Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Oickle's Electrical Ltd.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 3 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 2 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:20/05/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I needed some electrical work done for some home renovations. I felt the work was minor (it involved installing some new outlets and switches, moving some existing outlets and switches, and installing some pot lights we had purchased). Other ad hoc requests were made by my onsite contractor including removing an electric baseboard and wall heater.
When I called to inquire about this work, I was told over the phone the fee would be $80/hr plus materials. I felt this was a bit high but given they had a very quick turnaround time I agreed to it. No follow up written documentation was sent to me by the company. At the time, I felt the work was progressing slowly but I did not inquire about it.
Imagine my surprise to being charged 17.5 hours x $160/hr. The owner of the company claims this work was complex and required two electricians. I disagree with this based on my experience and one of the two electricians even said he was "still learning" and one gave themselves an electric shock. And, together they somehow messed up the wiring to a 3-way switch they moved.
However, this is irrelevant. The point is that the hourly rate was a critical decision-making factor into deciding what work to have completed. I would have limited the work to the urgent needs at $160/hour (if I even choose to move forward at all) rather than waiting for another electrician who was recommended to me.
I have indicated I am willing to pay $80/hr plus $800 in material charges (though I would request a breakdown of these charges as this seems high considering we provided the pot lights and most of the work requests were "moves" vs "new") as this is what I had agreed to.
The current invoice is over $4,000 for minor work. I had an entire breaker panel upgraded from 100amp to 200amp for $2700 (including taxes). I never imagined this work would take 17.5 hours. However, while I question the ethics of this company, I did agree to the $80/hour plus materials and am willing to pay that amount.
Business Response
Date: 21/05/2025
To the Better Business Bureau,
This letter is in response to the complaint
filed by ***** ******* complaint # 23355627 concerning the invoice for
electrical work completed at her home. We understand Ms. ********* concerns,
but we firmly believe our billing is fair, transparent, and consistent with the
rates we communicated to her. We’d like to clarify the following points:
Hourly Rate
and Billing Practices
Ms. ******* was informed that our rate is $80
per hour per electrician when she first contacted us to schedule the work.
With 12 full-time electricians, 4 plumbers, and 7 HVAC technicians, the
majority of our jobs (60%-70%) are billed on a time and materials basis. If our
billing practices were unclear or unfair, we believe we would receive
significantly more complaints than we do.
Opportunity
for a Quote
Our electricians were at Ms. ********* home
for two full days. At no point did she request a formal written quote, which we
would have gladly provided free of charge. As we have always given quotes when
requested and **** who was on site does 90% of our residential take offs. She
also did not inquire about our rates or billing practices with our
electricians, who are authorized and well-informed to discuss these matters.
****, our lead electrician on the job, is a partner in Oickle's Electrical.
Scope of
Work Performed
The electrical work performed was extensive
and included:
Upstairs:
Hallway
1: Moved and relocated two switches.
Bedroom: Added
one switch and one plug; relocated electric heat.
Bathroom: Wired
vanity fixture, installed two pot lights and one bath fan, added one plug,
and wired electric heat.
Hallway
2: Added one switch, relocated three pot lights, and installed six
customer-supplied pot lights.
Main
Bedroom: Removed electric heat and added one
plug.
Chimney
Removal: Tore out and re-ran the following
circuits due to old chimney removal: two switches, two plug circuits, one
electric heat circuit, and one smoke detector circuit.
Downstairs:
Bedrooms: Moved
two switches for a sliding door. This was a difficult, non-straightforward
task due to solid wood ceiling space that required drilling and a section
of the home not being accessible from underneath.
Kitchen: Relocated a circuit for a microwave outlet and moved two switches.
The initial direction for much of this work
came from Ms. Wolbaum's carpenter, who was overseeing the project. Our team was
in constant communication with him, and he expressed satisfaction with their
progress and work on-site. Therefore, these complaints have caught us off
guard.
Comparison
to Previous Work
Ms. ******* references a previous service
upgrade work on her old residence that cost $2800. This is not a relevant
comparison. I would be curious to know where the work was completed, and we do
not know if it was pre- or post-COVID (when material and labor costs increased
significantly). Furthermore, a service upgrade is a different scope of work
than the complex rewiring and relocation work performed at Ms. Wolbaum's home.
Rewiring is generally more labor-intensive than a service upgrade, as it
requires a small number of upgrades throughout the home. One has zero
correlation with the other.
Efficiency
and Safety
We sent two electricians to Ms. ********* home
for both efficiency and the safety of our staff. While two electricians
may result in a higher total hourly rate, they often complete the work faster,
leading to a lower overall labor cost. Electricians work independently on
different tasks unless it is a two-person job, such as fishing wires. The total
amount of work needed and the time to complete it remains the same.
