8 Important Questions To Ask Before Hiring An Electrician For Domestic Electrical Works

It is important to ask questions before hiring an electrician. Most electricians are honest and capable of doing very good work. But there will be a few that are not, so ask plenty of questions before hiring an electrician. Finding the right electrical contractor for your job is as much as a matter of utmost safety as getting your hard-earned money’s worth as electrical issues can be one of the key reasons for a house fire.

So you should never ignore any electrical issue in your home – be it with the wiring, switches or any appliance, you must get it resolved by a reputed electrical contractor. And to make you hire the right electrician with the right expertise for your requirements, here are the questions that you must ask.

Here Is The List Of Questions That You Must Ask To Electrician Before Hiring Them

Do You Have License from any Institution?

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Electrical services should be properly licenced. Don’t work with one who doesn’t have this. There are different types of licence as per the expertise level of the electrician. It is very important to think about certain things before hiring an electrician. For insurance purposes and when a permit is required, you may want to hire a licensed electrician. It is important to know that an electrician can pay for any damage they cause to your home. And you would not want to be sued if a worker is injured while working in your home. It is smart to think about before hiring a contractor out to do a big job, to ask him to see proof of workers compensation that he should carry. And also to see proof of their current license.

What Is Your Area Of Expertise?

This is a very very important question for you to ask an electrician.  Like most contractors, electrical contractors also specialise in one area or another. As an instance, if your job involves finished spaces, work with someone specialised in remodels rather than new construction.

Do You Have Any Special Training And/Or Experience For This Type Of Job?

This is one of the questions you need to ask your electrician if the project demands special skill like data cabling, voice installation, installation of solar equipment or home automation system. It would be great if the contractor has experience in dealing with those protocols and systems.

Can You Provide Us With Some References For Past Projects Same As Mine?

References are especially important for hiring electrical contractors. You should not be judgmental about the quality of their work unless you have seen their projects. Also when you don’t know what things to be considered, you should not judge the professional. Better you ask the electrician for references so you can call them and ask their experience with the concerned electrician.

How Do You Estimate The Cost?

Apart from the pricing structure, make sure you ask about incidental costs that may include repairing drywall and other items affected by the job. However, chances are, you would be responsible for such expenses.

Don’t buy the materials for the job yourself just because you think it will save you money. Because it usually does not. It is better if the electrician to make the purchases because he knows exactly what you will be needing and how much. Plus if the electrician buys the parts then he is responsible for replacing that part if it is broken or missing a part.

Who Will Do The Job?

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Don’t think that the person you have talked would do all the works related to your project. Ask the contractor about the hourly cost for varied qualifications (like apprentice, journeyman, master electrician or a combination). If you think that the job needs a master’s skill, don’t hesitate to discuss beforehand.  If the electrician has to bring helpers to get the work done on a larger job he may have to charge more for this. So ask before the job starts. Try and think of everything you can that has to do with the job that you are having done. And always ask questions so you won’t be surprised when the job is finished.

Would You Provide any Warranty or Guarantee For your Electric Job?

Or

Will you provide any compensation for electric product damage?  

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See how well a professional stands behind his job. Not only their service, the electricians are, typically, also liable for any devices, fixtures or other equipment they have purchased for your project through their accounts.

The electrician may need to cut holes in your wall for the work he is doing. Any repairs will not be done by the electrician. So you will be responsible to fix the damage. So ask before the job has started how much damage doing the job will cause. On small jobs, an electrician may want to be paid when the job is completed. On large jobs, the electrician may ask for a down payment before he goes to start the job. And then he will either want the rest of the balance when the job is done or set up payments for you.

Do You Have Required Insurance? (Optional Question)

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An electrician in Esher is one of the most valued members of your household maintenance and support team. So make sure you hire the right one and by asking the set of questions mentioned above you can surely find to the right professional to successfully finish your project. Make sure that your electricians have insurance in a Bank or Insurance company.

Fix the Price of your job

Most electrical contractors don’t mind giving you an estimate at your home. But if it is just a small job they can lose money just by driving out to your home. So the electrician may give you a minimum price or a fixed price for the job you want done. On large jobs, you can ask for an hourly rate for a job. You should call around and get the best rates for the work you need. And have more than one contractor come out to your home for an estimate. It is a good thing to get the best overall price for the job.

Sometimes electricians don’t handle all kinds of jobs and you should keep this in mind. Some are only involved in construction and remodelling work. Some electricians only are into doing minor jobs and repairs. So it is very important that you explain to the electrician before hand what kind of work you will need to be done. And then see if they will be able to do the work you need.