Choosing the right electrical contractor can make the difference between success and failure for your project. You will have to rely on their skills to complete the project on time without making any costly mistakes. That is why it is worth taking the time to find the right contractor. Unfortunately, that can be hard for the average person. The good news is that there are a few tricks that can simplify the search. You just need to keep seven things in mind when you look at your options.
1. Check for Certifications
You should always start your assessment of a potential contractor by checking their credentials. Electrical work is complicated and dangerous, so you should assume unlicensed contractors are unqualified. Reputable contractors have licenses and certifications for every service they offer. You should always ask to see those licenses and reject any contractor who is reluctant to produce them.
You should also check for insurance. Good contractors know that mistakes happen, and they get insurance to keep their clients safe. The contractors who refuse to get insurance are usually the ones who need it most. You should avoid them at all costs and focus on hiring a contractor who is fully certified and insured.
2. Choose Older Companies
Older companies tend to be better when it comes to electrical work. Experience counts for a lot, and older companies are generally more experienced. They know how to manage their logistics, stay on schedule, and still do good work. That does not mean that you should ignore young companies. They can also do good work. Older companies are simply the safer bet.
Age can also be a direct indicator of quality. This is an industry where companies rely on their reputations to get work. Electrical companies that do inadequate work tend to get bad reputations and go out of business. A company that has survived for a few years has proven its ability to get the job done right. You can rely on them to keep up the good work because they need to maintain their reputation.
If you need an example, take a look at Potts Electric. We have been in the electrical business in Ellisville, MO for more than a decade. Those years of experience have taught us how to run a project. They also gave us the chance to build a social network for sourcing materials and finding great workers. Our experience makes it possible to get the job done on time and on budget without sacrificing quality.
3. Ask Questions
You should always feel free to ask questions when you talk to a contractor. A good contractor will be happy to answer them. Most people do not know much about electrical work, so teaching them is part of the contractor’s job. That is the only way for clients to make informed decisions about the project. A contractor who evades your questions may be trying to mislead you. They may also be too inexperienced for the job.
Asking questions has another benefit. It will give you a chance to make sure you can communicate with the contractor. You need to feel comfortable talking to your contractors, and they need to be able to communicate effectively with you. If they cannot do so, they will not be able to guide you through the project. That may not sound like a big deal, but a failure to communicate can ruin a project. Communication skills are just as important as technical skills, so you should be sure to assess them.
4. Request References
You will almost never be a contractor’s first client. Good contractors will happily point you toward their previous clients, so you can ask about their work. These reviews are the best way to determine if a contractor does good work or not. You should check the quality of the work, but also ask if there were any surprises or delays. Some contractors are great at electrical work and bad at administration. They can cause delays and blow through your budget even if the result is fantastic. You might decide that the quality justifies the risk of a delay, but that needs to be an informed decision.
That is why we are proud to display hundreds of positive reviews. At Potts Electric, we prefer to let our satisfied customers do the talking for us. If you are having trouble deciding if a company seems reputable, compare their reviews and references to ours.
5. Look for Warranties
There are two reasons to prioritize contractors that offer good warranties. The main reason is that a warranty shows confidence. It is a promise that the contractor will fix their mistakes. Bad contractors tend to make a lot of mistakes, so they prefer not to fix them. Good contractors assume that they will do things right the first time. They can afford to offer a good warranty to cover their handful of errors.
The other reason to look for a warranty is the security that it offers. There is a chance that you will pick the wrong contractor. You might end up with faulty wiring or other problems. A warranty will prevent stress when that happens. You will already have a plan for fixing the problem, so you won’t have to worry about it.
6. Shop Around
Be sure to look at all of your options before you make your final choice. It can be hard to assess an electrical contractor in isolation. After all, you cannot know if their prices are reasonable if you have no idea what other companies charge. If you value experience, you will need to check a number of companies to see how long they’ve been in business. Comparison shopping gives you the context that makes it possible to make your decision.
7. Trust Your Instincts
Methodical research is important. It will give you the objective data that you need to make informed choices. On the other hand, that data can only go so far. Nobody can quantify your ability to communicate with a contractor. There is no objective way to decide which skills you should prioritize. Those comparisons can narrow down your options, but they cannot determine your final choice.
In the end, you will have to go with your gut. Use these tips to eliminate unreliable and incompetent companies, and then look at the remainder. It is likely that they can all do the job for you. Take a minute to think about each one, and then choose us.
Let Us Handle It
Big or small, your project requires a skilled electrical contractor to handle the wiring. Finding the right contractor, residential or commercial, is the key to getting good results. At Potts Electric, we have spent a decade serving the area around Ellisville, MO. There are many satisfied customers who know that we were the right choice, and we would love to add another happy person to that list. Contact Potts Electric today so that we can get started on your project.