To illustrate, consider a personal example: if
I mow my lawn alone, it takes me 4 hours. If my wife and I mow together, each
working for 2 hours, the total work done is still equivalent to 4 hours of
effort. The task is completed faster because two people are working
simultaneously, but the total labor required remains the same. Similarly, if
there’s a large boulder in the lawn—akin to the complex wire fishing in your
project—it’s much easier to move with two people. This efficiency is why we
sent two electricians to your home. The total work required (35 labor hours)
was necessary due to the job’s complexity, as outlined previously (e.g., beam
construction, drywalled-over doorways, solid wood ceiling spaces, spray foamed
spaces, not all areas being accessible from the basement below). Sending two
electricians allowed us to complete the work in 17.5 hours on-site,
rather than one electrician taking 35–40 hours or more, which would have
resulted in similar or higher costs and prolonged disruption for you. The number
of workers does not increase the total work needed; it simply makes the process
more efficient and safer, especially for tasks like wire fishing that often
require two sets of hands.
Discount
Seeking and Discrediting Staff
We believe Ms. ******* is attempting to obtain
a discount on her bill. She was not the one directly supervising the work and
had no direct communication with our field staff.
Mrs. ******* continues to state that one of
our employees said on site that he is "just learning." We have no
idea where she got this idea, as the guys say this was not said to her, and it
was most likely a comment one of them made to each other in jest. Both are
experienced employees. Furthermore, I want to emphasize that continuous
learning is a hallmark of professionalism in any trade, whether on the
first day or after 50 years. Our electrician, Carter, has been with us for
years and has extensive experience, and ****, with 20 years, is a highly
regarded professional. An offhand comment, which may have been made in jest or
taken out of context, does not reflect their skill or the quality of work
performed. Basing a request for a discount on such a remark, without
considering the extensive work documented, seems unreasonable. Our team’s
expertise ensured the job was completed safely and efficiently despite
significant challenges.
We are confident that our billing is accurate
and reflects the work performed. We are willing to provide our field
technicians' notes and any other documentation you may require. We value our
reputation and strive to provide excellent service and transparent billing to
all our customers.Customer Answer
Date: 21/05/2025
To keep this simple and clear the reason I reject this response is because the rate that was communicated to me and to which I agreed was $80.00/hour plus materials. Despite the company's claims to the contrary it was never communicated to me that the rate was $80.00/hour per electrician. Nor was it was never communicated to me how many electricians would be sent to complete this work so I had no reason to question this - I trusted the business to make this decision. Given it was never explained to me that it was $80.00/hour per electrician, I had no reason to care about the number of electricians sent. Send one or send five, that is your company's decision.
This information was communicated to me over the phone and not in writing. In addition, the person responding to this complaint is not the person I spoke with over the phone so they do not have a firsthand account of the conversation that took place.
The rest of the information is really irrelevant (only included to show that I don't believe the pricing of the company to be fair, even looking at the materials list I question how this amounts to $800.00). That said, I agreed to pay a rate of $80.00/hour plus materials so I am willing to pay that amount. I have already communicated this to the business but they have refused to accept this as a reasonable resolution to this matter.
The accusation that I am trying to use this process to get some kind of discount inappropriately is completely untrue and they have no basis on which to make this kind of claim. I have hired many contractors (including 3 others in the last month) and have never filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in any attempt to unfairly get a discounted service. And, all of these contractors have been paid or in the process of being paid well before the invoice due date. I work in human resources and pride myself in paying for work performed as agreed as quickly as possible as I am aware of the challenges in running a small business. I am confident I could provide references to this affect, if this is something that would help in this matter.
I would never have agreed to pay $160.00/hour as I had been referred to another electrician and whom I preferred to hire however they were not available until a week later. I would like to note that the contractor referred to in the company's response is also my cousin so we were communicating frequently. In addition the electricians communicated with both my husband and I as both of us were at the house the entire time.
The lesson I have learned from this experience is to moving forward get quotes in writing to ensure there is no misunderstanding or confusion, including the cost of labour and materials. Hopefully this business has learned this lesson as well. I believe a fair resolution to this matter is for the company to adjust the invoice to $80.00/hour plus the material charges as this is the information that was communicated to me and what I agreed to pay. It is not reasonable or fair to communicate one price and then invoice the customer a different price. While I am not completely satisfied with the work or the material charges, I am willing to pay this amount to resolve the matter.
