Finding a qualified electrician for work you need done in your home is an extremely important endeavor.
There are a lot of shady characters out there, and stories of scams and overcharges are commonplace.
Furthermore, you want to make sure to hire the most qualified company for the job - this is your home, and the last thing you want are the risks that come along with substandard work.
Faulty wiring and poor workmanship pose fire hazards, and can cause damage to your appliances and electrical devices.
These are some guidelines for how to find a qualified electrician (and these actually apply to most other types of contractors as well).
Make sure they are a licensed electrician.
The very first thing you want to make sure of before choosing an electrical contractor is to make sure they are licensed.
There are tests that must be taken, and minimum experience is required before someone can be called a master electrician or be licensed.
This licensing means they understand national and local codes, keep up to dates with any changes, and changes in technology, and that they are qualified to repair, design, and maintain electrical systems.
Even a journeyman electrician (one who is otherwise qualified, but not yet licensed as a master electrician) can't install wiring and equipment.
Make sure they are bonded and insured.
If something goes wrong - and sometimes things do, you want to make sure that the electrician you hire is bonded and insured.
If they have a habit of doing bad work, they won't be able to afford to have those qualifications, and you want to make sure that they can pay for any damages caused.
Make sure they have all relevant permits.
Make sure they have all applicable permits before hiring any kind of contractor at all.
If they have the permits - which means that their work has been checked by building inspectors), it's a good indication that you have a solid candidate for your business.
Choose the right electrician for the Job You probably don't want to choose an electrician who specializes in new construction to work on your ancient fixer-upper.
The same goes for if you're looking for an electrician to wire your hot-tub who usually just handles remodels.
Each type of work has specific techniques, and very specialized knowledge and experience required.
If you're looking to make your house more 'green,' make sure to find an electrician who specializes in that, as that's an area that requires constant knowledge upkeep as technology progresses.
Ask friends, neighbors, and other contractors for recommendations.
Any electrician that provides great work and great service will have a following.
Contractors that you trust - people who have done other work on your house before and have done it well - make great resources for finding other contractors.
High-quality businesses only associate with other high-quality businesses.
It's simply common sense.
Your friends or neighbors may have had work done and were really pleased with who they had, and you should ask around for their opinions as well.
There are a lot of shady characters out there, and stories of scams and overcharges are commonplace.
Furthermore, you want to make sure to hire the most qualified company for the job - this is your home, and the last thing you want are the risks that come along with substandard work.
Faulty wiring and poor workmanship pose fire hazards, and can cause damage to your appliances and electrical devices.
These are some guidelines for how to find a qualified electrician (and these actually apply to most other types of contractors as well).
Make sure they are a licensed electrician.
The very first thing you want to make sure of before choosing an electrical contractor is to make sure they are licensed.
There are tests that must be taken, and minimum experience is required before someone can be called a master electrician or be licensed.
This licensing means they understand national and local codes, keep up to dates with any changes, and changes in technology, and that they are qualified to repair, design, and maintain electrical systems.
Even a journeyman electrician (one who is otherwise qualified, but not yet licensed as a master electrician) can't install wiring and equipment.
Make sure they are bonded and insured.
If something goes wrong - and sometimes things do, you want to make sure that the electrician you hire is bonded and insured.
If they have a habit of doing bad work, they won't be able to afford to have those qualifications, and you want to make sure that they can pay for any damages caused.
Make sure they have all relevant permits.
Make sure they have all applicable permits before hiring any kind of contractor at all.
If they have the permits - which means that their work has been checked by building inspectors), it's a good indication that you have a solid candidate for your business.
Choose the right electrician for the Job You probably don't want to choose an electrician who specializes in new construction to work on your ancient fixer-upper.
The same goes for if you're looking for an electrician to wire your hot-tub who usually just handles remodels.
Each type of work has specific techniques, and very specialized knowledge and experience required.
If you're looking to make your house more 'green,' make sure to find an electrician who specializes in that, as that's an area that requires constant knowledge upkeep as technology progresses.
Ask friends, neighbors, and other contractors for recommendations.
Any electrician that provides great work and great service will have a following.
Contractors that you trust - people who have done other work on your house before and have done it well - make great resources for finding other contractors.
High-quality businesses only associate with other high-quality businesses.
It's simply common sense.
Your friends or neighbors may have had work done and were really pleased with who they had, and you should ask around for their opinions as well.
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