Electricity is a must-have in today’s world and anyone who can live without electricity is either extremely frugal or is still living in the dark ages – literally. If you’ve been living in a house for a long time, it is probably time to get it checked with local contractors to ensure that it still meets the norms for local safety regulations. You might be faced with flickering lights and other issues that clearly highlight to you that it is time to hunt for reputed electrical contractors to look at what seems to be the problem. Getting a professional electrician to do the job is important, since they are well qualified and trained in handling even the most complex electrical problems without putting themselves or others at risk. A novice, on the other hand, is just an electrical disaster waiting to happen. Here are some factors to consider before you choose an electrical contractor for job on hand.
- License and Insurance
The contractor you choose should be properly licensed, or you may end up in trouble with the state for hiring someone who is not qualified to do the job. A state license implies that the contractor has been screened and meets all requirements in terms of knowledge and experience to handle the job on hand. Additionally, check to ensure that the electrical contractor carries the needed insurance for his team as well as liability insurance that protects your property if anything goes wrong.
- Level of Experience
Look at the contractor’s past work and experience to get a glimpse of his actual expertise and not just his claimed experience. Some contractors carry with them a portfolio of clients, so you can ask for this portfolio and contact a few old clients to check as to how satisfied they were with his services. If the contractor is working with an agency, check with the agency as to whether he has been screened, and check for physical fitness. If you choose an electrical contractor who is claustrophobic, for example, it really doesn’t matter how experienced he is, if he can’t work in a confined space if the job at hand calls for this.
Make sure that the contractors also comply with local regulations so that you don’t have any hassles with the local authorities later.
- Warranty
All reputed electrical contractors will be able to stand behind their job and give you a warranty on the work that they have done. Before the job is started, get a written warranty so that you can be sure that the electrical work that is done is of the highest quality and you won’t have to run around to fix further problems because of shoddy work. If you’re working with an agency, ensure that you get this warranty down in writing along with your contract with them, so that you are safe once the work starts.
- Quotation
Rather than going in for the cheapest bid, choose the services of electrical contractors who pay attention to quality and who have a good level of experience behind them. While the quoted wages should, of course, be reasonable and well within your budget. Don’t opt for massive discounts or cheap services unless you are sure that you will get the quality you need or unless the contractor has a good reputation and is offering reduced costs for a limited time. At the same time, remember that those who charge high are not always the best. So, do your homework to find the right contractors so that you don’t end up with nasty surprises later, while the job is in progress.
