Your search for an electrician should always involve more than money. Your motivation should never be about finding the best deal on your own. When you hire an electrician who will probably spend hours rewiring your home, there are other factors to consider.
This includes their level of experience, expertise, reputation and confidence, to name a few. With none of these factors to support their services, you could entrust someone who is absolutely unreliable with expensive and dangerous work.
7 Things to Dive In Before Hiring Electrician
Rewiring your home and even your business can be time-consuming and risky work. Poor electrical work can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in property damage.
It doesn’t cause serious physical damage if someone is caught in the crossfire. That is why it is very important to give this job to the right person.
Here is what you should an electrician before signing on the dotted line:
1. Do you have a rough estimate for the job?
If a license, permits and contactable references are all very important, so is money. After all, you want to hire an electrician that you can really afford! There is nothing wrong with asking an electrician for a rough estimate of the cost of a job.
And know that if their rating is a little too high compared to others that you may have seen, it is a red flag. This means that they assume you haven’t done your market research on the right prices for the job you want.
But keep in mind that even an electrician who charges less than the average tariff is not your best option. It could mean that they are desperate for a job, or they don’t know what level of work you want to do. Find someone who offers a fair and competitive price.
2. How do you charge?
Alert! An electrician who charges an hourly rate. All contractors work at a different pace, which means you can pay an original price from one electrician to another.
There is no way to tell how fast an electrician will get the job done. But a permanent project that is billed by the hour can end up costing you a lot more than you expected.
An entrepreneur who works too fast by looking at the clock is not a good option either. Completing a job too quickly could leave you with electrical faults and hard work. The best solution is to choose an electrician who invoices a fixed price, in advance, whatever the duration of the project.
3. Any reference we can contact?
When it emanates to contract work, there is nothing more powerful than word-of-mouth recommendation. Remember, you have every right to ask an electrician if he has a reachable reference who would recommend his services.
Make sure you have a legitimate number and call. Find out about the level of service, quality of work, punctuality and whether the electrician’s rates are reasonable.
References are a great way to help you make a final decision, so don’t underestimate their first-hand opinions!
4. Can I see your electrician license and permits?
One of the most important questions to ask an electrician is to see proof of his license to operate. Anyone can tell you they’re qualified, but showing you visible evidence is another story. Double-check that their license term is still valid and has not passed the expiration date.
If you need to do extensive rewiring in your home, you will need to apply for a master’s license. This allows an electrician to work on both the design and installation aspects of a job. If an electrician only has an artisan’s license, it means that he is only allowed to install electrical items.
In addition, you will need to apply for permits for a specific job and whether an electrician will get these permits if necessary. Working without a license could get in trouble for you and the electrician.
Please note that it is the job of an electrician to gain these permits, not yours!
5. Can I have proof of insurance?
Insurance is a must for any type of contractor working inside or inside your home. When modifications are made to your property, especially of an electrical nature, always be sure to inquire about contractors’ liability insurance coverage.
If something goes wrong and causes damage to your home or to someone in it, you want to be sure that accidents are covered. An electrician insurance company should cover this damage, it is not your responsibility. So if an electrician cannot provide proof of insurance, don’t hire them!
6. Do you specialize in specific areas?
If you have a very specific type of electrical project to complete, it is always worth asking if an electrician can handle it.
Make sure you understand what an electrician can and cannot do, i.e. what their limits are. If they offer a specialized service, ask for examples of past work they have done and supporting references.
7. What Type of Job Guarantee Do You Offer?
When it involves fundamental electric work, you need to have that peace-of-thoughts that a guarantee is in the vicinity has to something move incorrectly after an activity is complete. A respectable electrician has to provide an assurance that lets you touch them each time have to trouble to arise, free-of-charge. This guarantee duration is legitimate for a confined time frame, however, regardless, the activity assure is important.
