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California Renewable Energy vs Whittington Electric
Placer Electrical Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
These companies serve entirely different needs: California Renewable Energy specializes in solar and home energy projects, while Whittington Electric is a veteran electrical contractor.
| California Renewable Energy | Whittington Electric | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9 | ★ 5.0 |
| Years Licensed | 5 years | 29 years |
| License # | 1068801 | 732720 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | Roseville, CA | Auburn, CA |
| Website | care.green | www.whittingtonelectric.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
California Renewable Energy
Customers consistently praise California Renewable Energy's financing assistance, responsive communication throughout projects, and professional coordination of installation teams across multiple service types.
Key Takeaway: California Renewable Energy has substantial documented customer feedback showing service patterns, while Whittington Electric's limited review history provides no visibility into current customer experience or project management approach.
Customer Reviews
California Renewable Energy
Had new heatpump and energy efficient water tank installed. Contracted work to other installation companies. Managed install work for both with no issues. I would use them again.
Jeff was very easy and pleasant to talk to about the cost of a new roof and gutters
Thomas and Brent with California Renewable Energy are amazing!! They walked us through every step, they addressed any questions or concerns we had right away, both are very friendly/professional and m...
Whittington Electric
Great crew and very fast. Professional and knowledgeable about install and setup.
Consider California Renewable Energy if...
- ✓ You need solar installation, roofing, HVAC, windows, or a combination project with one company managing all coordination and you value not having to deal with multiple contractors yourself.
- ✓ Financing assistance matters to your project—customers consistently mention California Renewable Energy's help navigating payment programs and budget options.
- ✓ You want transparency about what to expect based on substantial customer feedback about communication patterns, installation quality, and project management approach.
- ✓ Your project timeline benefits from a company experienced in coordinating multiple trades rather than managing separate electrical, roofing, and solar contractors independently.
Consider Whittington Electric if...
- ✓ You need specialized electrical work only—panel upgrades, complex rewiring, troubleshooting older electrical systems—where 29 years of focused experience provides diagnostic depth that a five-year multi-service company cannot match.
- ✓ Your project involves complicated electrical issues in an older home where decades of experience diagnosing hidden problems and code compliance across multiple eras matters significantly.
- ✓ You're comfortable proceeding with limited customer feedback visibility and are willing to request references directly to understand their current service approach.
- ✓ You prefer a veteran specialist for the electrical portion while managing other trades separately rather than using a coordinator model.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → For Whittington Electric: Request references from recent projects similar to yours and ask about their typical communication cadence and project timeline approach given limited public feedback.
- → For California Renewable Energy: If your project has complex electrical components, ask specifically about their electrical partner's experience level and how they handle electrical troubleshooting that extends beyond standard installation.
- → Ask both companies to describe their warranty coverage and how they handle callbacks or issues discovered after project completion.
- → If you're comparing them for electrical work within a solar project, ask California Renewable Energy who performs the electrical work and their licensing status, versus asking Whittington if they've worked on solar integration projects before.
The Bottom Line
Choose California Renewable Energy if you need solar, roofing, HVAC, windows, or combined energy projects with financing help and coordinated management—their customer feedback demonstrates reliable communication and installation quality. Choose Whittington Electric if you need specialized electrical-only work where 29 years of focused experience matters for complex troubleshooting or older home electrical challenges, but request references directly since their limited review history doesn't provide service transparency. For solar projects with straightforward electrical needs, California Renewable Energy's full-service coordination typically serves homeowners better than managing separate contractors yourself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as a licensed electrical contractor with 29 years of experience, Whittington Electric has the expertise for solar electrical work. However, you'd need to coordinate separately with solar installers and roofers, while California Renewable Energy manages this coordination as part of their full-service approach. Ask Whittington directly about their solar integration experience since their review history doesn't document these specific projects.
California Renewable Energy is genuinely newer as a licensed entity, which means less experience diagnosing complex hidden issues that veteran contractors have seen repeatedly. For straightforward solar, roofing, or HVAC installations, their five years with documented customer feedback may be sufficient. For complicated electrical troubleshooting or older home challenges, Whittington's 29 years provides substantially more diagnostic experience, though without the service transparency that reviews offer.
Limited review history makes it harder to assess current customer service patterns, communication style, and how they handle problems. This doesn't mean poor service—many established contractors simply don't prioritize online reviews. Request recent references directly and ask specific questions about communication frequency, timeline accuracy, and how they handled any unexpected complications.
California Renewable Energy manages the entire solar project including electrical coordination, which simplifies your role and provides one point of contact for warranty and issues. If your home has complicated electrical challenges requiring deep diagnostic work beyond standard solar installation, you might combine California Renewable Energy for solar coordination with Whittington Electric for complex electrical troubleshooting, though this requires you to manage the interface between contractors.
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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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