When it’s time to have electrical work done on your home or business, it can be difficult to know if the work will be performed by someone who is qualified. But there are questions to ask electricians that will let you make an educated and informed decision about the quality of an electrical contractor before you employ them.
The kind of work that an electrician does is usually of critical importance. Poorly done electrical work can lead to health and safety risks, such as fires or electrocution. Therefore, it’s important that you find an electrician you can trust. Latched Electrical Solutions are the trusted electrical contractors north Brisbane home and business owners depend on. We put together this list of 8 questions to ask an electrical contractor you’re considering hiring that will help you to determine if they are up to the job.
1 – Who Will Perform the Work?
If you are talking with an electrical company on the phone or if a company sends someone out to your location to assess the job and provide a quote, you cannot assume that person will be the one who will perform the actual work. Inquire if the person you are talking to will do the work or if somebody else will. If the person you are talking with will perform the task, you can ask some follow up questions about their credentials. If someone else will do the work, there are other questions you can ask about that person.
2 – Ask about Licencing
No matter who will perform the work, you need to ask if that person is a licenced electrician. If they are licenced you also need to ask about the specific kind of licence they hold. In Queensland there are 6 different classes of electrical work licences available. Different licences are required for different kinds of electrical work, so inquire about the licence the electrician holds and the kind of work that licence allows them to do.
3 – Find Out About Insurance
This is one of the most important questions to ask electricians. We mentioned before that the kind of work that an electrician performs is often critical in nature. Any accident involving electricity can lead to property damage or personal injury. Any electrician that will be performing work on your premises should be fully insured against such accidents. So be sure to ask about the kind of insurance the electrician holds.
4 – Have You Done This Kind of Work Before?
It might feel strange to ask an electrician if they’ve performed the work they’ll be doing for you before. But this is an important part of doing your due diligence on them. What you’re really inquiring about is their level of experience, so ask them about the other kinds of jobs they’ve performed while you’re at it. You want to hire an electrician with experience who knows what they’re doing.
5 – Does Your Work Come with a Warranty?
When you purchase a car, a TV, or a refrigerator you ask about the warranty. When you have electrical work done you should ask the same thing. A good electrician will stand behind their work and offer a warranty on the quality of their work. The warranty will give you peace of mind that the work is done right or will be made right if there is a problem.
6 – Ask About Disruptions to Electricity
This question isn’t really about the quality of the electrician you will be hiring, but it is important to know, especially if the work will be performed at a business. Electrical work often requires the electricity to be turned off in a home or building, or in a large section of a home or building. This can cause a lot of disruption to your business or your life. Asking about the electricity being turned off also gives you a chance to judge the quality and thoroughness of the answer, which will tell you about the quality of the electrician you are considering hiring.
7 – Will this Work Require a Permit?
A lot of electrical work requires permissions or permits from the local council. This is especially true for expansion work on your home or office building. It’s a good idea to ask about any permits that might be needed and about who will acquire the permits. Sometimes an electrical contractor can get the necessary permits, but other times the building owner will have to get the permits. Either way, a good electrician should be able to give you advice on the permits needed and how to get them.
8 – Ask for a Price Estimate
You don’t want any surprises when it comes to the price of electrical work, so asking about the price is one of the good questions to ask an electrical contractor upfront. The electrical contractor should be able to give you an estimated price range for the work they will perform. It’s a good idea to ask about any possible complications that could increase the price and the likelihood of those complications occurring. Find out as much as you can about the price and make sure there are no hidden fees.