Jim Pullman
What types of things should you know about your local electrician, especially when it comes to local electricians for Canberra? One thing is certain, you definitely don’t want to merely pull out the phone book or search online, only to choose the first electrician you come to without first knowing a few things about them. In fact, doing so could mean that you end up with someone that’s not really capable of doing the job you’re asking to be done. More importantly, you could be left holding the bag. That’s why it’s so important that you know the following six things about your local electrician before you actually hire one to do a job.
Are they licensed?
Electricity is nothing to be played with. It can be exceptionally dangerous and even deadly. Therefore, it’s not something that you should hire your next door neighbor to do, then offer to pay him a few bucks under the table in order to get your house rewired. Instead, you want an electrician that is licensed to do the job you’re asking him or her to do.
Are they bonded and insured?
Just as you don’t want to hire an electrician that isn’t licensed, you don’t want to hire someone that isn’t bonded and insured. Why does this matter? If you hire someone that isn’t bonded and insured and something goes wrong which causes damage to your property, you’re the one that will likely end up having to pay for it. Choosing someone who is bonded and insured means that those types of things should be covered. Think about it this way. If the electrician makes a mistake that causes your house to catch on fire, you want some type of reassurance that you won’t get stuck with the costs for repairs. The same is true for the electrician who wires something wrong and accidentally shorts out a major appliance. That’s precisely why anyone you hire should be bonded and insured.
Do they have a good track record?
Sometimes being licensed, bonded and insured isn’t enough. You want an electrician that has a good record with satisfied customers who can vouch for his or her work. Don’t be afraid to ask for references. If you end up with a potential electrician that refuses to provide them to you, there’s probably a reason why.
How much experience do they have?
There isn’t really anything wrong with hiring someone who doesn’t have a lot of experience in and of itself. That said, you want someone that you are confident can do the job correctly. Whether they’ve been an electrician for one year or 20, you need to make sure that they’re qualified to do the job properly.
Are their rates competitive?
This is definitely not the only question you should be asking yourself when you’re considering hiring an electrician. If you make the choice based on nothing more than how much you’re going to have to spend in order to hire them, you will always choose the one who’s willing to work the cheapest every time. Some electricians work cheaper than others because they don’t provide the quality that others do. You want competitive rates but you also want to consider quality of work.
Are they reliable?
By the same token, you want someone that will show up when they say they will, do the work they were hired to do and let you know if they find any other issues that might drive the cost up more before they begin working on those issues. You don’t need the headache of someone who shows up several hours late every time or not at all, nor do you want someone that makes several additional repairs without asking you first. The truth of the matter is that an unreliable electrician presents more than just a nuisance. They may be cutting corners that put you and your family in jeopardy without your knowledge.
If you find out about these six things, you can hire a local electrician with a relatively high degree of confidence that you’re getting someone capable of doing the job. Since it’s so important that they do their job correctly, you should have solid answers to these questions before you allow an electrician into your home.
