4 Reasons to Hire an Independent Electrical Contractor

Posted by on Aug 9, 2014 in Blogs, Electrical Contractors | Comments Off on 4 Reasons to Hire an Independent Electrical Contractor

4 Reasons to Hire an Independent Electrical Contractor

New construction and renovation both require contractors with numerous building skills, such as:

  • drywall
  • plumbing
  • painting, and
  • electricity

General contracting companies are designed to offer all the services you need in order to create and complete your building plans, without the bother of dealing with multiple companies and multiple billing methods. With all that competence and lack of complications, why would anyone choose to hire an independent electrical contractor?

There’s more to a successful building project than simplicity, and a dedicated electrical contractor can bring more to the table than most general contractors can think of doing. Here are some of the top reasons for hiring one:

Reason #1: Cost

It may seem as if hiring a separate contractor to do your electrical work is an expensive way to contract out your project, but in most cases you’ll end up with the same cost, or even saving money. For all but the most basic of jobs, a general contractor will have to sub-contract out the electrical work on a renovation or new construction job. Once they do that, the general contractor will pay the electrical contractor, then pass the cost on to you, generally adding on a fee for doing the paperwork of sub-contracting. Hiring the electrical contractor yourself bypasses any extra fees your general contractor might charge.

Reason #2: Expertise

Just as specialists are more knowledgeable about their specialties than general physicians, independent electrical contractors are better informed about all forms of electrical work than general contractors would be.

Those that specialize in electrical work have the education and experience to safely complete the most complicated residential or commercial electrical project. If you’ve got a tricky job of wiring to do, or need advice on writing up plans for a renovation, a professional electrical contractor is the right choice.

Reason #3: Knowledge and Education

General contractors have to show some knowledge and experience in multiple disciplines, but licensed electrical contractors have to take involved classes as well as experience hands-on training before attempting to take the test for their license. Continuing education classes are a normal part of their career, which keeps electricians up-to-date with the latest in technology, work methods, building codes, and materials.

General contractors simply don’t have the time to keep current on all the specialties they deal with, and they rely on specialists to let them know when big changes occur in the industry. When it comes to new safety procedures, money-saving technology, and efficient building methods, it’s more likely you want to hire the contractor who is constantly learning about his profession instead of the one who learns about it second hand.

Reason #4: Innovation and Creativity

When it comes to renovating a building or building a new home or business, you want the best you can find, and not just the basics. General contractors are good at following plans set out, but rarely have the knowledge or education to suggest creative or innovative alternatives to the basic plans you have in mind.

An independent electrical contractor knows enough about the business to help you change your plans, and to explain why you need to do so. He’ll let you know about the local lightning rates and show you why you need a subtle set of air terminals, or lightning rods, attached to the roof of your building. He can suggest alternate green technology that you may never have heard about before. He also knows the building codes that apply to any project you may begin, and he can tell you whether your plans fit in with the codes, or how to change them if they don’t. In short, he’ll be more of a partner in your electrical project, and not just a tradesman doing the work after the fact.