If you’re looking for an electrical contractor in south Florida, you’ll find a confusing array of companies to choose from. How do you find the right electrical contractor for the job? You could Google “electrician” and hope for the best, but that’s not likely to get great results. A little bit of research and common sense questions will go a long way toward finding the right contractor for your particular electrical project.
Your Project
Figuring out what you need to have done will go a long way toward deciding which electrical contractor is right for you. If you’re looking to add lightning protection to your residential electrical system you’ll need an electrician with different experience and education than one who specializes in adding backup power supplies to large businesses. Your electrical contractor in south Florida will probably have experience in multiple areas, but no one can specialize in every aspect of a job. Narrowing down the scope of your proposed project is the first step in deciding which contractor to hire.
Experience on the Job
Knowledge and experience go hand in hand when it comes to technical jobs. The longer an electrician has been actively working, the more situations he has dealt with and the more types of jobs he’s successfully completed. No job site ever went perfectly smoothly, so having an experienced contractor on the job increases the odds that he’s seen the problems before and know how to deal with them. Experienced electrical contractors also know enough about different jobs to give you advice in the planning stage of your project. Whether you’re looking for energy savings or a simpler way to do a job, a contractor with a proven track record has the knowledge to give you intelligent advice.
Paperwork
Ask any prospective contractor to provide you with copies all pertinent paperwork related to the job. These will include:
- Electrician’s license
- Specialty job certificates such as for State Licensed Gas Contractor
- Insurance paperwork, both for your job and the workers on site
- Certificates of completion from any specialty education he may have
If a contractor refuses to give you copies of any of these when asked, turn and walk away no matter what discounts or deals he offers. A deal isn’t a deal if the work is shoddy, or worse, dangerous.
The Workers
Once you hire an electrical contractor in south Florida, how can you be sure who is working in your house or business? Does the electrician have a crew he works with on a daily basis, or will he be contracting out some of the work. There’s nothing wrong with subcontractors, especially when it comes to specialized jobs, but it’s a good idea to know who will do the job ahead of time. The contractor’s insurance may not cover subcontracted labor, he will most likely not have done background checks on them, and unless it’s a team he works with frequently he won’t be able to vouch for them.
If all the work will be done by the contractor’s employees, ask if he’s done background checks on them, how long he’s been working with each person, and the experience of each worker. You’re going to let these people in your home or business; you have the right to know exactly who you’re letting inside.
References for An Electrical Contractor in South Florida
Any experienced electrical contractor with a history of satisfied customers will be happy to provide you with references. Once you have the list in hand, call or email each person on the list and ask about their experiences with the contractor. Find out about the length of time the job took, whether the contractor did what was promised, and whether they were satisfied with the job. Knowing a contractor has a long string of successful prior jobs is a great indication that he’ll do a good job for you, as well.
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