Last updated on September 14th, 2021 at 10:25 am
How to Find the Best Electrician to Service Your Home
It is important to hire a professional and trustworthy electrician to service your home. This is how to hire the best electrician for your needs.
Do you need electrical work carried out in your home? Do you want to hire the best electrician possible but unsure of how to do it?
When things go wrong with the electrics in our home, it’s a complete nightmare. We’re suddenly unable to do the things we take for granted each day and, it can turn our life upside down.
Plus, faulty electrics and wiring are dangerous. They can easily cause electrical shocks, which can result in burns or even death. Or, they can cause electrical fires, which is dangerous for everyone living at your property and the neighbors.
So, it’s important to hire a quality electrician to take care of the electrics for you. They’ll be able to fix everything fast and ensure it’s done to the correct standards.
But how can you identify a reliable professional? Well, it’s rather easy if you know what to look for.
So keep reading, and we’ll share a complete guide on how to find the best electrician for the job at hand.
Ask Your Friends and Family for Referrals
Trying to create a shortlist of reputable electricians can be overwhelming.
If you were to search electrician near me on Google, you’d likely get dozens of results. All this does is confuse you and leave you even more frustrated.
So, it’s better to start with a different method that could save you a lot of time. This will result in your electrical work being carried out quicker and you not going around in circles.
This time-saving method is to ask friends and family members for referrals. The odds are that at least one of them has had electrical work done in their home within the past couple of years.
As such, they could point out the electrician who carried out the work, as long as they were pleased with the results.
Alternatively, someone may know an electrician personally. This can be even more beneficial as you may receive a discount should you hire them.
Hopefully, you get a couple of names and, as a result, can make a shortlist of candidates.
Read Online Reviews
When you identify a few electricians, the first thing to do is read online customer reviews.
Every electrician will claim that they’re the best in the area and offer fantastic value for money. Unfortunately, this isn’t true for the vast majority.
So you need to carry out some research to identify those that can deliver what they promise and those who can’t.
To figure this out, we suggest reading online reviews via their Google My Business page. This is because you usually find the most reviews here, and they’re unlikely to be fake.
Read each review and look out for any possible red flags. By this, we mean any problems that keep being mentioned by customers.
But, it’s important to know that every business normally has a couple of negative reviews. So, if you do see some, don’t panic too much. As long as most are positive, then you should be fine.
Ask About Their Experience
Electrical companies that have been operating for a long time are doing something right. They are likely offering value for money and leaving customers satisfied.
After all, if they weren’t, they wouldn’t still be in business.
So, we recommend hiring an electrical company that has been in business for several years. By doing this, you’re more likely to be in safe hands and be pleased with the result.
But if you do look at a newly formed business, ask the electrician how long they have been in the profession. If they have many years of experience, then they could still deliver what you want.
Make Sure They’re Licensed
Different states have different rules about licenses, but we recommend hiring someone who holds one.
Electricians with valid licenses are often better at what they do. This is because they’ve had to show their skills and follow industry standards to obtain it.
Besides, a license proves that they are, in fact, a qualified electrician.
It is possible that one of the people on your shortlist could be someone desperate for money. As a result, they’re falsely claiming to be an electrician and hoping you don’t ask too many questions.
So, we suggest staying safe and asking for their license and credentials beforehand. Research what they should look like so you can spot anything suspicious.
If you suspect the credentials are fake, or they cannot provide them, then look for someone else.
Ask Who Will Cary Out the Work
Whilst you check their credentials, find out if it’s them who will carry out the electrical work. If not, then enquire who is and ask for their license.
Bigger companies have many electricians working for them, so the person you meet isn’t always the person who will be doing the work. This can be a shock on the first day if someone you’ve never met turns up.
So, ask who will be doing the work, and if it’s not the person in front of you, then request to meet them. After all, you want to have confidence in who you’re hiring especially when they’ll be inside your home.
Ask to See Their Insurance
Another important question to ask is whether they’re insured? If the answer is no, then walk away immediately. But if they say yes, ask to see valid documentation.
Electricians should hold liability insurance to cover themselves whilst they work. If they or one of their employees injures themselves, the insurance will cover them.
But, if you hire someone without insurance, you take a big risk. If they were to injure themselves, you could find yourself in a high-cost legal battle.
Do They Offer Guarantees or Warranties?
You always want the electrical company to offer you a warranty or guarantee cover. Unfortunately, problems can occur and are usually a result of faulty wiring or poor workmanship.
But, when you’re covered, it ensures that the problems are fixed at no extra cost to you. So, ask the electrician what kind of cover you’ll receive and find out information such as:
- How long does the cover last?
- What is included?
- What’s the process if problems do occur?
By knowing this information, you’ll be able to make the correct decision. And remember, you’ll be taking a big risk by hiring anyone who doesn’t offer suitable cover.
Gather Some Quotes
Electrical work can be expensive, so the price is likely going to play a deciding factor. But, you need to know a few things first.
Don’t automatically hire the cheapest electrician. This may sound bizarre, but there is a valid reason for this.
The best electrical companies are fully aware of their value and what they can deliver. They’ll be confident in their work and realize they’re ahead of the competition.
As such, they’re unlikely to offer the cheapest quotes.
Think of them as car manufacturers. Rolls Royce will not try to price match Ford. This is because they understand the luxury and engineering quality their cars offer.
Besides, sometimes the cheapest quote can be misleading. There could be hidden charges or extras added on at the end, giving you a surprise shock.
As a result, the lowest price turns out to be the most expensive, which can leave you feeling frustrated. So, we suggest gathering a few quotes first and then analyzing them.
Check the Contract
Once you do have some quotes, you want to know exactly what’s included. So, you need to read the contract carefully to identify any red flags.
It’s important you read each section carefully and ask questions if you’re unsure about something.
It’s also a good idea to let a trusted friend or family member read it as well. They may spot something you’ve missed or help you make a decision.
Finally, it’s important not to feel pressured into signing something. If the electrician just wants to put the pen in your hand, you should take a step back.
Ask What the Process Will Be
Some electrical jobs can be quite disruptive and time-consuming. So, it would be best if you asked what the process will be.
This gives you time to plan and make any adaptions. For example, it may be noisy, so if you have pets, you may decide to take them to a friend’s house.
You could also move furniture or valuables to a safe place if there’s a risk of damage.
How to Identify the Best Electrician
As you can see, there are many things to look for when hiring an electrician.
Make sure you follow each step we have mentioned and ask a lot of questions. The best electrician will answer everything in depth to put your mind at ease.
Finally, if you would like to learn about the services we off, then please contact us.
