Electricity is an important, as well as dangerous, home improvement project. Usually, most homeowners aren’t equipped with enough knowledge of complex electricity improvement and maintenance procedures. They don’t know how to discover and pick a legitimate, reasonable, and learned electrician.
Not all electricians are created equal, and it isn’t easy to know if they have the experience to handle the job. Hiring electrical contractors is an important task. You need to dig deep in your research to find an electrician that can efficiently and safely handle all of your home electrical needs for years to come.
First, you need to determine the actual task to be performed. Is it an office or home renovation project or remodeling to change the building design or simply repair work? With a clear task in mind, you can find electrical contractors with experience in your type of project.
Before hiring an electrical contractor, a brief question-and-answer session is a must. Here we have compiled a list of “Questions to Ask” before hiring an electrical contractor to get you started on the right path.
Do you have a license?
Ideally, your first question to your prospective electrical contractor should be, are you licensed. There are different licenses for a wide variety of jobs. You need to find out what kind of license is needed to perform the job you are requesting. The best electrical contractors possess state certificates, while regional electricians are restricted to operate only specific tasks in certain areas.
What are your qualifications and specialties?
The electrical contractor you hire must have the required qualifications to perform the job. To get the task done safely and efficiently, finding the right electrician for your particular job is necessary. The electrician should have knowledge and experience in various areas, including the specific work that has you searching for electrical contractors.
Do you have proper insurance?
If you want to be safe during the process, always ask if the electrical contractor carries general liability and worker’s compensation insurance. An insured electrician is a safe electrician as they protect workers, as well as the consumer. This will protect you in case of theft or accident during your installation, repair, or renovation project.
What are your credentials?
If an electrical contractor is associated with any electricians’ union or other local electrical organizations, they will be more professional, updated, and informed about recent electrical installation methods and ethical business practices. However, this is not an essential requirement and doesn’t always guarantee their level of expertise.
What is the estimated rate of my work?
This largely depends on your work as the electrical contractor may give you an actual proposal or just an estimated verbal quote. The electrical contractor may charge an hourly rate if the project is a complex one. Another option is the T&M rates (time and material rates), where the electrical contractor charges for the materials and the time spent on completing the whole project and task. Moreover, also ask if there is a fee to give an estimate.
Is there any detail missing from the electrical contractor’s proposal?
The electrical contractor will give you a project proposal, depending on your specified requirements. However, before accepting the proposal, you need to read it carefully to ensure that no detail is missing.
Thus, asking all relevant questions is a necessity to clarify all your doubts. Whether you are building a new home, remodeling an existing one, or adding major appliances, the need for a qualified professional electrical contractor is indispensable.
