Your electrician is an important part of your annual home maintenance plan. A good electrician will inspect your electrics annually and advise you regarding any issues. This should give you time to prepare financially for the issue and deal with it without risking a fire.
Don’t forget, electrical issues are one of the main causes of house fires.
Once you’ve chosen an electrician you’ll want to build a relationship with them. This will increase the likelihood of you getting good service when you really need it. Of course, an electrician will look after all their customers. But, in an emergency situation a good rapport with them will put you at the top of the list for help!
That’s why you should consider carefully before choosing your electrician:
- Qualifications
You need to find a level 2 electrician as this will ensure they have all the knowledge and experience they need to deal with your household electrics. While electricity can seem a fairly straightforward matter, it is complicated and dangerous.
Electrical wiring and issues are best handed by a qualified professional. Don’t forget that an unqualified electrician is unlikely to have insurance covering any mistakes they make.
- Reputation
It’s always worth checking the reputation of your intended electrician. This will ensure they are as good as you think they are.
The good news is that it’s getting easier and easier to check anyone’s reputation. You can start by asking family, friends, and colleagues. They may have used the electrician and will be able to give you honest feedback. They may even be able to recommend and electrician for you.
Its then worth having a look at social media and online forums. You’ll find thousands of people prepared to share their experiences. Simply locate the ones talking about the electrician you’re considering.
Don’t forget, it’s unlikely that every customer will be happy, negative reviews are okay. But, the majority of them should be positive.
- Availability
In most cases you won’t expect your electrician to be at your home within an hour. However, you also don’t want to be told they can’t get there for two weeks.
It’s worth asking when their next appointment is and speaking to other customers regarding average wait times. It can help to ensure you have a reliable electrician that turns up when you need them.
- Price
Price is not the most important consideration. It is acceptable to pay a slightly higher rate to assure yourself of quality. However, that doesn’t mean you should get ripped off.
It’s important to get several quotes to ensure your preferred electrician is charging a reasonable rate. They don’t need to be the cheapest but there is no reason why they need to be the most expensive.
- Ability To Communicate
Finally, you’re going to need to communicate with your electrician. That means telling them the issue or directing them when you want some new work done.
To ensure they do what you want done and not what they think you should have done, you need to be able to communicate with them.
You can check this by getting them over for a quote and finding out how easy you find t to chat to them and whether they are listening. An electrician that communicates is much easier to work with.
Image Credits: Michal Jarmoluk
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