Electrical work, by nature, can be complex and inherently dangerous. In some cases, it might even be illegal.
As such, it’s never recommended to attempt DIY electrical installments or repairs. Inexperienced electrical work can result in electrical fires, blackouts, tripped breakers, shocks, and worse.
As a homeowner or business owner, you shouldn’t risk your property or your safety. Clearly, hiring an electrician should be one of your top priorities if you need electrical work doing.
However, you may be wondering what to look for when hiring an electrician. Excellent question.
Let us walk you through the process. Keep reading for our top five tips when looking for an electrician for your home.
1. Verify Licensing and Insurance
First, verifying the legitimacy of the contractor is one of the most important tips for hiring an electrician. Whether they are an independent contractor or an employee working for an electrical company, make sure they have a state-authorized electrician’s license. These credentials cover everything from safety procedures to coding laws in commercial and residential buildings.
Any contractor working on your home or business should also carry contractor liablity insurance. This policy covers any damages caused by the electrician during or after their services. This could be anything from a broken window to an electrical fire caused by an error in their work.
If you hire an electrical company, make sure they have worker’s compensation insurance. This policy is in place to financially care for an employee injured on the job. If the electrician falls off a ladder and breaks their leg, for example, worker’s comp insurance will cover their medical bills, time off work, missed earnings, etc.
2. Find Out About Experience and Expertise
If you’re wondering what to look for when hiring an electrician, consider their experience and expertise. While every electrician needs to start somewhere, you might not feel comfortable with a newly certified contractor. In cases like these, they’ll be accompanied by a more experienced electrician, however.
Alternatively, if you have a large-scale project, like a brand new commercial building, make sure the electrician or electrical company is outfitted and experienced enough to handle such an expansive job.
3. Find Customer Reviews and Testimonials
When hiring an electrician or any other type of service provider, it’s important to find out what other consumers have to say about their services. You can find customer reviews and testimonials online through each company’s website. For example, 1 Zap Electrical is proud of the quality services they provide their customers and publish their reviews online.
However, if you can’t find reviews on an electrical company’s website, use Google to search specifically for reviews using the company’s name. Otherwise, you can try to find reviews on their social media pages.
What do other homeowners and business owners have to say about their electrical services? Are there any recurring complaints? Do most people recommend hiring the electrician?
4. Ask the Right Questions
When hiring an electrician, you can never ask too many questions. Don’t worry about coming off as high-maintenance, you deserve the best services for your home or business. Any high-quality company will understand this and be more than willing to entertain your questions.
Here are some additional questions to ask an electrician to determine whether or not they’re the right contractor for your project.
What is Your Employee Screening Process?
If you’re hiring an electrician for your home, they’ll be inside your house, and possibly, around your family. If you need electrical work done for your business, they’ll be in your company building and around your employees and customers.
Therefore, find out what kind of background check is used in the electrical company’s screening process. How do they ensure they’re only hiring trustworthy, reputable employees? The last thing you want to do is expose your family, employees, or customers to unsavory people.
Do You Offer Product Warranties and Satisfaction Guarantees?
Next, let’s talk about what to know when hiring an electrician in terms of customer satisfaction. We recommend asking the company if the products and materials they use are under warranty from the manufacturer. For example, what happens if an electrical component fails, burns out, or is otherwise compromised?
Additionally, ask about the electrical company’s customer satisfaction guarantee. Do they have one? Is it included in the contract?
As a consumer paying for services, work with a company that stands behind their work. What lengths will the electrician go through to ensure you’re happy with their services? What happens if there’s a problem with their work?
What is Your Availability?
Now, ask about availability and accessibility. Whether you have an issue with your electrical system at home or at your business, the problem needs to be remediated as soon as possible. How soon can the electrical company come out to assess your situation?
Once your electrical problems have been diagnosed, how quickly will the contractor be able to fix the problem? What about emergency electrical problems in the middle of the night, during the weekend, or on holidays? Does the electrical company offer 24/7 emergency services?
5. Get a Free Quote and Compare Pricing
Finally, no matter why you’re hiring an electrician, the last thing you want to do is overpay for services. However, there’s also such a thing as too-good-to-be-true prices. To find a competent and affordable electrician, reach out to various electrical companies in your area to get a free quote.
Then, compare and contrast the cost of hiring an electrician, but keep their other qualifications in mind (such as those listed above). For example, a low-budget electrician with an attractive price can have terrible customer reviews, limited experience, zero insurance coverage, etc. If you’re hiring an independent contractor whose price seems too good to be true, they might not even be licensed.
In most cases in life, you get what you pay for. And while that doesn’t mean the more you pay, the better the services you’ll receive, it does warn consumers against getting swindled.
Need Help Hiring an Electrician?
As you can see, hiring an electrician isn’t something you should do half-heartedly. Take your time and do some research to find the most qualified and affordable electrician for your home or business. Follow the tips listed above for the best results.
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And if you’re looking for more advice for running your business, improving your home, or finding the right services, don’t go anywhere. Our blog is full of content designed to help people like you find answers to all of their questions. Check out some of our other articles before you go.