Business Response
Date: 22/05/2025
We appreciate Mrs. ********* feedback and want to clarify the billing for the
electrical work completed at her home. The invoice reflects 35 total labor
hours at $80.00 per hour per electrician, totaling $2,800 for labor. This is
straightforward: two electricians each worked 17.5 hours (17.5 hours × 2
electricians = 35 hours). We are pleased to note that Mrs. ******* is willing to
pay $80 per hour, as this aligns with the rate she was billed for the 35 hours
of work performed.
The scope of work was extensive, as detailed in prior communications,
requiring significant time to complete safely and correctly. Tasks like complex
wire fishing often necessitate two electricians to ensure efficiency and
safety. Sending two electricians allowed us to complete the job in 17.5 hours
on-site, rather than one electrician taking 35 hours or more, which would have
caused greater disruption and potentially similar or higher costs. The number
of electricians does not change the total work required; it simply ensures the
job is done more quickly and effectively.
We firmly believe the $80/hour per electrician rate was communicated during
our initial phone conversation. Our standard practice, applied to 60%-70% of
our jobs with our team of 12 electricians, in addition to our other seven
company’s servicing thousands of clients annually, is to bill time and
materials at this rate. Our commitment to transparent and fair business
practices is reflected in our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, where
we have been registered since December 12, 2008. While Ms. ******* notes that
the rate was not in writing, she did not request a written quote, which we
would have provided free of charge. Our lead electrician, ****, a senior
electrician with 20 years of experience, was available on-site to discuss any
questions about the scope or billing.
We are confident our billing accurately reflects the work performed and the
rate communicated. We value satisfaction and are open to discussing a
payment plan to resolve this matter fairly while maintaining the integrity of
our invoiced amount.
Oickles ElectricalInitial Complaint
Date:05/02/2023
Type:Status:ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I noticed the smoke detectors had not been reconnected. I phoned to get them to come back to reconnect the smoke detectors. The lady told me the electrician had told her the reason he couldn't reconnect the smoke detectors but she couldn't remember. They did not call me back.
The electrician left here knowing he didn't reconnect the smoke detectors and chose not to inform me.
Their was a left over circuit breaker and he took it with him.Business Response
Date: 16/02/2023
Good afternoon,
Thank you for reaching out to Oickle’s Electrical
regarding this issue. As a BBB accredited business, we strive for consistent
excellent service and knowing a client had an issue we failed to resolve is
unacceptable. After reviewing our past
service and speaking to the required employees, we have found and corrected the
issue.
Our original visit to ***** ***** was on September 26th,
2022 in regards to an issue with his generator panel. We fixed the electrical circuit that
switches the generator power to main power. The job was determined
as safe and was completed the same day. We returned on October 4th, 2022,
as the generator combo
panel was not working again. The breaker feeding the generator panel is an old
model panel (Stab-Lok 70A) and hard to buy; as well as very pricey. We made the
client aware of this and they asked that we proceed with a cheaper option.
Which was to disable the generator section of his panel and move all generator
circuits into his main electrical panel. This work was completed the same day,
October 4/2022. To our electrician’s knowledge all circuits were working.
In Late December we received a call from ***** *****,
in regards to disconnected smoke detectors. Typically, the smoke detector circuit is tied into a lighting
circuit, so when the lights don’t work you know the smoke detectors are not
working as well. This code/ practice was not followed at this residence. Mr.
***** reached out to our office to let us know his smoke detectors were not
working. A new employee received the call and booked the client
for January 3rd, 2023. The electrician was to determine whether the circuit was
not moved into the main panel during the swap or if there was another unrelated
issue. However, the electrician did not return the scheduled day and did not
make anyone in the office aware of his change in schedule. We believed this
work to have been corrected until the time of the notice from BBB.
It came to our attention on the morning of February 16th,
2023 at that a complaint has been made at BBB by ***** *****, in regards to the
smoke detectors. This complaint was immediately brought to the attention our
Owner ******* ****** and our head of Electrical ***** *****. After reviewing
all the notes and past invoices, our head of electrical reached out to the electrician; he informed us that he
was not able to make the scheduled day and he forgot to inform us. He
than proceeded to call Mr. *****.
After speaking to the client around 8:30am, we have
proceeded to resolve the issue. An electrician will be dispatched to Mr. *****s
home, to reconnect the fire alarms with no cost to the client. Our head of
electrical made a formal apology to Mr. ***** on our oversite and we have scheduled an electrician
for the next day, February 17th, 2023. Mr. ***** seemed happy with
this, and we believe he understood that this error was simply a miscommunication
and not a deliberate attempt to avoid returning to investigate this matter.
We are
adjusting some of our daily paperwork practices to try and assure that an issue
like this never repeated.
Sincerely,
Oickles
Electrical Ltd.Customer Answer
Date: 21/02/2023
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 19336430, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.