HOW TO HIRE AN ELECTRICIAN
If you’ve been looking into any kind of home repairs, you’ve probably had a lot of questions come up. One of the biggest is “How do I find a reliable contractor I can trust?”. This is a legitimate concern for many homeowners and unfortunately, the construction industry has a poor reputation for reliability and transparency.
We want to make sure you hire the right electrician for your job and feel comfortable with the work that will be done. While Highwire Electric is ONLY an electrical contracting company, many of these safeguards apply to general contractors or other trades like plumbing and HVAC. Read on to learn a few simple ways to safeguard yourself and your property when hiring contractors.
Check reviews!
This one may seem obvious, but it’s an easy first step! If you need an electrician, a quick Google search should bring up a few reviews from various websites. Never trust reviews that are only posted on the company’s own website. Trusted third-party sites include: Yelp, Facebook, Google, Nextdoor, Angie’s List, and HomeAdvisor. Make sure you look at customer reviews, not just rankings and website recommendations that can be purchased as marketing tools.
Get 3 quotes
The best way to make sure you’re getting a reasonable price on electrical work and quality service is to get multiple estimates on the work to be performed. For smaller jobs, this might be less necessary or reasonable. But we generally recommend getting multiple estimates on any electrical project you think might cost more than $1,000 or take a few days or more. Some companies provide free electrical estimates, others may charge a small fee. In the long run it is worth it to meet with multiple companies and get second and third opinions on the work. An estimate doesn’t just give you pricing, though! This is a great opportunity to speak with an electrician face-to-face. Make sure that they are thorough and conduct a full inspection of the work areas and your electrical system. Make sure you feel safe having them in their home and that they communicate with you about each step of the project. Find out if the electrician conducting the estimate will be overseeing the work or if it will be someone else. In addition to getting a good deal, you need someone you can trust. A good industry rule of thumb is to go for whoever estimates right in the middle. Too low and they might not know what they are doing, too high and you might be overpaying. But also be sure you trust whoever you choose.
Check State Licensure
Electrical work needs to be performed under a license in every state. In Georgia, there are two electrical contractor licenses. Class 1 Restricted and Class 2 Unrestricted. A Class 1 Restricted license is sufficient for almost any residential work. It does not allow for commercial work at over 400 amps. A Class 2 license allows for any type of electrical work. It is important to note that most electricians in Georgia DO NOT have a license! This is confusing to many people, but most electricians work under a licensed electrical contractor rather than becoming one themselves. In some states, there is licensure for journeyman level electricians. In other states, like Georgia, that license does not exist. Be advised, however, that an unlicensed electrician may NOT work independently according to the law. All electricians must be licensed contractors OR work under a licensed contractor as an employee.
Get insurance verification
Request a Certificate of Insurance (COI) and/or an proof of insurance from any contractor you use to ensure that you are protected in the case of an accident or damage on your property. Any reputable contractor will be able to provide one of these documents, but be aware that COIs can take time to process or might require a fee. We primarily recommend these for large projects.
Get a Permit
Remember that, at least in Georgia, permits are ultimately the homeowner’s responsibility. Many contractors won’t pull a permit for smaller jobs (under $1,000 for example, if one is needed) and leave it up to the homeowner, or they will charge a higher fee. However on larger projects that require multiple inspections, the contractor should be pulling the permit for you. It is almost always worth the extra expense unless you have experience with permitting and are okay with the extra liability. Make sure they provide you with the permit number BEFORE beginning work or that your permit has been approved and the contractor’s information has checked out with your municipality. For a full breakdown on electrical permits, why they are important, and who should get them, check out our article: Permitting Electrical Work.
Making sure a company is properly licensed and insured, getting a permit, and checking reviews are great ways to make sure you’ve found the right contractor for your job. Getting multiple quotes can ensure that you’ve also gotten a good deal! If you need an electrical contractor in the Greater Atlanta Area, contact Highwire Electric for a free estimate on your electrical project.
