Avoid Aerovironment's SF 'Metropolitan Electric' contractor

I had my Aerovironment's electric contractor install my EVSE on November 9, despite the high price. It is now December 17 and there has been no city inspection. On December 9, a month after installation, I emailed Metropolitan Electric to inquire as to why the inspection hadn't occurred. I also emailed my city building inspection department. Turns out that Metropolitan had never pulled a permit. I then emailed Aerovironment.

Both Aerovironment and Metropolitan assured me the permit process would begin and my inspection would happen shortly. It's been a week and a half and no word. Meanwhile, my car sits out on the driveway because I haven't reassembled shelving units to make the inspection easier.

I tried to do this the way Nissan wanted, overpaid, and now I'm concerned that this won't happen before the end of the year.

Shouldn't a permit be first submitted before work even started? I wonder if there ever was an intention of getting a permit.

They charged me $300 for a permit and processing fee, so if they had not intended to pull a permit, which as you say, should have been done prior to the work starting, they are committing fraud. Amazingly, a neighbor on my small street also has a Leaf on order and had their AV charger installed by the same contractor the week before mine. I need to ask them if the city inspected their EVSE yet. The installer told me that the two installs on my street are the only ones they've done on the entire SF Peninsula and City of San Francisco. Now I know why.

There are clearly multiple contractors handling Bay area installs for AV. Jason of Dollin's electric did my install. He brought the permit with him when he started the work and it has passed the city inspection.

Good to hear that AV uses multiple installers in the Bay Area. I thought that Metropolitan was exclusive because AV came out with them on my home assessment. It was Metropolitan's second assessment, just as I was their second installation. So it should be easy to request a different installer for Bay Area resident's.

I saw the video of how the installation is done. Seems like they do contract with local electricians in the area. I also saw in the video a special Diagnostic Tester is used to test the function. Do these local electricians have these too? The only advantage I would see by going with AV would be they are "experts" with the AV EVSE, otherwise its just another electrician.

Found out from AV why Metropolitan Electric hasn't fulfilled their contractual obligations as far as completing the job they were hired to do. They are unhappy because they didn't get AV's commercial installation work, so therefore they've washed their hands of AV and their customers. Metropolitan Electric is not interested in its customers or reputation, it would seem. Obviously cutting corners like not applying for a permit is part of their way of doing business, so AV made the right choice to not reward them with commercial business.

Now, I have to have my EVSE installation re-validated and it is unlikely that the city inspection will occur until next year, as a permit still hasn't been applied for. Metropolitan Electric didn't do what they were supposed to do from the beginning, lied to me a month later and won't respond to AV anymore.

You paid AV and the contract is with AV..... have you asked for another sub to complete the contract?
Have you filed a complaint with the CA state license board?
What does Nissan say?

Yes, AV is sending another contractor tomorrow to re-validate the installation. Chances of getting the inspection completed this year are slim to none. This contractor called me this evening and said there isn't a lot of profit on these installs, but he said for him it's about Karma, doing something good for the environment. Speaking of Karma, I wonder if the original contractor believes in Karma?

Leafittome said:

This contractor called me this evening and said there isn't a lot of profit on these installs

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Maybe not for him. but someone is making a pile of cash on them...

Leafittome said:

Yes, AV is sending another contractor tomorrow to re-validate the installation. Chances of getting the inspection completed this year are slim to none. This contractor called me this evening and said there isn't a lot of profit on these installs, but he said for him it's about Karma, doing something good for the environment. Speaking of Karma, I wonder if the original contractor believes in Karma?

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I'm sure there are all sorts of avenues you can take to complain abouy this. I'd start with AV, the BBB, the SF permit department (I'm guessing it's illegal to take $$ for a permit and then not pull it).....let's see. "Angies List", uh....local "TV News Investigative reporter" (those guy LOVE stories like this. You may have uncovered a racket!)

Best of luck with the eventual inspection!

Jimmydreams said:

Leafittome said:

Yes, AV is sending another contractor tomorrow to re-validate the installation. Chances of getting the inspection completed this year are slim to none. This contractor called me this evening and said there isn't a lot of profit on these installs, but he said for him it's about Karma, doing something good for the environment. Speaking of Karma, I wonder if the original contractor believes in Karma?

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I'm sure there are all sorts of avenues you can take to complain abouy this. I'd start with AV, the BBB, the SF permit department (I'm guessing it's illegal to take $$ for a permit and then not pull it).....let's see. "Angies List", uh....local "TV News Investigative reporter" (those guy LOVE stories like this. You may have uncovered a racket!)

