Electrician: How To Hire The Right Professional For Your Home

Sometimes situations arise where you have problems with the way something works in your home and it is not because you paid your electrical bill late. At first you may think that it is an isolated problem when one of your appliances is not working, but when you discover that your crisis may be more widespread than you original thought, it is time for you to hire a professional electrician. In order for you to get the most qualified individual, consider these handy tips:

Get out your yellow pages, or turn on your computer and go online and look up under electrician. You want to find out which ones are available in your area and what their hours are. If you are having trouble locating any professionals, ask around your neighborhood for recommendations. Don't be afraid to ask your neighbors, friends and staff at the local hardware store.

Once you have the names and numbers of several electrical contractors, call them up. You want to know how much they charge for a service call and how much they charge per hour. Compare prices. You want to get the best rate possible without getting ripped off by paying more than you should. Even if you are in a rush, it is important that you compare the costs. You may think that it doesn't matter if you end up paying more now, but in the long run you may start to regret not being a savvier customer.

Get a list of their references. Before you hire an electrician, be sure to contact a few references from each potential electrical contractor. This will allow you to determine who does good work and how they treated their previous customers. There is no reason for you to hire someone only to have him or her mistreat you while they are supposed to be providing a service to you.

Make sure that the person you hire is a licensed and bonded electrician. A sign of a good contractor is someone who also has a permit that authorizes the work they do. They are responsible for all of the work they perform to rectify your problem. You can find out if they are licensed and bonded by asking to see their credentials. Make sure you verify their credentials too.

You can verify an electrician's credentials by getting in touch with the Electrical Contractors Licensing Board or you can go online and check with your state's Division of Consumer Services and the Better Business Bureau.
Get all estimates and pricing in writing. It is one thing for you to get quoted a price over the phone and another when the work is completed. To make sure you don't get taken advantage of or price gouged, get all pricing on paper. It is normal for the final fee to be a small percentage more than what was quoted. Usually twenty percent more is the standard.

Make sure you inspect the area where the repairs were made. Electrical contractors are notorious for making holes and other openings that give them access to the wiring your home. If they have to tear any walls out, you may be responsible for getting the walls fixed.