Tips When Choosing an Electrician
Don’t Get Your Wires Crossed
Finding a reliable and qualified electrician should take first priority over anything else. Whenever you’re dealing with wiring and electricity, it’s important that your electrician be more concerned about doing a good job rather than cutting corners. Not only can improper electrical wiring installation be costly for you to try to fix, it can also prove to be extremely hazardous, even deadly, to you and your family.
Take Charge of Your Electrical Installation by Checking for Credentials!
A few helpful tips to follow to find a qualified electrician should include:
1) Asking for credentials. This should include asking your electrician if he is licensed and insured. Why are these two things important? Because hiring a licensed and insured electrician offers you added protection. When an electrician is licensed, it means that he has met the required amount of experience needed to work in his field. Your electrician should be able to show you his ID card issued by the Electrical Workers Registration Board, with his name, registration number and expiry date. Further, you can make background checks on a licensed electrician you intend to hire before you sign anything and before electrical work begins. If his work is substandard or in violation of any electrical codes you have the option to file a complaint. Make sure that the license number is real and
is not expired. An electrician who is insured is covered under their insurance company in the case of a work accident.
2) Checking for references.
3) Not hiring an electrician that doesn’t want to answer your questions or who makes you feel uncomfortable.
4) Getting at least three itemized quotes. Don’t just hire the first person that offers the lowest price. A list of labor and cost of materials is a wise move, especially
when several changes need to be made as the job moves forward. You’ll at least have a ball park figure of what the extra costs or discounts may include.
5) Asking the electrician how long they have been qualified and how much hands on
experience they have. Find out the exact scope of work duties they can do and get the
details in writing. Make sure you electrician is up-to-date about popular interior
designs and trends. He should be able to offer a wide range of new home products in lighting, structured cabling systems, and home entertainment wiring.
