Hiring A Good Electrician
Usually an electrician becomes involved when a new home is near completion or when a homeowner is renovating, adding rooms or additions. The electrical contractor comes in, give an estimate on the cost and if the building contractor or homeowner agrees with the price of the bid, starts work on the project.
When an electrical contractor is asked to come into the new home or renovated home and make an estimate,
they are looking for a few different things. First, they will ask the builder or homeowner how many outlets will need to be installed. They’ll also need to know about lighting requests and any special lighting fixtures. In the case of an old house, the electrician will want to know what the old walls are made of and whether they will have easy access to the wiring.
From this information, the contractor will make a bid on your project. Generally speaking, if you are just looking to add outlets and simple lighting to a new renovation or addition to your home. The cost will remain fairly low. A bid really should not become expensive unless the work is open ended and the contractor is unable to give an exact timeline on how long it might take. This is usually the case in old homes that need to be rewired for new lighting and appliances.
Regardless of which category your project falls under, you want to hire an electrician that you can trust and feel comfortable with. This contractor could be with your project a while and you want to feel confident chatting through ideas and possible changes with them. You also want to be sure that they will do a good job and complete the wiring in a safe manner.
Check with friends and family for recommendations. If your family or co-workers do not have someone to recommend, then look for electricians online or in the phone book. It is important that you have a few different names. You will want to have a few bids to choose from to save money.
Once you have the names, contact the electricians. Ask about their licenses and insurance. You should also feel comfortable asking for references of past clients and home projects they have worked on. Contact these people and be sure they were happy with the work completed. If your project requires a special touch or a specific type of electrical skill, you may want to go to look at some of the contractor’s previous work.
After narrowing down to a few names, invite them into your home or renovation to have a look and give a bid. You should be prepared to talk through some of the plans for outlets and fixtures.
Once you have a bid that you are satisfied with and have checked the credentials, feel confident that you have done your research. You can now hire the electrician knowing that he or she will provide good, safe electrical service.
