How to Choose the Right Electrical Contractor

September 19, 2020 - DIY Electrical Repair

Ready to learn how to choose your next Electrical Contractor?

 

Then you’re in the right place! Choosing an electrical contractor can be a daunting task.

 

• How do you know who’s best for your project?

• How do you know if they’re charging you a fair price?

• How do you know they’ll get the project done in time?

 

All of these are fair concerns and part of the process of finding the right electrical contractor for your work. That’s why we’ll discuss some alternatives to the traditional route of selecting an electrician to show you another way to go about the process.

 

Whether you’re looking to do some simple remodels or updates, repair or replace something broken, or hoping to install entirely new wiring or electrical panels, finding the right electrical contractor for your project is extremely crucial. Next, we’ll share the most cost-effective way to get quotes from multiple electrical contractors, we’ll show you the projects you can do on your own, and we’ll show you how to get video chat advice from licensed electricians on your project so you can have the confidence of years of experience and training in the palm of your hand.

 

Getting Quotes from Multiple Electrical Contractors

 

Shopping for an electrical contractor the traditional way can get pretty expensive pretty quickly if they’re charging for in-home visitations, which most do. But I bet you didn’t know that was the ‘old way.’ 

 

And if there’s an ‘old way,’ then there’s a ‘new way.’

 

With the way coronavirus has changed how our society and businesses operate in 2020, whether it’s social distancing and maximum occupancies, people being less welcoming of strangers in their homes, or the state laws closing certain businesses, it’s undeniable that things are completely different than they were even a year ago. 

 

Video Chat a Pro wants you to know that they are the solution for this whole situation when it comes to any work that needs to be done in your home or on your car.

 

What is Video Chat a Pro?

 

Video Chat a Pro is a video chat website that connects homeowners and car-owners with local businesses in the plumbing, auto repair, electrical, HVAC, landscaping, and appliance repair fields. Homeowners and car owners can browse local businesses in their area, see recent reviews and contact these businesses for precise, remote estimates.

 

Using the camera on your smartphone, these local businesses can identify the problem, give homeowners or car owners a precise quote, schedule an appointment, and save users a ton of money in the process!

 

Using Video Chat a Pro to get Quotes from Multiple Electrical Contractors

 

Since the video chat can be used to give remote estimates at a fraction of the cost of an in-home visit, you can get quotes from multiple electrical contractors fast! And doing so is easy with Video Chat a Pro. Rather than scheduling an in-home visitation and waiting days or weeks for the electrician to show up, you can hop on your phone right now without having to install any programs or download any apps and start showing electricians your project today.

 

Plus, getting quotes from several electricians will ensure that no potential issues or problems concerning your project are overlooked with several professionals weighing in. Getting quotes from multiple electricians for a large-scale electrical project will also save you time and money in the long run by finding out the standard rate that most electrical contractors are charging for the work and parts. Lastly, getting quotes from multiple electricians will also ensure that you end up working with an electrical contractor that you like, which is more important than you think on the bigger projects.

 

Electrical Projects You Can Do on Your Own

While you might not think of electrical work and ‘Do It Yourself,’ in the same breath, there are still some electrical projects you can do on your own to skip the electrical contractor, save some money and learn a new skill in the process.

In our previous blog post, 3 Electrical Contractor Services You Can Do Yourself, we share our top three electrical projects you can do yourself at home with limited tools or experience. If you’re a little handy or have assembled furniture before, these projects should be do-able for you.

 

In the post, we share how to replace an electrical outlet, how to replace a ceiling fan, and how to replace a light fixture. When it comes to installing new wiring, electrical panels, or large-scale wiring projects, we always recommend that you consult with a licensed electrician.

 

Getting Live Video Advice from a Licensed Electrician

 

If you like the idea of doing some DIY electrical projects like the ones mentioned above, there are options available to allow you to dive into your project with confidence and safety. 

 

Not only does Video Chat a Pro connect homeowners and car-owners with local businesses in their area, but Video Chat a Pro also has a second video chat feature: Livestream DIY.

 

Livestream DIY connects people preparing for, or already in the middle of, a DIY project with licensed plumbers, electricians, mechanics, HVAC technicians, appliance repair specialists, and landscapers that can give users advice specific to their situation and the tools they have at their disposal in real-time.

 

This means you can have a direct resource for any questions you may have and receive advice based on years of experience and training.

 

What more could you ask for when it comes to taking on a DIY project yourself?

 

The internet is filled with pages and pages of DIY projects and How-Tos, but finding information that’s actually specific to the problem you have or the model of the unit you’re trying to replace can be quite difficult. And even if you find what seems like the right information, how can you really trust that the source was a licensed professional that actually knows what they’re talking about?

 

If you’re thinking about undertaking a DIY electrical project, we definitely recommend you seek the input of a skilled electrician before getting started. This can help you avoid any costly mistakes, and with the Livestream DIY video chat option, you can get advice in real-time for a fraction of the cost of hiring an electrical contractor for an in-home visitation.

More Tips for Choosing the Right Electrical Contractor

 

• Check their previous reviews: 

• One bad review can just be bad luck, but a series of negative reviews might mean you want to avoid this company. Electrical work can take time and be costly if something goes wrong, you don’t want to stay up late at night wondering if you choose the right company!

 

• Ask what kind of work they specialize in: 

• Not all electrical services companies are created equal. While building companies and general contractors might know or sub-contract out their work to electrical contractors, you might want to go directly to the source to cut down on costs.

 

• Ask how long they’ve been in business: 

• While being in business longer doesn’t necessarily make someone better at their job, knowing a company has been around for a while can give you a little extra confidence in the results of their work and their experience with different problems.

 

• See if they can share any testimonials or pictures for a similar project:

• This can be a great way to see if this electrical services company is a good fit for you or not. If they’ve already done similar projects, that’s a great sign. If they can show you pictures of the work, or testimonials from satisfied clients, that’s even better!

 

• Don’t automatically make your choice based on price!

• While we do recommend getting quotes from several electrical services companies through Video Chat a Pro, we don’t recommend making your choice entirely based on the price! Take other factors into account like the ones above. 

If you’d like to learn more about electrical work around the house, in our next post, we’ll share our Top 3 Things Your Electrical Contractor Doesn't Want You to Know.