When it comes to hiring an electrician, the value lies in the quality of the craftsmanship. This is not an area where you should be looking to save a few dollars. The reason for this is that many house fires start because of poor electrical wiring. Furthermore, electricians are bound by the national electrical code. This means their work must be performed with precision and by the book. It is imperative that you thoroughly interview several electricians before choosing one to perform any work in your home. Following are some questions you should ask before hiring an electrician: 1. Are you licensed?
Ask your electrician if he is a licensed electrician you may even ask him to see the card. A master electrician has a minimum of six years experience but most have well over a decade worth of experience. A master electrician is capable of designing/installing projects both in Residential and commercial applications and managing installations ranging from small to large jobs. Journeyman electricians have a minimum of four years experience and are capable of installing jobs both in residential and commercial applications. 2. Do you have insurance? This is another pivotal question since there is a tremendously high level of liability in electrical work. Any electrician should carry at least $500,000 in liability insurance as well as Worker’s Compensation insurance. You do not want to be on the hook for any negligence performed by the electrician. 3. What is your area of specialty? Find out if your electrician specializes in one particular area. Some electricians specialize in new construction, whereas some only handle remodeling jobs. Some electricians only handle exterior, whereas some only handle interior. Make certain that you hire the right electrician for your job so that they are familiar with what it is you need to be done. The last thing you want is to hire an electrician who specializes in exterior for an interior job or vice versa. 4. Do you have any specialized training for this type of work? On projects that require specific and specialized knowledge and expertise, you must ascertain whether or not your electrician has this type of training. A general electrician is not going to be able to handle complicated jobs such as the installation of phone cables, so the last thing you need is somebody who is “learning on the job. “ 5. Do you have references? Today, the Internet is a great resource to look up the references on past work that your electrician has performed. However, asking your electrician to provide specific recommendations is also a great way to find out about his track record. See if he is willing to give some references. If he does, follow up on them and evaluate his prior work. 6. Will you provide a written estimate that sets forth everything that is included in the job to be performed? This is one of the essential electrical questions you can ask because, very often, contractors and electricians end up having incidental costs that are passed along to the homeowner. For instance, if drywall needs to be cut into, that will likely be something you are responsible for. Make sure that any foreseeable incidental costs are included in the estimate. 7. Who will be doing the work? Discuss who specifically will be handling the work. Do not assume that the person you are dealing with will be the one that shows up for the job. Discuss pay scale and pay rates with the electrician. He may send a journeyman to handle a job that only a master should behandling. Be clear on this since if you feel your job requires a master electrician, then explain only a master electrician will do. 8. What warranties/guarantees do you provide on your work? Make sure you ate clear on what warrantees the electrician offers on his work. Also, be aware that any fixtures or devices purchased by the electrician are typically their responsibility. This should be included in the estimate. 9. Does any of the work require a permit, and will you be the one to obtain it? Almost every aspect of an electrical job requires a permit from the city. The electrician is the one that typically is responsible for pulling such a permit. Make sure the written estimate contains the scope and nature of the job so that any licenses that may be required are expressly the responsibility of the electrician and not the homeowner. To Conclude The electrician you hire should be someone you can count on under any circumstances. You will likely need to ask your electrician many questions before, during, and after the job is done. They should be patient and answer your electrical questions and professionally. This is important because you don’t want someone who is merely going to show up and not be able to explain what they are doing and why. Instead, you want someone who takes the time to break down the job to you so that a layperson can understand it. The saying goes, “if you cannot explain something simply, you do not understand it well enough.” That is the best way to put it.
As your local Rockwall electrician, we will become part of your home maintenance team, and we will thoroughly answer all of your questions. Contact one of our professional electricians today!