Lights flickering? Receptacles not working? Breakers keep tripping? Every home will require electrical repairs at some point, but due to the nature of electricity and its potential dangers, this type of work is not recommended for DIY’ers. For safety and security most folks decide to hire a professional electrician.

Before hiring an electrician to work on your home or business, consider the following…

1.Are they licensed, bonded, and insured?

Always make sure the contractor holds a valid electrical contractor’s license. A license means you have satisfied the necessary education and experience requirements.

You can check California contractors license numbers here.

Bonding and insurance makes sure that the customer is protected in case anything goes wrong.

2. Don’t be mislead by an electrician’s hourly rate.

Electrical work can be expensive, with rates ranging from $60 to $120 per hour. Often times people will base their decision solely on hourly rate. However, a skilled electrician with a fully stocked truck who charges a higher rate will certainly save you money in their ability to identify your problem in a timely manner, and resolve your issue without making part runs.

Always ask if there is a charge for travel time.

3. Who is doing the work?

Determine who will be doing the work on your home or business. Will the owner be on site or will they be using employees?

If the owner is not on site, the employees should be journeyman electricians, not apprentices in training. Apprentices are permitted to work under supervision of a journeyman electrician or licensed contractor.

4. Are they up to date on the National Electrical Code (NEC)?

The National Electrical Code sets the requirements for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States, and is update every three years. Let’s be honest, no electrician is going to have ALL of the NEC memorized, but they should have access to the most recent edition and refer to it often.

5. Reviews matter...

Customer reviews are an excellent way to get a glimpse of who you are hiring and who you will be inviting into your home. Check to see what people are saying about your electrical contractor and pay close attention to reliability and punctuality. People often leave detailed reviews so make use of these.

Remember to call Live Oak Electric Inc for all of your home or business electrical needs.