recommend getting multiple quotes and verifying all credentials directly before hiring.
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