A Beginner’s Guide To Hiring The Right Electrician

CFI ELECTRIC LTD. | Aug 23, 2019

If you’re installing new electrical wiring, repairing damaged circuits, or redoing the wiring in your home or office, it is essential to get it done by a qualified electrical contractor. Hiring an experienced electrician ensures that all work carried out will pass any electrical safety inspection. Moreover, at the time of the electrical installation, if any dangerous or hazardous wiring is detected or exposed, it will be addressed effectively so that it does not turn into a fire hazard.

However, if you haven’t hired an electrician before, selecting one of the many options available can be quite a challenge. To help you sift through the options and find an expert for your electrical work, the specialists at CFI Electric Ltd. have put together a Beginner’s Guide to hiring the right electrician. The goal of this guide is to help you gain a rudimentary understanding of how to select an electrician, who will deliver quality electrical work in a home, office, apartment building, or commercial unit.

Getting Started

Lookup electricians around you: Before you start speaking to electricians, you’ll need to vet them online. You can conduct your research through your smartphone, computer, or tablet. Start your online research by looking up electricians within your vicinity. Make a note of their names and websites.

Find ESA licensed contractors: The ESA or the Electrical Safety Authority is the regulatory body for electrical contractors working in Ontario. Electricians should be licensed and registered with the ESA if they are going to perform ethical, safe, and durable electrical work. To find licensed electrical contractors around you, use the website www.findacontractor.esasafe.com. It is a legitimate and regulated tool for finding registered electricians quickly. This contractor finding tool also allows you to filter your search based on your location, making the process of finding the right electrician easier.

Ask friends or family for recommendations: By asking a friend or family member living in or close to your city for a referral or advice, you can reduce your research time. People contact electricians all the time, and it’s possible someone you know, and trust has had electrical work done in their home or workplace. They can quickly refer you to their electrician or electrical contractor if they’ve had an electrical job done recently. However, before you hire an electrician referred by a friend or a family member, it would be wise to check their reviews online.

Next Steps

Inspect their portfolio: To hire the right electrician, you need to see if the person or company you’re contacting performs the kind of work you want to be done. To ensure they can deliver the services you’re after, read through their company website and try to verify if what you want appears on their site. A company’s website should offer insights into their services, and a quick look around their site should confirm their ability to help you or not. For example, if you want to install LED Pot lights, you should be able to find keywords like “Pot light, or Pot light installation” on their site.

Search for reviews online: Once you have a list of electricians you’d like to consider, take a look at their reviews and ratings online. To check electrician reviews, you can use Google reviews and Homestars. It’s good to know if a company has experience in the work you want to get done, and reading their feedback online offers insights into their capabilities. Before choosing a contractor, make sure to read at least three to four reviews written by other people. If you have the time, see if you can find a review related to the kind of work you want to get done.

Advice From The Pros

Request for proof of license: To confirm the registration of your electrician, ask to see their license. They must be able to present it upon request. If they don’t have it available or refuse to show it to you, we recommend not hiring them for your electrical project.

Don’t ignore contractor reviews: Reviews offer valuable insight into how an electrical company works, how they price their services, and if customers are satisfied or not. Ignoring reviews might force you to spend more time on the web searching for contractors or on the phone talking to them.

Great reviews are made visible: Companies that are registered and have licensed employees are proud to have reviews posted on Google or their website. That’s because these reviews boost client confidence in the company’s abilities and overall professionalism.

Explain your requirements to contractors: Call up the electricians you’ve shortlisted and explain your situation to them. Most, if not all, should offer you a free quotation for the work you require. Try to get more than one quote if your electrical work isn’t urgent, or if you have a large electrical project to complete. Like you would with doctors, it’s always a good idea to get a second and even third opinion from different electricians.

Make notes: If you have electricians coming over to visit the job site, have a pen and some paper ready and take down notes form each electrician or estimator. This way, you can compare opinions and determine who to hire.

At CFI Electric Ltd., our goal is to exceed your expectations. As certified electricians in Toronto, ON, we ensure every job we do is done in accordance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. We only consider a projected completed after state regulations are met, and our clients are completely satisfied.

With over thirty-five years of experience, we are well versed with a variety of electrical jobs. Currently, our electrical company specializes in quality electrical services for home (residential), commercial, and industrial projects. We are also a member of the ECRA/ESA and are fully licensed and insured so that you can count on us for excellent services.

To learn more about us, visit our website or contact CFI Electric Ltd. today.