Electrician in Hempstead, NY

Frank Calabrese grew up on a side street off Broadway in Hempstead. He went to Hempstead High, started swinging hammers at 14 on his dad's crews in Farmingdale, and never moved out of the 11550 zip. Donna (our office manager, Frank's wife) is also from Hempstead. Our shop has been on Old Country Road since 2014. Our mechanic is two blocks away. The diner where we grab coffee at 6:15am before heading out is called the Plainview Diner and it has been open at that hour since before Frank was born.

What that means for you: when we show up to your Hempstead job, we know the street. We probably know the house. We definitely know which direction the prevailing wind comes from. And we can drop a forgotten tool back at the shop and be back in 12 minutes.

Hempstead has three dominant housing types and each one wants a slightly different approach:

1950s Levittown-adjacent capes. Small 1.5-story capes built in the post-war expansion. 900-1,400 sqft, one or two dormers, simple rectangular footprint. Original electrical was usually asbestos shingle (which we handle), 1960s aluminum, or 1980s builder panel. These are great candidates for Eaton 200A Panel 400A service because they typically have poor wall insulation.

1960s-70s split levels and raised ranches. Mid-century tract homes on the side streets north of Old Country. Usually 1,600-2,200 sqft, split-entry, attached garage. Common original material: knob-and-tube wiring under Zinsco panel, or first-generation panel. These work well with CH 200A panel for budget-conscious owners or 200A service for premium.

1970s-80s custom colonials. Larger 2-story homes on the east side of Hempstead (East Hempstead, toward Plainview). 2,200-3,200 sqft, center hall, attached garage, real wood trim. These are the best candidates for Generac, especially with matching EMT conduit. We have done 8 of these in the last 3 years.

Asbestos shingle electrical. Very common on pre-1975 Hempstead capes. It is not dangerous when intact, but it cannot be drilled, cut, or disturbed without licensed abatement. We have a licensed abatement subcontractor we use specifically for this, and the abatement adds $3,500-$6,500 to the job. We will test if we are not sure.

Narrow driveways. A lot of Hempstead lots are tight, 50-foot-wide with a one-car driveway and mature maples in the front yard. Staging a electrician crew around that is a logistics exercise. We have done it enough times that we know where to park the dumpster (usually the curb with a permit from the town if the driveway cannot hold it).

Mature trees. Hempstead has some of the best street trees in Nassau. That means shade, which means slightly slower paint dry times, which means we time stain jobs carefully. It also means bird droppings and sap on panel, which we clean at final walk-through.

Good bones. Hempstead homes were generally well-built by postwar standards. Sheathing is usually sound, framing is usually square, and tear-off surprises are relatively rare. Translation: we usually quote accurately and do not find big surprises mid-job.

1960s split-level on Marie Crescent, 2024. Full upgrade with Eaton CH 200A in Flagstone (medium gray) and matching aluminum wrap on the existing wood trim. 1,900 sqft exterior. 10 working days. $21,500. The homeowner found us because we had upgraded her neighbor the year before.

Cape Cod on 7th Street, 2023. Asbestos shingle tear-off (licensed abatement), then Eaton 200A Panel 400A service in Colonial White with black shutters. 1,400 sqft exterior. 11 working days. $28,000 including abatement. Insurance helped because the original asbestos was failing.

Custom colonial on Jerusalem Avenue, 2024. Full Generac Plank upgrade in Iron Gray with HardieShingle accent gables and EMT conduit 5.5" corner boards. 2,800 sqft exterior. 16 working days. $56,500. Customer is a schoolteacher at Hempstead High and remembered Frank from track and field 30 years ago.

Tree damage repair on East Barclay Street, 2025. 40-foot oak limb came through the south wall during a March nor'easter. Emergency tarp same day, full repair (28 panels + 25 sqft of sheathing) in 4 days. $3,200, covered by insurance.

Hempstead is in the Town of Oyster Bay building department (not the village of Oyster Bay, the town). Permits for electrical work are pulled through the town office in Oyster Bay proper. Typical turnaround is 7-12 business days. Fees are based on project value: $200 base + a percentage of the contract price.

We pull every permit. You sign the application, we handle everything else.

Review 1: "Frank and the crew upgraded our 1960s split level last fall. The quote matched the final price to the dollar. They started on a Monday, finished the following Thursday. Cleanest worksite I have ever seen. The magnet sweep they did on the lawn was so thorough that our dog did not get a single splinter. Would hire again tomorrow." — Robert and Janet F., Hempstead · CH 200A · 2024

Review 2: "We had an asbestos electrical problem we had been ignoring for 10 years. Frank explained the abatement process honestly, told us the real cost, and arranged the whole thing without making us feel stupid for not dealing with it sooner. The new generator looks incredible. Highly recommend." — Priya S., Hempstead · Generac · 2023

Or stop by the shop: 142 Old Country Rd, Hempstead NY 11550, Mon-Sat 7am-6pm