The WoW Style

If you are new to owning a home, you will discover how many obligations you will be responsible for to keep your home safe and running properly. If you have owned your home for a while now, it might be time to brush up on technologies for hiring professionals like Brisbane Northside electricians for many home repair projects.  It’s really important to find a professional electrician in Palm Beach to help you keep your home safe and functioning. One really difficult field is finding a reputable, knowledgeable electrician. Very few of us know anything about electricity let alone how to install or repair it when something goes wrong. Outside of searching for names on the internet, how do you go about finding a good electrician.?

In many cases, people will ask their family and friends for recommendations. On the other hand, what if you are new to the area, where do you turn to? You could grab a phone book and look up names but in this day and age, how many people rely on telephone books let alone know how reliable the contractors are? Most people will head to the internet and find thousands of listing for electricians and many have ratings to help you out.

Now it’s time to get an education to help you find a good electrician!

When Should You Call An Electrician?

First off, know exactly what you want to accomplish. Do you want to simply add a light switch to a room or do you want to revamp or add another room to our home? If adding a room to your home is on the agenda, you need to know what will be required, which will take a lot more planning ahead of time. You want to keep the costs down but, keep in mind, you want it done the right way or you could walk into a nightmare.

Know Their Credentials: Are They Licensed?

Chances are, you already know that electricians should be licensed, bonded, and insured but it is always wise to check their credentials out as explained on this page.

These credentials will protect your home from something going terribly wrong and avoid unnecessary costs. You want to be sure the electrician you hire has all the proper training to carry out your project safely and effectively.

You should also know electricians have two different licenses – a journeyman’s license, which is a beginner’s license, and a full electrician’s license. If you are adding a room or other extensive electrical work, you’d be wise to hire someone who has a full electrician’s license which should also come with a great deal of experience. There are many cases when dealing with a large project, an experienced electrician might have an assistant who holds a journeyman’s license which is fine.

You Should Get Several Estimates

You should request a written detailed estimate from each of the electrical contractors you are considering hiring. This estimate should include a summary of labor and material costs along with the brand of materials they will be using. Ask who will be performing the work. In many cases an electrician will become backlogged and subcontract the work to someone else who might not have their experience. Always, Ask Questions!

Get Their References

You should ask for references from past jobs. Get a list of past customers from each electrician and give them a call to see how good the electrician’s work was. You can also ask for a few references from a few years back to see if anything has changed since then. Any reputable electrician will be glad to provide you references.

Read Their Reviews

Always read their reviews before you decide to hire someone. See if they have a BBE rating or a Google my business rating. You can also type in the electrician’s name followed by “rip off” or “scam” and see if anything pulls up. You can also visit your state’s Contractors License Reference Site for any further information.

Request A Fixed Contract

Make sure everything you discussed for the job is in writing. The contract must include all the electrician’s information including their name, address, office, cell phone number, and license number. Make sure the contract also has details that were in the estimate. Make sure the contractor clearly states what is included in the job and what is not.

You should also get a copy of the electrician’s liability and workers’ compensation insurance certificates. If they tell you that he or she does not have coverage, reconsider! Should anything go wrong, you will be responsible. That also includes if a worker is injured.

Are There Any Guarantees?

Any electrician worth their weight should be confident in their work to provide a guarantee after the job is done and at little to no cost. They should believe in their work and cover you if something goes wrong after the work is completed.

When Should You Pay For The Work?

First off, never provide more than 10 to 20% in advance. You are not there to pay him or her for bills from their last project, you are paying for your materials and that’s all. Also, do not pay the last 20% until the job is done and approved by you.

There you have it, follow these steps if you want to hire a reputable, professional electrician and you won’t go wrong.