Portland electrical diagnostics & repair
Troubleshooting and repair for Portland homes and businesses. We trace the fault to its source instead of swapping parts until something works, quote the repair before we make it, and leave the circuit labeled.
What's included in a Portland electrical repair
Most calls start with one symptom: a breaker that won't stay on, a room that went dark, lights that flicker. The symptom is where we start testing, not what we replace. When the cause turns out to be a full or failing panel, or old wiring behind the plaster, we say so and price the panel upgrade or rewire separately, so the repair in front of you isn't held up by a bigger project.
Tripping breakers
We find out whether the circuit is overloaded, shorted, or has a ground fault before anything gets replaced. A breaker is swapped only when the breaker itself is what failed.
Dead outlets & circuits
A tripped GFCI in another room, a loose connection in a box upstream, or a failed device. We trace the circuit back from the dead outlet until we find the point where the power stops.
Flickering & dimming lights
One fixture is usually the lamp, the fixture, or the dimmer. Lights flickering across the house, or dimming when the furnace or a large appliance starts, points at a loose connection in the panel or at the service, and gets looked at first.
Partial & full power loss
Half the house out, or the whole building. We check the main breaker, the panel, the meter base, and the service connection, and tell you whether the fault is on our side or the utility's.
Wiring faults & burnt connections
Warm switch plates, a smell of hot plastic, scorched or melted receptacles. The connection is repaired or replaced, the box checked for heat damage, and the circuit tested before it's put back in service.
Storm, water & previous-work repairs
Equipment damaged by storms or water, and work another contractor or a previous owner left behind, including unpermitted work found during a sale, corrected so it passes inspection.
The full scope we take on in Portland:
- Electrical Troubleshooting
- Emergency Electrical Repair
- Power Outage Diagnostics
- Circuit Breaker Repair & Replacement
- Outlet & Switch Repair
- Flickering & Dimming Light Diagnosis
- Dead Circuit Tracing
- Panel & Breaker Diagnostics
- Wiring Fault Location
- Code Violation Correction
- Storm & Water Damage Repair
- Commercial Electrical Repair
Why choose Multiphase Electric
- The cause, not the symptom. A breaker that trips is telling you something. Resetting it is not a repair, and neither is replacing it — we find what the circuit is actually doing before anything gets swapped.
- Often one visit. The photos you send with the request tell us what we're walking into, so the common parts are on the truck before we leave. One trip instead of a diagnosis followed by a return.
- Repairs that pass inspection. A repair that needs a permit gets one, and gets inspected. Nothing is buried in a wall that the next electrician — or the next buyer's inspector — has to argue with.
Licenses and certifications
- Oregon CCB — Electrical contractor
How a project runs
Every Portland repair call follows the same steps. Nothing is repaired until you've been told what's wrong and what the repair costs.
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Tell us what's happening
What stopped working, when it started, and whether anything changed just before. Photos of the panel and the problem area often let us load the right part before we leave.
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Diagnose on site
We test the circuit, the panel, the device, and the wiring between them until the fault is located, rather than guessing from the symptom.
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Quote before the repair
You're told what we found, what the repair options are, and what each one costs, before any work is done.
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Repair, test, and label
The repair is made, the circuit is tested under load, and the panel directory is updated so the next person knows what each breaker feeds.
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Permit where the work needs one
Replacing a device like for like usually doesn't need a permit. Wiring repairs, new circuits, and panel work usually do, and when they do we pull it and schedule the inspection.
What electrical repair costs in Portland
Every repair is quoted on site before we do it, so these are typical ranges for the Portland metro, not a quote. What moves the number most is how long the fault takes to find, whether the wiring is reachable from the attic or basement, and whether the repair needs a permit.
| Scope | Typical range | Timeline | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit | $150 – $300 | Most faults located in 1–2 hours | Travel, testing of the circuit and panel, and a written explanation of the fault and the repair options. |
| Outlet, switch, or GFCI repair | $150 – $350 | Same visit as the diagnosis | Replacement of the failed device and any damaged connection in the box, and a test of the circuit. |
| Breaker replacement | $200 – $450 | Same visit as the diagnosis | A new breaker matched to the panel, after the circuit has been tested and the fault behind the trip ruled out. |
| Wiring fault repair | $400 – $1,500 | Half a day to a full day | Locating the fault in the wall or ceiling, repairing or replacing the damaged run, patching access holes, and a permit where required. |
| After-hours emergency call | $300 – $600 for the visit | Same day | An evening or weekend visit to make the system safe and restore power where it can be done safely, with the full repair quoted separately. |
What our clients say
“I was referred to Multiphase Electric. We now use them from small changes, to our biggest projects. Clear communication, punctual, and guaranteed results. Highly recommend.”
“Really happy with these guys. We did a complete rewiring of the whole house and New panel. Leti is awesome running the office. Very responsive. Vitaliy, John and all the other Electricians were fantastic. They are pros! Highly recommend this company.”
“I have been a customer of Multiphase since 2007, I wouldn't think to go anywhere else they go above and beyond and nothing but Quality work, you definitely can go to bed knowing you were in safe hands, Dave and the whole team has been better than Good to me”
Portland and Multnomah County
We diagnose and repair electrical problems across Portland and Multnomah County and the rest of the Portland metro, from Hillsboro and Beaverton to Gresham and Oregon City, in homes and commercial buildings alike.
Nearby in Multnomah County: Gresham, Corbett, Fairview and Troutdale.
Portland electrical diagnostics & repair FAQs
Do you do electrical repairs in Portland?
Yes. We troubleshoot and repair electrical problems in homes and businesses across Portland and the rest of the metro, from a single dead outlet to a building with no power.
How much does an electrical repair cost in Portland?
A diagnostic visit typically runs $150 to $300, and a common repair like a failed outlet, switch, or GFCI is often $150 to $350 on the same visit. Every repair is quoted on site before we make it.
The power is out. Is it my problem or the utility's?
Check whether the neighbors have power and whether your main breaker has tripped. If the street is dark, it's PGE or Pacific Power. If it's only your building, or part of it, call us and we'll tell you over the phone which it sounds like.
Do you offer emergency electrical service in Portland?
Yes. Emergency service is available outside normal hours for outages, burning smells, and anything that isn't safe to leave. If it can wait, scheduling during normal hours costs less.
My breaker keeps tripping. Can I just replace it?
Usually not. A breaker that trips is doing its job: the circuit is overloaded, or there's a short or a ground fault on it. A new breaker leaves that fault in place, so we trace the circuit first.
Are flickering lights dangerous?
Sometimes. A single flickering fixture is often the lamp or the dimmer. Lights flickering across the house, or dimming when a large appliance starts, can mean a loose connection in the panel, which is a fire risk worth checking soon.
Does an electrical repair need a permit in Portland?
Some do. Replacing a device like for like usually doesn't. Repairing wiring inside walls, adding a circuit, or working in the panel usually does. When the repair needs one, we pull the permit and schedule the inspection.
Will you fix work another electrician or a previous owner did?
Yes, and we do it often, including unpermitted work found during a home sale. We'll tell you what's wrong with it, what has to be corrected to pass inspection, and what can be left alone.
About Multiphase Electric
Multiphase Electric LLC is a licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Oregon City, serving residential and commercial clients across the Portland metro since 2005. Reach us at (503) 908-1593, see our electrical diagnostics & repair page, or see every city we serve.
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