JMW Electrical knows that you want value for your money when hiring any kind of tradesperson, and that’s why we encourage our clients to ask questions.

Asking questions gives you important knowledge that could be the difference between a good value job and a great value job. It gives you confidence to be actively involved in managing the workings and safety of your home, and helps you better understand the ins and outs of the job at hand.

 

When choosing an electrician, safety and trust is key. It’s one of the riskiest trades around, you can’t afford to get anything less than the best for your job. If you don’t ask questions, you won’t know who you’re hiring.

 

BEFORE YOU HIRE YOUR ELECTRICIAN

1. Do they have a registration to perform electrical work?

You might think this is going to be an obvious answer, but it really always pays to ask this. As a legal requirement, it’s crucial you hire an electrician that is registered. This registration should be their own too, and not someone else’s that they’re operating under.

 

2. Do they have insurance?

Electrical work can be dangerous, and despite care being taken, sometimes things can go wrong. If your electrician doesn’t have a current Public Liability Insurance policy they can show you, you are accepting a huge risk that could be financially and personally destroying should an unfortunate incident happen on your property. The insurance shouldn’t just protect the electrician on the job, but also you, your family, and any other people entering your property in the years to come.

 

3. Do they have references? 

For any major jobs (especially a new house construction or major home renovation) it’s important to seek out references. An electrician with nothing to hide will be happy to provide you with a list of past clients, and they may have client testimonials or google reviews listed online. If you haven’t yet found an electrician, ask your friends about who they have used and whether or not they would use them again. Most people love being given an opportunity to rave about a tradesman that did a great job.

 

4. What’s their experience?

The general rule for most trades is that the longer you’ve been in service, the better you know the job. With this in mind, you ideally want an electrician with at least three years experience. If you don’t want to take their word for it, you can check online to see how long they have been operating their business for or via the EWRB online.

 

5. Do they have a particular specialty?

Many electricians have a speciality, or at least more training and experience in a particular area. If this matches the kind of job you need doing, it makes sense to give the specialist tradesmen a whirl. The opposite can also be said; you don’t want to hire a person that specialises in industrial electrical work when you are wanting a new home wired.

 

6. Do they have a fixed rate?

An estimate is a crucial piece of information when hiring an electrician. Most electricians will agree that paying by the hour is a good way to get value for money on small jobs, while a fixed rate proposal provides peace of mind that you won’t blow your budget on a big job. At JMW Electrical we can offer an estimate that includes a breakdown of everything, including materials, incidentals, labour and things. We then let you decide how YOU want to pay. Should you choose a fixed rate proposal, there’s no hidden costs or nasty surprises at the end. However we often find it is better to do the work as charge up on an hourly rate, it is often cheaper than a fixed rate proposal.

 

7. Who’s going to carry out the work?

Don’t always presume that who you speak to on the phone is who will turn up at your door. This is certainly the case on large jobs, when a whole team of electricians might be involved. The golden rule is to find out as much about each and every person working on your electrics.

 

8. Does your work come with a warranty?

A warranty on electrical work offers you important peace of mind in the unlikely event that you have a problem. JMW Electrical offers a lifetime warranty on labour.

 

9. Will they be on time?

Nobody wants to spend all day sitting in doors waiting for an electrician to arrive, wondering when they’ll eventually get there. That’s why JMW Electrical not only always aim to be on time, we call ahead if required to notify you of our estimated time of arrival.

 

10. Are they a Master Electrician?

So why use a Master Electrician? Employing a Master Electrician definitely has its benefits, JMW Electrical is a Master Electrician and this safeguards the quality of your work with the Master Electrician $20,000 workmanship guarantee. Plus we are always in the know, and have support from a bigger industry player across the whole of NZ.

 

DURING THE JOB

Once you’ve decided upon your electrician, your questions shouldn’t stop there. Having an electrician in your home or office is a wonderful opportunity to not just respond to problems that exist, but talk about the problems you could potentially avoid.

Asking about the state of your home’s electrical system could save you time, money, stress and inconvenience later down the track. Learn about efficiency, and discover how you can reduce costs associated with powering your home.

Keep the questions coming and you’re guaranteed to get value for money. JMW Electrical are ready to answer your questions about any electrical issues you may have. Contact us today!