Almost everyone has a tradie horror story. It can be frustrating spending hours searching for someone who can do your job, collecting their quotes, and waiting for them to arrive, only to have them do a bad job.
For electrical work, in particular, it is really important to find a reliable electrician who can complete jobs around your home. Even a small mistake from an unqualified or inexperienced electrician can put your family’s safety at risk.
To help you select the best, reliable electrician for your job here are some quick tips:
1. Ensure that the electrician is fully licensed
For people on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and North Shore, the absolute number one requirement for selecting an electrician is to make sure that they are fully licensed in New South Wales. Not only is it illegal for an unqualified electrician to do some jobs, but hiring a licensed electrician ensures that all work is conducted by someone who has been properly trained and has passed rigorous assessment.
A license is required for anyone undertaking electrical wiring work in New South Wales, regardless of whether the work is in a residential home, or a business.
Electricians should be able to provide you with details of the licenses and certifications on request, while many state governments also provide search engines to see the current licence status for individuals.
2. They look the part
While tradespeople are not traditionally known for their outward appearances, the look and feel an electrician gives can be a strong indicator of their professionalism.
Here are some quick indicators of how to judge the professionalism of an electrician with nothing more than their outward presentation:
- A slick, modern website providing valuable information and contact details shows that an electrician is in touch with today’s technology, and wants to make communication with their customers as easy as possible.
- Clean and modern uniforms for employees can show the level of professionalism and high standards to which the electrician works.
- A well maintained and clean work van, along with well maintained and modern equipment shows that an electrician uses the best possible tools and materials for jobs – and won’t sacrifice or cut corners on your job.
3. Good reputation
If you have heard good things about an electrician the chances are that they are good at their work.
It is said that a dissatisfied customer will tell 10 people about a bad experience they have, while a customer with a good experience will only tell 2. Because of this, businesses, especially tradespeople, rely greatly on positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
An electrician’s reputation is a good indicator of their reliability, professionalism, and quality of work.
4. Responds in a timely manner and keeps appointments
The ease and convenience of contacting an electrician is another indicator of how reliable they will be.
Contacting an electrician can sometimes be difficult, especially in the case of those who answer calls and emails themselves, rather than through a central office. However, those who reply to your correspondence in a timely manner, or at a time that is convenient to you, are more likely to be reliable in the way they carry out their trade as well.
Good communication at all stages of a project is imperative. An electrician who keeps appointments, sticks to timelines, or who informs you whenever any issues arise, will save you time in waiting in, and the stress of not knowing when a problem is impacting the job.
5. References
Electricians who are proud of work they have completed and who have regular customers will be able to provide a list of references to potential clients.
If you are comparing different electricians, particularly for major works, and would like the peace of mind in knowing that you are hiring a reliable and reputable electrician, ask for the contact details of past clients. When calling them you can ask about the service provided, communication, sticking to budget etc.
If you are looking for a reliable electrician in Sydney’s North Shore and Northern Beaches, at Everest Electrical we welcome your call on 0410 229 139. We’re happy to talk through any queries you may have and provide a free, no obligation quote for your electrical job.