Given how intertwined our lives are with electricity and the digital realm nowadays, it is hard to find a house devoid of electrical circuitry at present. Likewise, this also means that electrical problems are par for the course: there will come times in almost every household where some electrical piece of equipment will break down, and unless a member of the household is familiar with electrical equipment, it is often in everyone’s best interests to leave the repair work to professionals. Below are some useful tips to hire reputable electricians:
Start with references – no matter whether you need an electrician or right electrical contractor, the fact that references are a good starting point does not change. References can be as simple as asking around for any good professionals your neighbours, family members or acquaintances have hired in the past, or you can go for the more do-it-yourself route by surfing the internet for any potential repairmen nearby. Whichever way you pick to find an electrician, it would be ideal to make a list with a few contacts (as opposed to simply relying on a single contact).
- Look for licenses and insurance – whilst you should rely on references to find someone, you should not rely on them solely and independently check whether the electricians are actually licensed and certified to do electrical repair work. As you would know, most insurance companies are quick to void their insurance plans if they find that the electrician you called for the oven repairs Mandurah was unlicensed, and in certain countries, you can find yourself in legal trouble as well! Thus, make sure to check whether the repairmen you contact are licensed according to the regulations of your state – usually, there are internet boards that let you verify the credentials of electricians in most countries.
- Understand how hourly rates work – and of course, when hiring professionals, you should take the price into account. Most electricians work according to hourly rates – which are largely dependent on the professional in question (i.e. they vary quite a bit). Adding to this is the travel charges for home visits, which certain electricians tag onto their hourly rate, and others charge as a flat rate for all appointments. Keep in mind that prices are not reflective of the expertise of an electrician – and as such, never pick the cheapest option based on price only (if they have good reviews, of course, do not hold yourself back!).
- Make a list of everything you need to be fixed – and finally, a good tip to always keep in mind with regards to electrical repairs is to take advantage of one visit and have multiple repairs done. If you think about it, you will remember that a number of minor repairs (which were not of utmost importance) probably were needed as well, so make sure to include them when the repairman visits!
- Understand how hourly rates work – and of course, when hiring professionals, you should take the price into account. Most electricians work according to hourly rates – which are largely dependent on the professional in question (i.e. they vary quite a bit). Adding to this is the travel charges for home visits, which certain electricians tag onto their hourly rate, and others charge as a flat rate for all appointments. Keep in mind that prices are not reflective of the expertise of an electrician – and as such, never pick the cheapest option based on price only (if they have good reviews, of course, do not hold yourself back!).