Hiring a company to do electrician services for your home or business can be a very stressful decision. What if you choose the incorrect one and something disastrous happens down the road? What if the costs soar half way through the project and you also can’t afford to continue? This article attempts to provide an excellent step-by-step method for selecting the best electrician for the work. So take a deep breath… Electrical Repair Tustin Ca will be okay!
THE FIRST STEP: Appropriate Credentials Electrical services companies working in your home must be licensed and insured in the event of problems. Every electrician you take into account hiring ought to be licensed, insured, and bonded. They must be very willing to inform you their individual state license number. Also, determine if they have the appropriate insurance for general liability and workers compensation. TIP: The potential dangers of hiring an uninsured electrician are enormous. What would happen if that “friend” of yours who “knows a whole lot about electricity” gets badly hurt while under your home or in the crawl space of one’s office? Well, generally, it is you who would be held 100% responsible for any injuries that they incurred while on your own property.
STEP TWO: References Ask for and check their references! You want to make sure that the business has a history to do good work locally.
STEP THREE: Their Employees A few of the more reputable electric service companies make sure all of their employees are regularly drug-tested and background checked. This is the great indication that the company has your interests in mind before theirs. This process can be an expensive one, and it lets you know right away that they have invested a great deal in their own employees. TIP: See if the business is on any “best places to work” lists in your town.
A great place to work implies that the employees are treated well and respected. Good feelings between employee and employer will translate with their work as well. happy and have your interests at heart above theirs.
STEP FOUR: Obtaining a Price Up Front Contrary to popular belief, you won’t get the best price by bidding the work around to multiple companies. Call ones that you will be interested in working with, and get a feel for their customer service (a live person answering the telephone is always an excellent sign!) THEN call one out to your home or office to get ready an estimate. A lot of companies are offering first-time discounts for new customers, and when not will usually try to get your long-term business by cutting the costs of this first job. TIP: You would like to develop a good, resilient relationship with an electrician. The chances are that you’ll call them more than once during your stay in your house or office.
STEP FIVE: Realizing that you have called (Not Hired YET!) the proper electrician. Here are some things to look out for when that electrician involves your door the first time: o A great electrician will ALWAYS reach your door in a clean uniform. The more professional companies insist that their electricians carry enough clean uniforms in order to change after each job if one gets dirty. o An excellent electrician could have business cards with their company name, telephone number, and a license number on it. o A great electrician won’t perform a job without getting the appropriate permits. Yes, it is possible to always get someone to do the job cheaper and faster by not pulling permits, nonetheless it puts you and your family/employees at great risk when you do so. Also, what happens if you don’t pull permits then one goes wrong, like a fire? Chances are your insurance company will make sure that the appropriate permits were set up, and, if not, you might not be covered!
o A great electrician will always call you back within 24- hours or less, provide a well documented written estimate outlining all labor and materials, and put a timeframe on the estimate aswell. TIP: Let’s say that the project unexpectedly “grows” at some point, and through no fault on anyones part you need to spend more to get it done. A great electrician will stop and provide an written addendum to the initial estimate so that you know what to expect at the final bill.
o A great electrician will always pay attention to what you want to have done, and then make recommendations predicated on their expert opinion. There are lots of things that must be factored right into a rewiring job, for instance: (total amperage usage, dedicated circuits for computers, high wattage kitchen work lights, vacuum cleaner usage, types of bulbs needed, existing wiring, etc etc) An excellent electrician will factor in each of the ancillary things that you might not think about, explain them, and present you options which direction you wish to go.
o An excellent electrician will always wear those funny shoe covers when getting into your house from the attic or the basement. In addition they won’t ever leave a mess of dust and debris once they are done.
o A great electrician will install parts that are designed for long-term use and wear. Any time you have electrical work done, you should also bear in mind the resale value of one’s home/office. Good contractor grade materials is only going to add to the value of your home/office, and will insure a great inspection report prior to the sale.
STEP SIX: Hiring your electrician Make sure before work begins that you have signed an official estimate approved by you and the contractor. Make sure that you have allotted enough time for the work to occur (major electrical projects the night time before a big party is not a great idea!) Make sure that all permits come in hand and posted appropriately. TIP: Don’t allow price alone determine who gets the project. Go with a company that you trust, has good references, and contains open communication with you concerning the project.