Hiring an electrician is something of an undertaking, particularly now that they are becoming both rarer and (in direct response) more expensive. There has been research to show that many people will not check to see whether they person they are trusting with their continued safety is a valid member of a company, or certified in any way. We here at Mr Sparky aim to show anybody who are looking for electricians how to find one which will do the job, and do it well.
Budget
The first thing you need to do is be honest about your budget. There are electricians at all pay levels, and one of them will likely be able to do the work you need, at the cost you can afford. Before you begin your search for an electrician, take a look at the industry in general, and see what an appropriate budget would be.
Quotations
When trying to work out your budget, it is recommended that you ask for quotes for the work you need done from at least three different electricians, in order to get an idea of the prices which are asked for the work you want done. Three electricians will likely give you a wide variety of prices.
Check References
This is where the internet comes in handy, because it can let you see which electricians have which qualifications, and if they have the ones that you need (or are valid). Too many people rely on word of mouth, and end up with someone who is neither qualified nor registered with any governing body.
References can also come in the form of reviews – you can either ask for specific letters of recommendation and reviews from the electrician themselves, or you can go online and make enquiries and do your own research. If they are legitimate, then somebody somewhere will have a review of their services.
Check Registration
Legitimate electricians must be registered with some formof governing body which can curtail their activities if necessary. Having some documentation of this will reassure you that there are other people besides the electricians themselves who agree that they are competent at the work they do.
Qualifications
Make sure that the electrician is qualified to work with the systems you need looked at – many people end up with unqualified workers because they don’t think of this, but registered electricians need to pass assessments in order to be put on the safe registers.
Additionally, electricians can qualify to work on particular systems, or in particular areas. If you have a problem which is something out of the ordinary, then you can choose electricians which have chosen themselves to specialise in your area.
Accreditation
People who need an electrician can ensure that they get one who is competent and able to do the work they need by checking accredited lists. Accreditation is only given to someone who has proven themselves to be good at what they do, to a particular standard.
