Semmes Electric in Baltimore: Licensed Design and Installation for Residential Rewiring
Semmes Electric is a licensed residential electrician operating in Baltimore who handles full electrical design work, panel upgrades, and code-compliant installations for homeowners planning renovations or addressing aging wiring.
What Semmes Electric actually does
Semmes Electric provides design consultation and installation services for residential electrical systems. The firm is licensed by the State of Maryland and operates within Baltimore City's permit and inspection framework, meaning all work requires city approval and final inspection before sign-off. The company works primarily on older Baltimore rowhouses and single-family homes where electrical systems often date to the 1970s or earlier and cannot safely support modern load demands. Design work includes load calculation, panel sizing, and circuit layout before any wire is pulled.
Services and pricing
Semmes Electric charges a design consultation fee of $150 to $250 for an initial site visit and load assessment. This covers evaluation of the home's current panel capacity, estimated power needs based on appliances and heating/cooling systems, and a written recommendation for upgrades.
Installation pricing depends on scope. A full panel replacement (necessary when upgrading from 100-amp to 150-amp or 200-amp service) typically ranges from $2,500 to $4,500 in Baltimore, including the new panel, breakers, and labor for disconnection, replacement, and reconnection. Adding new circuits for kitchen appliances, bathroom ventilation, or an EV charger runs $400 to $900 per circuit, depending on distance from the panel and whether walls must be opened. Rewiring a single room with new outlets and switches costs roughly $600 to $1,200.
Permit fees are separate and set by Baltimore City. A standard electrical permit for residential work costs $40 to $100 depending on the project classification; Semmes Electric typically handles permit applications as part of the service. Final inspection is required and cannot be waived.
How Semmes Electric compares to other Baltimore electricians
Semmes Electric operates at the mid-range of Baltimore's licensed residential market. Smaller independent electricians in Baltimore often charge lower hourly rates ($75 to $100/hour) but may have longer wait times and less formal design documentation. Larger firms like Allegis Group or Roto-Rooter's electrical division charge premium rates ($120 to $150/hour) and often bundle electrical work into larger home renovation projects.
Semmes Electric suits homeowners who need design clarity before construction begins and want a single licensed contact to manage the permit and inspection process. Hire a smaller independent electrician if you have a straightforward repair (a blown breaker, a new outlet in an existing circuit) and want the lowest hourly cost. Use a large regional firm if you're doing a full gut renovation and want a project manager who coordinates with plumbing and HVAC simultaneously.
Who Semmes Electric serves and who it doesn't
Semmes Electric works best for Baltimore homeowners upgrading older panels, adding major appliances (ranges, heat pumps, water heaters), or preparing a home for electric vehicle charging. The firm is equipped to handle the specific challenges of Baltimore's row house stock, where panel access is often tight and cable routing is constrained by plaster walls and joists.
The firm is not suited for emergency same-day repairs or 24-hour service calls. If your power is out and it's a weekend, call an emergency service line instead. Semmes Electric also does not handle low-voltage work (telephone, network, audio wiring), which requires a separate low-voltage contractor.
What the first visit involves
Contact Semmes Electric for a design consultation appointment. The electrician will visit your home, inspect the existing panel, test circuits under load, measure distances to proposed outlets or appliances, and discuss your electrical goals. Bring a list of any new equipment you plan to install (e.g., 240-volt range, air handler, car charger). The electrician will provide a written load calculation and a one-page design summary with recommended panel size, new circuit counts, and an itemized estimate.
If you approve the design, Semmes Electric handles permit filing with Baltimore City and coordinates the inspection appointment. You do not attend the inspection; the electrician is present when the inspector walks through.
Hours, location, and logistics
Semmes Electric operates Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with Saturday appointments available by request. The company is based in Dundalk but serves all of Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Design consultations are conducted at your home; there is no shop visit required. Work can begin within 2 to 3 weeks of permit approval, depending on the job queue.
Verify current hours and wait times by calling directly, as seasonal demand for panel work varies.
Semmes Electric fills a practical gap in Baltimore's residential electrical market by separating design consultation from installation and providing clear documentation before any work begins. For a city with a housing stock as varied and aging as Baltimore's, having a licensed electrician who calculates load correctly the first time avoids costly rework and code violations down the line.
