Electrician Shopping: 6 Steps to Choosing the Right Electrician

When looking for an electrician, look for someone you can build a long-term relationship with. It will save you a lot of time and money if you can find someone you trust to do the job right the first time and give you the right price.

Step 1) Find recommended companies

You can get electrician recommendations from friends and neighbors. You can also search online Los Angeles electrician or Burbank electrician, and so on. By adding the word reviews to your search, you can review business reviews.

Another approach is to search for websites that include reviews. Reviews appear on many websites, including Google Places, Yelp.com, AngiesList.com, and CitySearch.com. AngiesList.com is an excellent source of recommendations for contractors, but it does require a small annual membership fee. On AngiesList, you can see how customers rated their contractors, including electricians, and details of how their jobs fared.

When looking at customer reviews, take a look at the big picture. Is there a bad review among the many good ones? Is he just a grumpy customer? Is there any response from the company that clarifies or says that you have corrected your employee?

Once you have three or more recommended electricians, take a look at their websites.

Step 2) Check the website of the electric company

· Is it presentable and well maintained?

· Easy to find what you are looking for?

Friendly, helpful, and not cluttered with hard-sell advertising?

· How many good testimonials?

If the website works, it’s time to interview the electrician.

Step 3) Interview

When you talk to the electrician, pay attention to how comfortable you feel, including your level of confidence. I have listed the questions you can ask. If you’ve already gotten great recommendations or it’s a small repair job like fixing a broken light switch, you probably don’t want to ask everyone. But if you’re not talking to a recommended electrician and you’re planning a remodel, ask.

Experience with your type of work

· Years in business. Most companies that have been in business for a long time have managed to keep their customers satisfied. They have also accumulated a lot of useful experience and skill.

Contractor license number

Civil Liability Insurance and Worker’s Compensation Insurance. You want the company to have at least $1 million in liability insurance to protect your home in case your job causes property damage. Workers Comp provides medical care for electricians if they are injured on the job. Again, this protects you from liability.

· Guarantee. Some companies offer a lifetime guarantee on their work. This would generally not include the electrical parts they install, that’s covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. However, the electrician should give you at least a multi-year warranty on workmanship. A guarantee for the life of your home is best.

· Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​rating. Ask for the exact name of the company you should search for and in which city. Sometimes the BBB will use a slightly different name, possibly the formal legal name of the business.

· Prices

Website address if you don’t already have one

Names and contact information of five clients

Make a note of all of this, particularly the License Number. If you decide to go ahead, you may want to check something the electrician has said. If you decide not to go ahead, you do not need to go ahead with this electrician. But save the notes so you can remember later which companies you’ve already ruled out.

Step 4) Look and listen

As you gather this information, listen to what is being said but also pay attention to how the electrician acts and how they make you feel. If you run into the electrician, keep your eyes open too.

· Do you like the electrician?

· Do you feel comfortable and not under pressure?

· Does the electrician inspire your confidence?

· Do the electrician and company employees seem to know what they are doing?

· Do they appear to operate legally and behave ethically? Are they acting the way you would like them to act towards you?

· Do they return phone calls promptly?

Are they punctual when they meet with you for appointments?

· Do they listen to your questions and concerns and respond to them in a way that is close to you and that you can understand?

· Does the electrician dress well and have a vehicle and tools that appear to be in good repair?

The electricians who are bidding for jobs are on their best behavior. If you already notice that an electrician treats you or others in a way that worries you, find another one with whom you feel more comfortable.

Step 5) Check it out

· If you haven’t already done so, check out customer reviews. The first section of this article provides details.

Enter the Contractor’s License Number on your state’s Contractor Licensing Board website. Look for “black marks.”

· Check the company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org/. Ratings range from A+ to F based on customer complaints filed with the Bureau. As a note, an “A” reflects the same level of customer satisfaction as an “A+”. The “A+” is earned by an “A” contractor who becomes a paying member of the Better Business Bureau, supporting the Bureau in his work.

Step 6) Call Referrals

Feel free to call references. Customers are usually happy to give a good recommendation to help an electrical contractor on duty. You can return the favor later if an owner calls you. Ask:

How was your job?

Did you do your job right the first time?

· If a revisit was needed, was the electrician easy to work with and quick?

· Was the company’s price competitive?

Was the electrician on budget and on schedule?

· Would you be willing to continue using this electric company?

Talk to at least three references. Listen carefully if there is enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm about the electrician. Customers, past or present, may not feel comfortable saying anything negative. If they express little enthusiasm or say something negative, keep that in mind when making your decision.

One final tip: don’t automatically choose the low bid.

An offer can be also bass. How can it be? An electrician may intentionally leave out items that the job requires, only to come back later saying additional work needs to be done. On the other hand, some electricians may inadvertently bid low due to their inexperience. Either way, the electrician may ask for more money to finish the job or leave you with an incomplete project.

Price is important, but judge the whole picture an electrician is presenting to you: character, experience, ease of working with him or her, and overall value. A large part of the value of an electrician is that he/she gets the job done correctly and safely without taking up too much of your time or causing you inconvenience. A highly competent electrician can save you money by suggesting more efficient ways to do a job or save electricity. When you have a good relationship with your electrician, it can save you time and money.