I’m relatively unfamiliar with what an electrical contractor will do when hiring them. What are some things I can do or say to make sure I hire the right guy?
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First thing with any company you are considering to hire is to ask for a copy of there License and Insurance or you can look up there license on the the secreatary of states website or the department of labor and industries website. While meeting with them tell them what you want to have done and pay attention on how they explain to you what they plan to do. They should be able to give you a detailed disrcription of there process and note the code requirements involved. Its always better if they are a local company. Ask them for a list of referances and if you want ot go a step farther to see it they are creditable you can ask them what towns they have worked in and call that towns electrical inspector and ask him for his opinion, he may or may not want to give one.
I would say that it depends on the size of the project at hand. If you are doing something small like replacing a few outlets then you don’t really need multiple bids. If you are preparing for a larger and more expensive project like a kitchen remodel, get multiple bids. I would start by asking friends for recommendations. As an electrical contractor, I get the majority of my work from word of mouth endorsements from customers who like my work and trust me to do a good job. If you don’t know anyone who has hired a decent electrician lately, search Google Maps in your area for “Electrician” and see who pops up. Some of the contractors will have reviews written about them there and on other sites like Yahoo, and Yelp. Find the ones who are licensed and insured, call you back in a timely fashion, are willing to listen to what you want , and explain what that is going to entail in order to accomplish. Trust your instincts, if someone is arrogant and seems over priced then call someone else. There is no shortage of Electricians. Never hire the guy who can “do it all”. There is too much to know in every trade to be proficient at multiple trades, and electrical work done poorly can cause fires.
Personally I shop around for every purchase I make. Whether its a steak, childrens shoes, a new car OR Home improvements. As contractors I highly recommend asking for insurance & calling to verify the insurance policy. I have a few contractors that I chose after the 1st meeting we had. I liked them. Thats more important than a price sometimes, if you have a ballpark idea for what someone should charge & you like the guy “Go with it.”
Balden Electrical Specialists
409-422-4447
Search the BBB and look for an Accredited Company , The Better Business Bureau is there to weed out alot of the unknown. They show if there are complaints on the company and Negative issues and also check for current licensing. They also give you a list of contractors to choose from.
ask if he is a MASTER ELECTRICIAN
After you intereview few electrical contractors, time to do your homework on there lic & reputation. First call the department of public safty the licensing agency & the electrical inspector in your town, to find any negative claims or accidents reported. Then look them up on BBB if they are on board or not, check there web sites if any. Last find out from where they are working now and contact the client there for reference. By now you have a good feeling to who you want to work with, after they give you a writen detailed estimate.
Being BBB accredited is not, in and of itself, an appropriate indication of whether or not to do business with companies. There are groups with A+ accreditation by the BBB (such as the Hamas religious opposition group) because they pay their fees; there are also perfectly legitimate and wonderful companies with A ratings as unaccredited members because they do not choose to pay the BBB to track them (such as Swartz Electric, LLC).
The truth is, as a consumer you want to protect yourself from risk and only bring the right tradespeople into your home.
Some questions to ask to make you look informed, concerned, and educated can be:
Are you licensed and insured?
Do you require your electricians to either be licensed or in an accredited apprenticeship program?
Does your work meet electrical code requirements for this county or state jurisdiction?
Do you have references?
Do you have a set price for certain types of work performed?
How long have you been in business?
May I check on the work being performed periodically?
Is there any additional cost I can foresee?
Are there any things I should know about the work, once performed?
Do you warranty your work?first of everything, when you hire an electrical contractor, is tomake sure is licensed and insured, also, is a good thing to verify if there are any complains against contractor, ask for refferences
First ask for recommendations from people you trust. Once you have names of a company or companies, check them out on the Secretary of State website to be sure there are no issues with their license. If everything checks out then, contact them for an estimate. If you are having a problem then the electrician should explain the cause of the problem, the solution and how to prevent it from happening again. Go with the company that you feel most comfortable with once you have done your due diligence. You should ask to see their Certificate of Insurance before they begin the job.
See how long they have been in business, see if they have an ELECTRICAL license, see if they have insurance, ask for referals, check with your state’s Department of Professional Regulation for reviews, ask the local electrical supply houses for suggestions / referals, ask friends who they use -DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE.
- Ask to see their contractors licenses. Are they current or expired or not licensed?
- Do they look professional. Be judgmental on appearances and vehicles at your home or business.
- Were they on time for your scheduled appointment?
- Can they give you an up front price and do they charge a trip charge?
- How long will they warranty the work?
- Don’t be pressured. If you feel pressured they are not the right person for you.
- Will they pull a permit. Most cities require one be pulled for anything being added and some require one for repairs. A permit protects YOU by insuring the work was completed correctly.
- Don’t be afraid to shop all the local electricians. Odds are you will find one that can give you a price over the phone as does Affordable Electric.
- If you are in a city get a list of contractors from the city. Call them all for a bid. Be patient some electrical contractors need time to get back with you.
Most importantly, make sure whoever you hire is licensed and insured. Unfortunately, there are many “electricians” working today who may know how to get your lights working, but have no idea how electricity actually works, what codes apply to what situations, and don’t realize that “how I’ve done it for 20 years” doesn’t mean it’s a safe or legal installation.