Hiring an electrician is easier than ever in this ongoing age of the Internet. But hiring a skilled and competent electrician is never easier. Choosing the right electrician is crucial irrespective of the volume or size of your project. The right electrician saves your time and money as well as makes your home much safer. But the question is how can you find or recognise a skilled and competent electrician? Thankfully there are few effective tips to make your task easier. The tips discussed here will certainly help you find a reliable local electrician much easily. Here we go!

The first thing that you must remember is hiring a local electrician always pays off in ways more than one. A local electrician obviously is well-aware about your local codes as well as rules and regulations. Moreover this category of electricians can arrive at the spot promptly without any delay. Here are few questions that you should better ask your local electricians before hiring them for the job. These questions will definitely shed much light on their qualifications, previous work experiences, license and all other important aspects to clear all doubts about a candidate’s eligibility in your mind.

• Can you show me your license?

It is utmost important to check whether a shortlisted candidate possesses a valid license or not. If a candidate cannot show you a license, it means the individual do not have one. If a candidate presents a license make sure to check it properly. See whether it is still valid. Apart from license you also need to go through their insurance coverage and certification. In addition to that it is better to hire someone who has been recommended by someone you know well.

• What is the professional’s fee structure?

It is important to have a clear-cut idea about the charges or fee structure of an electrician you hire. Once the job gets finished there is just no way that you can say the charges are exorbitant and you cannot afford. Therefore it is better to know right from the beginning whether the electrician is affordable for you or not.

• Does the professional arrive on time?

There could be an electrical emergency in your home. You may need an electrician turn up immediately. These circumstances are quite common in real life. Every second is vital when you are facing this kind of situation. Therefore it is important to enquire whether the professional arrives promptly to a site after getting a complaint.

• What does the insurance coverage says?

It is utmost important to take the service of an insured electrician. Do not hesitate requesting the professional show you proof of the insurance coverage. Licensed and insured electricians obviously charge more than those who go without those. But in the long run that helps you

• What other services the shortlisted candidate provides?

Before hiring a professional electrician it is highly relevant for you to know about the services he offers. You should make it a point to throw this particular question to your candidates during the interview round. A technically sound electrician is capable to tackle any issue that is related to the power grid in your home. It could be a minor task like replacing a light bulb or could be something heavy like installing an electrical panel. Common services that a skilled and reliable electrician offers include the following –

• Indoor and outdoor lighting
• Installing ceiling fans and lights
• Complete and partial rewiring of house
• Electrical inspections
• Electric shower installation
• Installation, upgrade and replacement of fuse boxes
• PAT testing
• EICR or Electrical Installation Condition Report
• Electrical installation in wet areas like kitchens and bathrooms
• Electric Cooker Installation
• Emergency light installation, maintenance and services

Now in this section of the blog post let us discuss few important tips related to hiring a competent and reliable electrician.

Important aspects that you should take into account while choosing a competent electrician

A competent professional electrician possesses all the necessary skills and expertise to install, maintain, repair and replace electrical circuits, systems, outlets, fixtures and switches. The professional is also good at installing modern electrical appliances including solar panels, CFL bulbs, LED lights and others. In addition to that the professional is also well-versed with the local electrical codes and regulations. A technically sound electrician is also accustomed with using all the modern electrical tools and equipments.

Little research always proves helpful

Before you start looking for a reliable electrician around your geographical location it is important to be sure about your specific needs and requirement. It is also important to have a clear-cut idea the results that the project is expected to deliver. Is it a simple job of electrical wiring or is it anything more complex? Do you want to get the job done in your home or at your business premise? Talk to different professionals about the project. Know their views and also estimations.

It is important to note you should never give in to the first estimation that you get. Get at least 3 to 4 quotes before you can sit down and tally those. When you analyse the quotes you receive carefully you easily get considerable insight.

It is always better to hire someone who possesses at least 3 to 4 years of firsthand experience of working in the domain of electrical installation and maintenance. Take your time and go through the reviews of your shortlisted electricians before hiring. These days, accessing such reviews is easier than ever thanks to the virtual world of Internet. Reviews provide a clear insight about a professional’s skill level as well as mindset. Checking references before hiring an electrician is also a good move. Do not shy away from asking a shortlisted candidate for references of past clients.

Reasons to hire a local electrician

Hiring a local electrician in London or anywhere else for that matter always prove helpful in the long run. As such there are more reasons than you can count to hire local electricians for every project over nationally reputed companies. Hiring local electricians save both time and money. They have lesser overheads compared to big companies. Thus they can offer quality at more reasonable rates. They are also more used to your local codes and norms. Moreover if there is a flaw in the work you can follow up with them and get it resolved easily.