Finding the right electrician to do work on your house is a matter of both safety and quality. So before you even consider getting electrical work done, you’ll definitely want to know what to ask when hiring an electrician. The following questions cover the right questions to ask to ensure you get the right professional for the job.
Are you licensed?
In most states, electricians are required to be licensed, so make sure that you’re only considering hiring one that is properly licensed. Usually, they will either be a master electrician, who has at least two years of professional experience installing and designing systems, or a journeyman, who has professional experience for installation.
Will you provide references?
Electrical work is often hard to judge since the majority of it is hidden within walls or out of sight. Talking with people who have worked with the electrician before will tell you a lot about the quality of work and the personality of the electrician you’ll be working with.
Are you insured?
The electrician you hire must have insurance in liability and worker’s compensation, especially due to the potential dangers of electrical work. Make sure you get a contractor with at least $500,000 covered by insurance.
What kind of expertise or training do you have in the type of work you are doing?
Electricians must be familiar with the specific building codes and contexts they’ll be working in since electrical work can vary drastically. Electrical work that is acceptable for a residential area often times would be a violation if used in a commercial area. Additionally, if your job requires specialty work such as home automation work or solar paneling, make sure they have the necessary qualifications and experience with the specialty.
Are they willing to give an estimate and what does it include?
The electrician should be able to give at least an approximate estimate of the work, and make sure that the estimate also includes incidentals, such as repairing drywall or fixing up holes from the electrical work.
Will the work be guaranteed?
The professional you hire should stand behind their work. In most cases, electricians assume the responsibility for the electrical devices and fixtures they install. You’ll want to know that if there ends up being a problem with the electrical work, the electrician will do what’s necessary to repair it.
These are the basic questions you’ll want to ask when hiring an electrician. While these questions covered the major facets that you’ll want to check when hiring an electrician, there are many other questions you may want to ask if you feel they are necessary, such as seeing a work in progress or who specifically will be doing the work (since the person you’re talking may not be actually doing the work). If you want to be sure you already are talking to a high quality professional, you can always use TalkLocal. TalkLocal will connect you to a highly rated local electrician in just minutes.
