Choosing the right Electrician for your electrical projects

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    Tips for choosing an Electrician.

    If you have an electrical issue at your home or want some electrical work carried out, how do you choose the right electrician for the job?
    Here are a few things to consider when asking for quotes and deciding who to book the job with. We will go into the importance of each of these points to help you choose the right electrician for the job!

    • Is the Electrician licensed and Insured?
    • Has someone recommended an electrician or an electrical company to you?
    • Does the Company/worker have good reviews on Google?
    • Will the service and materials come with a warranty?
    • Are you getting a fixed price quote or hourly?

    Let’s go into a bit more detail on each of these questions to help you hire the perfect Electrician for your job who won’t leave you disappointed.

    Is the Electrician/Company Insured and licensed?

    To provide Electrical services the worker must be a qualified electrician with a valid electrical license in your state. This person must also hold a valid contractor’s license or be working under a company/business that has a contractor license.
    If you hire an electrician who is not working under a contractor’s license, they will not have any insurances and they are working illegally.

    This means the Electrical Safety Office will fine them if caught and more importantly if something happens to your home or to them on your property the insurance will not pay. If your home is damaged from the electrical installation or a fault that occurs at a later date your insurance company is not obliged to pay as the worker was not licensed to perform the work.

    When looking for quotes ask if the company/business is insured and licensed, most businesses with a website will have the license details on their page.

    Has someone recommended an Electrician/Electrical company to you?

    This is one of the best ways to hire an electrician. If someone has recommended an electrician that they have used a few times or a company that provided a great service for them, then there is a good chance you are onto a winner. Not many people will mention or recommend a service unless it was something pretty special or unique. Again, it’s important to check that the business/electrician is fully licensed and insured, not just a family friend or a nice guy with some electrical knowledge. If the person who was recommended has all the licenses and insurances then you are pretty much Sorted, you may not even need to pick up the phone and spend time comparing quotes. So, if you can use someone who came recommended, give them a go.

    Does the business have good reviews?

    How many times have you paid for an item or service that was terrible and then checked the business’s reviews to find other people who have had the same experience? You may be surprised but it’s exactly the same when hiring an electrician. Make sure you always check the Google reviews before even calling for a quote, some companies know how to sell their services over the phone and get the job booked in but in the end, you are left disappointed and it’s too late. Always check the reviews first!! Now in saying that don’t be deterred by one bad review if there are plenty of good ones. Every business will have one or two clients who cannot be pleased or something happened that was out of the electrician’s control and receive an unfair and inaccurate review. Just make sure there isn’t a pattern of bad reviews and comments.

    Will the service and materials come with a warranty?

    When receiving a quote, you are generally paying for two components. The labour and the materials used. Sometimes you may want to supply your own materials but keep in mind your electrician can usually supply better quality and better-priced items. With our clients, we ask them to send pictures or the details of the items they want to be installed and most of the time we can significantly beat their price or offer better quality, but similar-looking item. Make sure all the items you or your electrician purchase comes with a decent warranty and meets Australian standards. The last thing you want is to pay for the installation and in 6 months have to pay again as the item was faulty. The electrical contractor is responsible for the workmanship and is required to fix any issues that relate to faulty electrical installation free of charge.

    Are you getting a fixed price quote or hourly?

    When receiving quotes, you will generally receive two different breakdowns, one will be hourly rate plus materials, others will be a fixed price inclusive of materials and labour. Fixed price quotes are generally better for both parties as it gives the client an exact amount that they know they are paying regardless on the hours the job takes to complete. It also allows for the contractor to get jobs done quickly, provide fast per item pricing on invoices and not compete for the cheapest hourly rate. If you are receiving quotes that are based on an hourly rate be careful not to just choose the lowest. Most electrical contractors that run a business will be around the $100 an hour mark. This might be slightly higher or lower depending on your area.

     

    author avatar
    Aidan Short

    Let Sorted Electrical Fix Your Electrical Worries

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