Hiring a person to do electrical work for your home can be a very difficult decision. What if the costs increase dramatically during the project and you can't afford to continue? This article will help provide a good step-by-step method for choosing the right electrical company for the job. Please read on, everything will work out!

STEP ONE: Get their credentials!
Electricians working in your home or office must be licensed and insured in case of problems. Every electrician you consider hiring should be bonded, licensed, and insured. They should be willing to let you know their individual state license number. Also, always check to see if they have the correct insurance for general liability and workers compensation.
TIP: The potential dangers of hiring an uninsured electrical contractor are enormous. What would happen if that "friend" of yours who "knows a lot about electricity" gets really injured while in your home or your office? Well, more often than not, it's you who would be held completely responsible for any injuries that they incurred while on your property.

STEP TWO: Check References
Don't be shy to ask for and call their references! You want to make sure that the company has a good reputation.

STEP THREE: Their Employees
Some of the more reputable electric service companies insist all of their employees are regularly background checked and drug tested. This is a great sign that the company has your interests in mind before theirs. This process is quite an investment on their part, and it tells you right away that they have invested a great deal in their own staff.
TIP: See if the electricians are on any "best places to work" lists in your area. Good feelings between employee and employer translate to their work as well.

STEP FOUR: Always get a price before the work starts
Take note, you won't get the best price by bidding the project around to multiple electricians. Contact ones that you are interested in, and get a sense for their customer service (a live person answering the call is always a good sign!) THEN call only one out to your home to prepare an estimate. Some of electricians are offering first time discounts for new customers, and if not may usually try to get your long-term business by cutting the costs of the first job.
TIP: You want to develop a good, long lasting understanding with an local electrician. The odds are that you will call them more than once during your time in your home or office.

STEP FIVE: Knowing you called the right one.
Look out for the following when that electrician comes to your home for the first job:


A good electrician Always arrives at your door in a sparkling uniform. The best electricians insist that their workers carry enough clean uniforms so that they can change after every job if one gets dirty.
An excellent electrician companywill have business cards with their company name, telephone number, and a license number on it.

A stellar electrician company will NEVER EVER start a project without getting the appropriate permits. Sure, you can usually get someone to do the job less expensively and faster by not pulling permits, but it puts you and yours at huge risk when you do. What happens if you don't pull permits and something goes wrong, like a fire? Chances are that your insurance company will research that the required permits were in place, and, if not, you may not be covered!

A good local electrician will always call you back within a business day or less, provide a complete written estimate outlining all costs, and put a project time line on the estimate as well.
TIP: Suppose the project unexpectedly gets out of hand at some point, and through no fault on anyone's part costs increase to get it done. A A good electrician company will stop and provide an written addendum to the original estimate so that you know all new costs before commencing..

A good electrician will certainly listen to what you request, and then make recommendations based on their training. There are a lot of things that need to be factored into an electrical rewiring project, 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)

A great electrician company will consider all of the ancillary things that you might not think about, explain them, and give you options on which direction you want to go.
An excellent electrician company will always wear those sanitary shoe covers when on the project. They also won't leave a mess of garbage and debris once they are complete.

A great local electrician will install parts that are designed for long-term use and wear. Any time you have electrical work done, you should also keep in mind the resale value of your home/office. Good contractor grade electrical materials will certainly add to the value of your home, and will insure a passing inspection report before the sale.

STEP SIX: Hiring your electrician
Make sure before work begins that you have a signed an reviewed estimate approved by you and the contractor. Make sure that you have allotted enough time for the work to take place (major electrical jobs the night before a big party is not a great idea!) Make sure that all correct permits are in hand and posted appropriately.

EXPERT TIP: Don't let price alone determine which electrician is awarded the project. Go with a company that you feel comfortable with, has good references, and has open communication with you about the job. Good communication from an electrician is the best signal that they will do the project right, and that they can be trusted.