Best of luck with the eventual inspection!

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It gets better, I had to change out my electric dryer for a gas dryer because the original contractor's estimator told me there was no more capacity on the panel for an additional 220V circuit, so I paid for the new dryer and gas line installation. The new contractor tells me that he could have installed the EVSE circuit without making me give up my electric dryer circuit. It's a bit frustrating to add additional gas appliances when I have a 4.3Kw solar power system.

I've dealt with many contractors over the years who were crooked, clueless, or could care less. A shame that the original contractor has made my Nissan Leaf buying experience negative.

This is definately another reason to get a competing bid if there are ANY awkward issues with the AV contractor.
Single bid contracting is a terrible way to get stuff done.
Multiple contractors, multiple ideas, better solutions.

I agree that you should ask AV to pay the additional cost associated with the poorly screened contractor.
Pulling a full new circuit may have cost a bit more but new gas line and dryer :shock:

Besides is the dryer electric circuit OK with a 40a breaker? #8 minimum copper?

If possible, you should change the name of this thread, as the installer complained of no longer does AV installations. It has become misleading.

The installer at my house in the Bay Area yesterday, A1, was terrific.

BlueSL said:

If possible, you should change the name of this thread, as the installer complained of no longer does AV installations. It has become misleading.

The installer at my house in the Bay Area yesterday, A1, was terrific.

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Better?

BlueSL said:

If possible, you should change the name of this thread, as the installer complained of no longer does AV installations. It has become misleading.

The installer at my house in the Bay Area yesterday, A1, was terrific.

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+1

A1 installed mine too :mrgreen:

Permit passed inspection. Now, if I could just get my hands on my Leaf....................................

Leafittome said:

Found out from AV why Metropolitan Electric hasn't fulfilled their contractual obligations as far as completing the job they were hired to do. They are unhappy because they didn't get AV's commercial installation work, so therefore they've washed their hands of AV and their customers. Metropolitan Electric is not interested in its customers or reputation, it would seem. Obviously cutting corners like not applying for a permit is part of their way of doing business, so AV made the right choice to not reward them with commercial business.

Now, I have to have my EVSE installation re-validated and it is unlikely that the city inspection will occur until next year, as a permit still hasn't been applied for. Metropolitan Electric didn't do what they were supposed to do from the beginning, lied to me a month later and won't respond to AV anymore.

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I would not worry about the inspection, if you are concerned about the credit for this year. Get the full 50%. I work with many of the SF electrical contractors often on projects, I don't know of these guys. I was not impressed by their organizational skills prior to my assessment but I got a refund from AV and did my own work.

Thank you, working with A1 Electric now. They are providing the customer service I had originally expected and didn't get from Metropolitan Electrical Construction. I see that AV finally ran my credit card for the full amount, even though the installation hasn't been inspected, but A1 is having to work around my city's holiday schedule and my being out of town.

I'm sure this saga will get wrapped up soon. I'm in the Santa Monica area currently where I saw a RAV EV and a Volt.

Switching to a gas dryer was a good move even though you have solar, it is far more efficient and you will likely be glad in the long run.

Leafittome,
Previosly following Leaf blogs only occasionally and now as News Years resolution planning to be more involved in this space I wanted to comment. It's unfortunate to read what you've experienced in 'following the process'. The new EV introductions seen over the past few years and moving forward are inspiring and new households and new EV owners should be well taken of with a nice fresh experience, as this is a most exciting time!

Having read AV's contract (and opting not to sign-on as a contractor team), I understand that AV will not pay their contractors unless a permit is provided, which a good thing. This may be an added reason things broke down in your case. It's good to hear that you've been taken care of.

Being directly involved in EV installations over the last four years has included performing service calls to correct pre-exisitng substandard marginal-at-best installations. I take pause in reading comments that state that installing an EVSE is a snap and should be nearly free. It's safe to say that correct AHJ/NEC installation is important. EV chargers are classifed as 'continous duty' loads as compared to short cycle appliances such as stove tops and dryers and need planned and installed by qualified electricians. Sleeping peacefully at night while EV charging off peak is well worth the peace of mind of a resonably priced installtion provides. DIYers should not be working on L2 charger, 240 volt circuits and instead stick to pvc irrigation, low voltage landscape lighting, fused Christmas lighting and toilet flapper valves and of course the beloved honey-do lists.
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