Home ownership is full of challenging decisions, especially when it's time for an electric repair or an upgrade. Problems, such as sags and dips, shocks, power surges, circuit overload, and frequent tripping, will certainly need a professional electrician.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are around 667,000 electricians in the country. How do you narrow down that list to find the best one for you in the Mansfield, TX area?
Instead of just hopping onto Google and typing in "residential electricians near me," these tips can help you find the best candidates.
How Do I Find the Best Residential Electricians Near Me?
Hiring the right electrician can be overwhelming. Follow the tips below to make it manageable and straightforward.
1. Get Recommendations
Sure, you could go online and make a giant list of all the electricians in your area, but who has that kind of time? It's better to start with a smaller list, and your friends or business associates are the best starting point.
Ideally, talk to neighbors, friends and family members in your area who have had electricians perform similar jobs to yours. If you need your full house rewired, but you get a recommendation for an electrician who only does kitchen wiring, they won't be beneficial.
2. Check Reputable Review Sites
Online review sites are another great resource for finding the best electricians near you. However, some sites are more reputable than others.
Did you know some sites solicit payments from businesses to "optimize their profile?" Instead of being misled, stick to review sites with strong reputations, like Angie's List.
As you're searching, pay special attention to the types of jobs the reviewers have hired the electricians to do. Find reviews from customers who are similar to you.
3. Find Out How Long They've Been in Business
An electrician service might look attractive because it has five-star reviews, but if they've only been around for a few months, they may not be very well-qualified. Not all electricians are equal, and the more experience yours has, the better.
At the same time, make sure your electrician is up-to-date on the latest code updates. Someone with outdated knowledge (or someone who doesn't know how to deal with new technology) can make costly or dangerous mistakes.
4. Ask About Payment Terms and Financing Options
Depending on how large your job is, electrician services can become very expensive very quickly. You might think you've budgeted enough, but complications can arise that make the job take more time and more money than you had expected.
Before you hire an electrician, ask how their billing works. Do they require full payment on the day the job is completed? Are they requesting payment upfront?
One helpful question to ask is whether your electrician has financing or payment plans available. Even if you expect to pay the full bill out of pocket, it's a good idea to know your options, so you don't find yourself in a credit-killing nightmare.
5. Don't Underestimate Convenience
While you're shopping around for electricians, find out about each candidate's convenience features and how easy they are to do business with. These may seem like small details, but if this is someone you'll be working with for years to come, you can't sacrifice too much of your working time or personal time.
For instance, an electrician may do good work, but if he/she is only available from 10am-4pm Mondays through Thursdays and all communication needs to be done by phone during those hours, you may be in for a challenge.
Not many electricians have online appointment scheduling services, but if you have a busy calendar, this could be a deciding factor.
Another helpful question to ask is where the company is located and whether or not they charge for travel time. If the company is an hour away and their electricians need to come to your home several times over the course of a few months, this can add up to a huge bill.
6. Ask About Their Specific Experience
Many electricians have select specialties, like commercial vs. residential electrical wiring or even more specific categories. This is a crucial factor that you need to find out early in the process.
Even if an electrician doesn't have a specialty, ask how much experience he/she has in the specific type of job you need to be completed.
7. Ask What Happens if You Have a Problem
No one ever hires an electrician who they assume is going to cause a problem or do their job incorrectly. Still, it's a situation you need to prepare for ahead of time.
As you're evaluating candidates, ask each electrician what would happen if there was a problem with his/her work. Is there a warranty involved, and if so, what are the limitations? Will you be charged for the service call to repair the problem? Does the company have liability insurance?
8. Meet the Actual Electrician(s) Who Will Be Working on Your Job
Most homeowners don't expect this problem, but it frequently happens with large electrician companies.
You meet with the head electrician or the owner of the company, and you hear all about his/her specialties and extensive experience. But when the actual workers show up, the electrician you met is nowhere to be seen, and the people doing the actual work have little knowledge and experience.
Don't take anything for granted. Specifically ask the electrician, "Will you personally be doing my electrical work? If not, what are the qualifications of the people who will be?"
9. Get References
After you've narrowed down your search to a few final candidates, ask them if you can speak with past customers for reference. This lets you ask real customers more specific questions, like whether the worksite was clean and whether they've had problems since the job was completed.
Hiring the Right Electrician
Homeowners are constantly searching online and asking, "How can I know which residential electricians near me will do the best job?"
There's no individual answer, but it's all about taking your time, doing some research, and asking the correct questions. The tips above can give you a great start.
To talk about your residential or commercial electrical work and to find out if our team at Clements Electric is the right fit, contact our professional electrician.