How Do I Choose A Good Electrician
Choosing a good electrician can be challenging. There are so many electrical contractors to choose from – how do you know which one is reputable and will do the job properly? How much is too much for a specific job? Customers frequently ask us, ” Do I really need an electrician or should I try to do it on my own?”
These are some questions that many people just like you ask every day. The simple answer is that it is best to hire a professional to take care of your electrical issues. Why? Contrary to other trades, when electrical hazards happen, many times you find out about them when its too late and the damage has already been done! You need a professional to make sure the job is done correctly and safely. But how do you choose that professional? What should you look out for? This article will shed some light on this topic and will hopefully give you a better understanding of how to choose a good electrician.
Check the License and Insurance
Many electricians will claim that they are licensed and they are not. Others will claim that they are licensed for a certain duration of time, but they have just passed the exams and became licensed a short while ago. The first step would be to ask for the contractors license number and verify it with the Contractors’ State License Board. You may visit the CSLB website at http://cslb.ca.gov. There you can enter the license number and find out when the license was issued, whether or not it is active, and who it belongs to. Only because a contractor states that they are licensed, doesn’t necessarily mean that they are! Our license number is C10-484543. We are licensed since 1985. Feel free to click here to check!
In addition, any insured electrical contractor should be able to prove that they have adequate liability insurance. This is extremely important and it protects you, the home/business owner in case something were to happen. Also, when checking the insurance information, make sure that it is up to date.
Check out Qualifications and Experience
As in any other profession, some electricians will have more experience and knowledge than others. An electrical contractor who is confident in its work should be able to offer a workmanship warranty of at least one year. Contractors in Los Angeles such as Prime Electric provide a lifetime warranty on workmanship, because they trust that the work being done will last for life! When choosing an electrician, ask him about his experience and the type of jobs he has done. Remember, you are looking for someone with a proven track record.
Use Your Social Network
Use your network of friends, colleagues, family, and business associates to get recommendations of qualified electrical contractors in your area. Reach out to social media and ask people for their opinion on a good electrician. Make a list of a few different companies and compare them. If you have evidence that people you know had a good experience with a specific contractor, thats a good endorsement.
Read Reviews
Any references that you ask your electrician are likely to be glowing. You should do your own research and check reputable review websites such as Google Reviews, Yelp, and Facebook to read about peoples experience with a specific contractor. You need to weight things up carefully when you choose a residential electrician. You need to be sure it is someone that you can work with.
Trust Your Instincts
If you feel that your tradesmen has a poor attitude or doesn’t seem to know the answer to your questions, this should be a sign for you to move on. Also, if the electrician does not show up in a proper uniform, does not have the company name and logo on his truck, or the interaction simply doesn’t seem right, it may not be the right electrical contractor for you.
In addition, all invoices out to have the company name, address, telephone number, and license information printed on them. If the invoice being provided is missing this information or this information is hand-written, this should be a red flag.
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