With many electronic types of equipment, appliances, and gadgets being used regularly at home in Sydney, you are bound to face electrical problems at some point. While you may feel that you’re capable of handling some minor electrical installations or repairs, the situation can easily get out of control, endangering your life and everyone else’s life around in the process.
Therefore, the best solution is to hire a residential electrician from Sydney who can help you with any problem arising from your home’s electrical system, which includes replacing circuit breakers, rewiring, installing fixtures, adding outlets, and more.
However, finding an experienced, reliable electrician in Sydney is not as easy as it may seem. Today, we’ll discuss 13 factors you need to keep in mind when hiring a residential electrician to deal with your home’s electrical issues. Let’s get started!
1. Recommendations from Your Social Circle
Ask your friends, family, or others in your social circle for recommendations on any residential electricians they have recently hired. This will be very helpful in hiring the perfect electrician for your job.
Ask about how complex their projects were, how their experience was, and if they were satisfied with the result or not. You can also get references from local electrical and hardware supply stores. They often keep a list of experts to suggest to their clients. Also, check online reviews and ratings of different residential electricians and see how much their customers are satisfied with them.
Also, you can select a professional electrical company that does thorough background checks so that you can feel safe about the electrician who will be working at your house. A BSK Electrician in Sydney is a licensed electrician with great reviews who is sure to provide you with reliable and prompt electrical services at reasonable rates.
2. An Up-to-Date License
In case of an electrical emergency, most people rush to employ the first electrician they can find online. Some homeowners go for the cheapest options. However, not all residential electricians are qualified to handle all sorts of issues.
When choosing a residential electrician for your Sydney home, the most important factor to consider is whether they are licensed. A license from the relevant authorities is your guarantee that the electrician has completed the required courses and practical work to do your work correctly and safely.
Each electrician needs to pass a qualification test to get their residential electrician license. This test and the entire procedure of getting the license to prevent individuals from working on electrical systems without the proper knowledge or training.
Ask each electrician about their license and make sure it is updated. Ask for evidence of their paperwork, or if possible, do an online check. Also, ensure that the license covers the kind of work you need to be done as there may be restrictions on some electrical licenses.
3. Professionalism
For your own good, it is crucial to find someone who maintains high levels of professionalism. You will know if an electrician is a professional or not from the moment you contact them.
Good electricians can make you feel important even without meeting them in person. Take notes on their attitude, courteousness, appearance, honesty, integrity, friendliness, flexibility, and how they communicate with you, among other things.
4. Experience
Besides checking for permits and the professionalism of an electrician, it is important to hire an experienced professional. Hiring an inexperienced electrician can have multiple disadvantages. On the other hand, the more experienced an electrician is, the better their abilities will be to deal with various kinds of electrical issues.
Many electricians prefer additional experience or training in different areas of electrical practice. An ideal residential electrician should have at least 3 years of experience and continue to improve their skills via training, seminars, and further education.
Someone with years of expertise and training will know what kind of issues to expect. They will know how to identify and fix the problem. You can believe in their experience and feel assured that they will give you top-notch services and the highest level of electrical protection.
5. The Right Price
To hire an electrician with the right price, compare the service charges of different electricians. Comparing charges and prices will help you in finding the local average.
Remember that some electrical services have call-out fees involved. Therefore, create a list of the electrical service you need, and try to hire an electrician for a package deal. Also, be sure to communicate exactly what kind of work you need and the exact materials and fittings you would like to use. This way, you are being judicious in search of a highly qualified, certified, and reliable residential electrician.
6. Service Area
Before confirming a residential electrician, ensure that they are licensed to work in your area in Sydney. Do not employ a distant electrician. Otherwise, they may demand a travel fee from you. Also, in case of an emergency, it may take them too long to arrive for the service.
7. Knowledge of Local Codes
Electricians in Australia work under the electrical installation wiring rules set by Standards Australia. They have put together the fundamentals of electrical safety in working on residential, industrial, and commercial projects.
However, the Sydney area also has a local council that dictates how electrical works should be done and individual needs for worker and customer safety. It is important to hire a residential electrician that knows the local market to avoid expensive fair work fines, council fines, reworks, or any potential threats if things are not up to code.
8. Safety Record
Many residential electricians maintain safety records as a part of their bidding process. You can ask for a copy of this record to find out how much they are focused on safety.
If they don’t keep a safety record, you can ask to have a conversation with some of their clients and ask questions regarding their dedication to have a safe work environment
9. Timetable
A reliable and high-quality residential electrician can give you an estimated timetable for the achievement and completion of your work. While some alterations to the estimated time frame may be needed as the work progresses, having a rough plan on how long the task may take is indispensable.
10. Insurance
When it comes to insurance, it is crucial that the electrician you hire has insurance on themselves and on everyone who will be working with them. Anything can occur in this line of profession, and the worst-case scenarios can result in huge financial losses.
Therefore, for your own benefit, make sure your electrician is fully insured. Check the copies of the current policies and ensure that they have not expired. This wise decision will free you from any liabilities as a homeowner.
11. Who will be Doing the Actual Work?
Many residential electricians work as a part of an organization or group that includes apprentices, journeyman electricians, and master electricians. Often, they send a master electrician to identify the issue and bid on the work but have their journeyman or apprentice electricians do the actual work.
Therefore, if you approach an electrician organization or company, make sure to know who will be sent to do your actual work and know if the primary electrician or the owner will not be present to prevent any surprises. Of course, for your peace of mind and protection, make sure that appropriate insurance and licenses cover every member of the company and all the subcontractors.
12. Warranties and Guarantees
When it is about dealing with a residential electrician, the more paperwork, the better. Warranties and guarantees from an electrician are a sign of sincere efforts and high-quality customer service. A warranty assures you that you’re secured even if anything goes wrong after the electrical work is completed.
Many renowned electricians often offer satisfaction guarantees that it will last for a certain amount of time. It is to ensure that you get the result you desire. It also implants reliance on their capabilities.
13. Emergency Services
Electrical problems or failures can occur at any time, whether it is day or night, and these problems should be resolved as soon as possible as certain problems can cause fires or other significant damages. With the uncertainty of any emergency accidents, residential electricians that do not work with flexible schedules can cause you loads of issues.
Many electricians offer full-time emergency services, which means you will not have to wait till the next business day to start looking for a solution. This will put you out of the fear of any emergency.
The Bottom Line
Electrical works are serious. If it is done inaccurately, it can have serious consequences, including electrical fires and power outages. Therefore, it is crucial to hire a licensed, professional Sydney electrician whom you can fully trust.
Thanks to bskelectrical.com.au for consulting on this post.
