Choosing any tradesperson can be a daunting prospect, especially if it’s for a large project. It’s important to find the person or company with the right approach and skills
Whether it’s an emergency or home improvement project, electrical can be very important works carried out in your home or business. Mistakes caused by inexperienced or unskilled electricians can have dangerous consequences. Here’s our guide on how best to select the perfect electrician for you.
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Do your research
Whilst it’s impossible to become an expert overnight, some background research can help you form a rough idea of the work that needs to be carried out. This will help you explain to the quoting electricians the works that needs to be carried out. If you are emailing an electrician for a quote you could attach some images of your proposed project to give them some background information before they attend site
At the same time, a fully qualified electrician has trained for over 4 years to work with electricity and they may have advice on how best to carry out the project. As electricians we constantly juggle cost vs disruption for the client. For example when running a new cable for an immersion tank it may be favourable to run the cable a longer route to prevent channelling walls and creating more repair work. Whilst this may cost more in time and cable, this will cause less disruption for the client as less “making good” will be required.
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Look up their qualifications
The electrical industry is run according to certain standards. All electrical work must be done in line with legal standards, and in some cases, such as larger jobs including new circuits, it must be either:
- Approved by the Building Control department of your local authority
- Carried out by tradesmen registered with a competent person scheme, who is qualified to self-certify their work
Each individual electrician will hold their own qualifications and accreditations, which should be available on request. If an electrician is accredited with one of the following competent person schemes you should be able to verify their details with the scheme either online or over the phone.
Alternatively websites such as Electrical Safety First collate all of the government-approved registered bodies, bringing together all accredited electricians on to one website. To join an accrediting body electricians will need to submit certificates proving their qualifications, insurances documents and complete a yearly assessment used to monitor their competence and ensure works are completed to the required standard.
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Ask for references
If your electrician hasn’t come from a personal recommendation from someone you know or even if they have, it is always best to ask the electrician for a reference or review from previous clients. A good electrician will have a portfolio of their work to show potential customers including before and after images. In exchange make sure you leave a review of your own for the next potential client.
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Obtain three written quotes
Ensure each quote contains a summary of the works required, then you can compare the prices. Don’t disregard the most expensive quote, a major difference in quotes may mean a major issue in service. If the quote contains confusing language, don’t be afraid to ask for a revised quote. Be aware of guarantees on the work and materials.
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Agree payment terms
Your electrician may ask for a part payment up front to cover the materials required. This could be around 40% of the quote depending on the work. Once work is complete the final invoice should show the deducted amount that has already been paid. If your job requires a certificate you can expect to receive this once the final invoice has been paid. Do not pay any tradesperson in full up front, alternatively make sure the invoice is paid in a timely manner and in keeping with the terms on the final invoice.
In summary here’s our quick checklist for how to choose an electrician:
- Be clear about the work you want
- Obtain three written quotes
- Ask to view the electrician qualifications or JIB card
- Check that the electrician is registered with a government approved scheme
- Ask for references
- Ensure the electrician has a minimum of £2 million of public liability insurance
- When you agree a quote with an electrician, ask them to sign the bottom of the summary as confirmation of what has been agreed
- Verify the warranty on any works and materials
- Discuss and agree payment terms before the work starts
