Busted! Don’t Believe These Electrical Contractor Myths!

CFI ELECTRIC LTD.   |   Sep 29, 2020

Performing an electrical project on your own is not only dangerous but also illegal. This is why you need a licensed electrical contractor to take care of your wiring, electrical outlet and lighting installations. When you hire a professional, you can get an expert’s opinion on which electricals are suitable for your home and budget. They also help you save money by doing a clean job with minimum to no damage to your walls and ceiling.

Hiring a personal electrical contractor provides you with a long list of benefits. Unfortunately, there are numerous misconceptions associated with electricians, the work they do and why they are needed, which prevents people from getting safe and reliable services.

To help you steer clear of these misconceptions and get the best services, CFI Electric Ltd. has debunked some of the most widely believed myths about electrical contractors and the work they do.

Myth 1: Contractors are not trustworthy.
Contractors have gotten a pretty bad reputation when it comes to asking a client to sign a contract to begin work on a project, usually because clients feel cornered about paying upfront for work that hasn’t started or because of sudden increases in the amount due for the job done.

Here’s the thing when it comes to contractors, it helps to get a few free quotes for your project(s) and then compare between two or more contractors. In addition to this, to boost your confidence in the contractor, you think you want to go with, take a look at their reviews, be it on Google, Yelp, or Homestars. Lastly, go with your gut, if you feel like they might be shady, or don’t inspire confidence, it’s better to find another contractor.

Myth 2: Contractors don’t finish their work, leaving the project incomplete or worse, in tatters.
While some contractors do business in this manner, it is by no means sustainable for them, and sooner or later they get caught, fined and if it’s serious enough, imprisoned. Please bear in mind that not all contractors do business like this. If you aren’t 100% sure about whom to hire, ask family or friends, it’s quite likely someone you know had to get work done by an electrical contractor.

When it comes to deciding if a contractor is trustworthy, first search online and see what their credentials look like, so when you get a quote, you can ask them for their credentials and be sure that they are registered and qualified to perform the work. Contractors that refuse to show you their licenses, or have expired licenses, or have permissions that are illegible because they are old, photocopied, or forged are prime examples of who NOT to do business with.

Myth 3: All free quotes are free quotes.
Not all “free quotes” are free. Sometimes, people find themselves in situations in which they called a contractor over to check something out like a broken plug, or a malfunctioning breaker. These are not “quotes,” they are actually seen as small jobs, and it’s quite reasonable to receive an offer to get it done on the spot. If the contractor seems trustworthy and the price sounds right, don’t be afraid to accept the offer and have the work done right then.

Realistically, it’s not worth your time to get several quotes over a small problem, typically referred to as a “Troubleshoot”. What you were probably looking for was a “free quote’ which are usually free (if advertised that way) and are typically given in requests for an estimation of costs for a project, however large or small, but valued at least over $500, then it is generally considered appropriate etiquette to request a free quote from several contractors.

If you’re looking to steer clear of these and other industry myths, reach out to CFI Electric Ltd. As certified electricians in Toronto, ON, we ensure that our clients are thoroughly satisfied with our work and our prices. Over thirty-five years of experience has helped us develop quality electrician services for home (residential), commercial and industrial projects. We strictly follow the Ontario Electrical Safety Code and only after the customer is completely satisfied, we cross a job off our list.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about CFI Electric Ltd., we’d love to hear from you, please contact us here .