Compare Local Pros
Auburn Electric vs Southwest Electric
Placer Electrical Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
Auburn Electric provides workers compensation insurance and has substantial customer feedback, while Southwest Electric has longer licensing history but no workers comp on file.
| Auburn Electric | Southwest Electric | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.1 | ★ 3.5 |
| Years Licensed | 20 years | 37 years |
| License # | 874190 | 561279 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | — |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Auburn, CA | Auburn, CA |
| Website | auburnelectricinc.com | www.electricianincalifornia.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Auburn Electric
Customers consistently highlight Auburn Electric's emergency responsiveness and owner communication, with multiple clients reporting repeat use of services over many years.
Key Takeaway: Auburn Electric has substantial customer feedback documenting service patterns and project types, while Southwest Electric has insufficient review data to establish verifiable service characteristics.
Customer Reviews
Auburn Electric
Outstanding and very professional! I have used them multiple times over the past 10 years - each time has been outstanding! They installed a 220 Tesla charger 8 years ago and came out today to troubl...
These guys came down and solved our electric problems immediately. They were very specific, yet extremely easy to talk to and they worked out a problem we've been having with our breaker box for month...
Was out of power, called Auburn Electric and very prompt service, was able to come out and fix the issue. Fair pricing even for an emergency. Bill was very nice and explained everything. second time ...
Southwest Electric
No reviews available
Consider Auburn Electric if...
- ✓ You want to minimize liability risk, as Auburn Electric's workers compensation insurance protects you if crew members are injured on your property
- ✓ You need emergency electrical service, with documented customer reports of same-day and weekend response for power outages and urgent failures
- ✓ You value transparency and want to hire based on verifiable customer experiences rather than licensing history alone
- ✓ Your project involves complex work like complete rewiring or EV charger installation where Auburn Electric has documented recent experience
Consider Southwest Electric if...
- ✓ You specifically value maximum licensing tenure and believe 37 years of continuous state licensing is the primary credential that matters
- ✓ You're comfortable accepting potential liability exposure from the absence of workers compensation insurance after confirming your homeowner's policy provides adequate contractor injury coverage
- ✓ You're willing to make a hiring decision without access to customer feedback patterns or documented service approach
- ✓ You prefer to conduct your own reference verification directly rather than relying on public review history
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Ask Southwest Electric for their current workers compensation insurance certificate and if they don't carry it, contact your homeowner's insurance to confirm what liability you assume for contractor injuries
- → Ask Southwest Electric for at least three recent customer references with contact information for projects similar to yours, given the absence of public feedback
- → Ask both companies how they handle emergency calls and what their typical response time is for urgent electrical failures
- → Ask Southwest Electric about their current crew size and how long their electricians have been with the company
The Bottom Line
Auburn Electric is the lower-risk choice for most homeowners. While Southwest Electric has 17 additional years of licensing history, Auburn Electric's workers compensation insurance protects you from liability exposure that could cost thousands if a worker is injured. Auburn Electric also provides transparency through documented customer feedback showing emergency response capabilities and repeat client relationships. Unless Southwest Electric can provide current workers comp certification and strong references from recent projects, the insurance gap and lack of verifiable track record make Auburn Electric the more prudent decision this week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. While Southwest Electric's 37 years shows sustained licensing, Auburn Electric's 20 years still qualifies as veteran experience with documented customer relationships spanning a decade. The more significant safety consideration is workers compensation insurance, which Auburn Electric carries and Southwest Electric does not have on file, directly affecting your liability exposure.
If an electrician is injured at your property and the contractor lacks workers comp, your homeowner's insurance may become primary coverage for medical bills and lost wages. This can result in claims against your policy, potentially affecting your rates, and in worst cases you could face direct liability. Always verify coverage before work begins.
This could reflect different business models, customer bases, or simply that Auburn Electric's customers are more active in leaving public reviews. However, the absence of verifiable feedback for Southwest Electric means you'll need to do more direct due diligence through references. The documented pattern of emergency response and repeat customers for Auburn Electric does provide concrete evidence of their service approach.
Auburn Electric has documented customer reports of same-day and weekend emergency response for power outages and breaker failures. Southwest Electric's emergency capabilities are unclear from available data, so you should ask them directly about response times and after-hours availability before assuming they provide comparable emergency service.
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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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