How to Choose an Electrical Contractor

There are several factors to consider when choosing an electrical contractor. The price of the work you want to have done is only one of the factors that will determine the best electrical contractor for your job. Electrical work must be done correctly for safety. Whether you are having new construction work done, an upgrade or only minor repairs check out your chosen contractor completely.

Licenses and insurance:

You should ask if your contractor is licensed and if it is their license or someone else's. Employees of a contractor may work under the contractor's license but you should check to see how well they are trained and supervised. You should also ask if the contractor has insurance, both for liability and potential injuries of their employees.

Also keep in mind that minor electrical work will not require a permit but major changes usually will. Make sure your contractor is authorized to work in your city and can obtain a permit if it is required. Be sure that your electrical contractor knows and can follow all building codes for the work you are having done.

References:

Ask if your contractor can provide references. You might check with friends and neighbors for their recommendations. Ask your contractor if they are listed with the Better Business Bureau. Do an on-line check of the contractors business, you may be able to find compliments or complaints that way.

Get it in writing:

You may receive many estimates for your job. When it comes to hiring the electrical contractor be sure to get everything in writing. Have all costs listed in your contract to prevent surprises. Ask them about any additional costs before you sign. Be wary of any contractor that requests payments in full upfront.

Find out what their expected completion time for the project will be. Check with them about the hours that they will be working on the job and what employees will be in your home. In some cases you will want to know if you should provide restroom facilities for anyone working in your home. For large jobs that require more than one contractor you will need to be sure that all of your contractors can operate together and complete your project on time.

Ask you contractor what kind of guarantee they provide. If you are having fixtures installed, that you purchase through the contractor, the guarantee of the fixture should also be noted. If you purchase your own fixtures you may be the responsible party if the fixtures fail. You will want to know if your contractor be there if something goes wrong. Find out how long the contractor has been in business. Also ask if the contractor will be there during any building inspections that may need to be done during the project or at the completion of the project. If any portion of the job fails an inspection you will want to know how quickly the electrical contractor will correct the issue.

Check who will be responsible for clean up during and after the project. Most contractors do provide their own clean up but you will want to know how often the clean up is done on a major job. If you are having underground electrical work done find out if the trenching is done by your electrical contractor or if it is sub-contracted out. Find out just how much repair work will be done for your landscape and yard after the work is finished. Ask all of your questions before you hire your electrical contractor, if they are unwilling to answer your questions you might be better off choosing a different contractor.