Looking for a licensed electrician in your area whom you can trust to do the electrical work on your home? It’s hard to know if a local electrician is what you’re looking for without doing your research first. To know if someone is a good fit for the electrical work in your home, these are the 10 questions you should ask them:
#1: Are you licenced to do electrical work in my home?
This may seem obvious, but it’s a good idea to ask this question. It’s a legal requirement in nearly every state in Australia to have a license to do electrical work. It should also be their own license – not that of someone they operate under.
#2: Can you show me any references?
If you’re going to have this electrician do any major jobs, especially house construction or renovation, it’s essential to ask for references. An electrician who has nothing to hide should be able to provide you with a list of clients they have worked with in the past and might even have testimonials listed online.
#3: Do you have insurance?
Electrical work poses a lot of risks, and even those who know what they’re doing can have things go wrong sometimes. If your electrician doesn’t have an insurance policy they can show you, then you will be taking on a huge risk – which could destroy you personally and financially if an unfortunate incident were to happen on your property. The insurance should protect the electrician working, you, your family, and others who enter your property in the years to come.
#4: What experience do you have?
The longer your electrician has been in the business, the better they will understand the trade. You want to find an electrician who has a minimum of three years of experience – but the more the better!
#5: Do you have a specialty?
Many electricians specialise in something, and if their specialty matches the job you need done, then it makes sense to let them give it a try!
#6: Do you have a fixed rate?
The estimate is essential when deciding if you want to hire an electrician, and it’s best that they offer a variety of payment options. Most electricians will allow you to pay by the hour for small jobs and offer fixed rates on bigger jobs.
#7: Have you won any awards?
It’s always nice to be recognised for achievements, so if your electrician has won any awards, give them a chance to brag about themselves a little and show you how good they are at what they do!
#8: Who will be doing the work?
You can’t assume that the person you talk to on the phone will be the one to come out to your property. This is especially true on large jobs that might involve an entire team.
#9: Will you be on time?
Unless you want to spend your entire day waiting for your electrician to arrive, it’s a good idea to ask beforehand if they’ll be on time. Asking this will also show them that you are serious about timeliness and will make them more likely to show up when they agree to.
#10: Does your work come with a warranty?
Getting a warranty on your electrical work offers peace of mind if something goes wrong, so ask if your work will come with any guarantee or assurance!
