Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Electrician

No one likes to be taken for a ride. Especially when it comes to your home.

We've heard multiple horror stories from new customers about their previous experience with electricians and other contractors over the past couple of years. The experiences ranged from shoddy work to skipping town with their money before completing the work.

We don't want that to happen to you.

Ask Questions

It is important to ask questions before hiring an electrician. Most electricians are honest and capable of doing excellent work. But a few will not, so ask plenty of questions before hiring an electrician.

Sometimes electricians don't handle all kinds of jobs, and you should keep this in mind. For example, some are only involved in construction and remodeling work. Some electricians only are into doing minor jobs and repairs. So, you must explain to the electrician beforehand what kind of work you will need to be done. And then see if they will be able to do the work you need.

Insurance and Licenses

It's also very important to think about certain things before hiring an electrician. For insurance purposes and when a permit is required, you will want to hire a licensed electrician. It is essential to know that an electrician can pay for any damage they cause to your home. And you would not want to be sued if a worker is injured while working in your home. It's wise to think about adequate insurance coverage before hiring a contractor out to do a big job. Ask him to see proof of worker's compensation that he should carry. And also to see evidence of their current license.

Estimates

Most electrical contractors don't mind giving you an estimate at your home. But if it is just a small job, they can lose money just by driving out to your home. So the electrician may give you a minimum price or, more likely, quote time and material for the job you want done. But be careful. The lowest-priced electrician is probably not the best one for the job.

Materials

Don't buy the materials for the job yourself just because you think it will save you money. Because it usually does not. It is better for the electrician to make the purchases because they know exactly what you need and how much. Plus, if the electrician buys the parts, they are responsible for replacing that part if it is defective or missing a part.

Work Required

The electrician may need to cut holes in your wall for the work he is doing. A plate will usually cover small holes. If a wall section needs to be cut, repairs will probably not be done by the electrician. So you will be responsible for fixing the damage. So ask how much damage doing the job will cause before the job has started. An electrician may want to be paid when the job is completed on small jobs. On large jobs, the electrician may ask for a down payment before starting the job. And then he will either want the rest of the balance when the job is done or set up payments for you.

If the electrician has to bring helpers to get the work done on a more extensive job, he may charge more. So ask before the job starts. Try and think of everything you can that has to do with the job that you are having done. And always ask questions so you won't be surprised when the job is finished.

No one deserves to be cheated by their contractor.

We're here for you.

To save even more money...

Grab your copy of the 12 Common Electrical Problems & How to Solve Them Without an Electrician