How to choose a good electrician?

Is it a simple job like adding a couple of extra plug sockets in a bedroom or is it a potentially big project like replacing a fusebox and rewiring the rest of the house. Its an important difference when considering how to choose a good electrician in your local area.

Deciding on the scope of the job will tell you a lot about what sort of company to employ. If its a small simple job the getting a local electrician to come round and fix it is going to be the cheapest option because they don’t have to come far and the job won’t take long.

If its a big project then its well worth getting at least three companies to come and take a look and provide a full quote for the work that needs doing, what are the steps involved and how much it will all cost. You can find electricians easily from the Electrical Safety First Organisation.

All reputable companies will do free quotations for projects so it won’t cost you a thing. Also if they all come back and agree on the work that needs to be done and the prices are similar then you can be sure you’re doing the right thing and none of them are trying to take you for a ride!

This can be bit tiring but its well worth it because you don’t know if the reviews on their website are real (although its illegal to post fake reviews). If they have references on their website ask if you can contact some one by e-mail this is a reasonable thing to ask.

Or if they use a scheme like Trustpilot its much easier to check out what previous customers have said about their work. Alternatively you can take a look on sites like Check A Trade or Trust A Trader to find reviews of the companies your considering.

Alternatively if you have found an electrician through a friend you will of course ask them but remember thats only one experience of their work.

Most electricians will do everything they can to make sure the job is done right because we know that customer service is the key to our business but just incase before the job starts make sure that they have liability insurance and you know who to speak to in case of problems.

Companies generally have al least £5 million in liability insurance – this is more than enough to cover any unforeseen problems. But its important to know that if anything does go wrong your home or business you will be fully covered.

This is important especially on big jobs around your home. Make sure you know who is working in your house. I have seen and heard stories about big projects on houses where certain aspects of jobs have been outsourced.

The problems with this if course is you know who you are employing but if they subcontract parts of the job to others you have no control over who they are, their attitude to the job or their technical competence.

A lot of building companies or developers will subcontract work but what they want is to get it at a cheap cost rather than whats best for your home.

So ill say it again just to make sure its going in make sure you know who’s working in your house.

Don’t just go for the cheapest price! Depending on the work you need doing on your home pick a company that has previous experience of working on similar projects.

The best example of this is home entertainment systems. All qualified electricians will be able to install a home cinema and sound systems for you but its a complex job and there are several factors to take into account that a non specialist wouldn’t consider. Such as how to properly position speakers to avoid reverb and how to correctly setup up your lighting to maximise the experience.

It may cost slightly more but the outcome you get from employing a specialist is usually better, thats why they’re a specialist!

Once you’ve got a good idea of which electrician to employ check them out with the Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complaints against them. If they haven’t then you’re probably on to a winner!

Thanks for reading How to choose a good electrician.