If you have an electrical job that needs doing around your home or workplace, it’s vital that you employ the services of a qualified electrician. Seeking an experienced and reputable electrician is good for the safety of your property. It is essential to identify a professional and dependable electrician to complete your project in a safe, timely and efficient manner. Even small jobs can be surprisingly dangerous, so you are going to want a professional on hand.

But with so many different electricians and electrical companies to choose from, how do you find the one that is right for you? To help you out, here are our 5 tips on how to hire the right electrician for you.

1. License and Insurance

When you have electrical work to be done, It’s important that you hire a qualified electrician, It’s not just a good idea, its Australian Law. Prior to allowing any electrician to work in your property, It is essential the electrician is properly certified and insured.

You can request a copy of their certifications, licences and insurance documents by simply asking, a professional electrician would not find this offensive. If an electrician is hesitant to provide these details at your request, walk away and find another one.

A good sign that an electrician is keeping up to date with their industry is an electrician can be members of electrical industry body’s such as NECA or Master Electricians Association – these memberships are a good sign that they work to high standards and are up to date on the latest regs and standards.

2. Customer Service

Just like any other service provider it is an electrician’s job to provide you with an exceptional service that will leave you with a good experience. There is no point working with someone if they do not provide you with this.

If your prospective electrician is not returning your calls or taking forever to reply, you should consider you options. If an electrician exhibits this behaviour prior to a working relationship being developed, then this is a good indicator of a poor relationship in the future.

The best way to determine whether they can provide you with a great customer service is to read reviews left by previous customers. Checking their profile on Google or any social media platform can give you a good idea on how they treat their customers from the feedback.

3. Obtain a Quote

Never let electrical work begin in your home or workplace without the provision of a quotation. An electrical quotation is not just an indication of what the expected price will be for the scope of works, but just as important that there is transparency between the customer and electrician on what is expected to be carried out.

4. Develop a plan with you electrician before hiring

When you hire any professional, you are not paying them to simply provide you with labour. You are also paying them for their years of expertise. It’s easy to assume a certain job is easy when in reality there is much more to it.

A professional electrician will provide you with guidance and give you recommendations for your given project. This could mean providing ideas to increase electrical efficiency, offering alternative options, and overall increasing your confidence in working with them.

It is a good idea to sit down and develop a plan with your electrician:

  • Scope of works for the expected repairs.
  • Excepted costs.
  • Permits (whether they are needed, how long they will take to secure, and how much they cost).
  • Payments (amounts, timing, and method).
  • Timeline, Anticipated schedule including start date.

Communication is key here; you should also discuss any potential unforeseen circumstances or possible additional costs. Many problems can occur because the parties were not on the same page from day one. This can be solved from something as simple as a five-minute chat but those five minutes can save you a lot of time and money in the end.

5. Commitment to Excellence

Listen to you electrician in Bayside and determine if they are concerned about your needs or care more about making a dollar from you? Is your electrician as concerned as you about accomplishing your project or being paid with upfront fees? They should portray a caring attitude, offer you alternative solutions putting your needs and the safety of your home before money.