In contrast to the highly visible work of your local carpenter or painter, the work of an electrician goes largely unnoticed. He hides behind walls, in switch plates and out of the way access panels. You can also find it running around your attics and basements. Even if he could see all the wiring in his home, most homeowners would have no idea if the quality of the work was adequate or not. However, you can gauge the quality of an electrician’s work by getting your information from outside sources, such as other professionals in the trade, former clients, and even the Internet.

Check your references

Whenever you hire a home improvement professional of any kind, it is highly recommended that you interview past clients. This can be especially true in the case of an electrician. You should ask especially about his impressions and experience with the quality of work of that particular electrician. How smooth was the work process? Did something happen that delayed or hindered the completion of the job? Has your electrical work passed all necessary inspections and required frequent changes? Your final question should be how happy you were with the facility overall, regarding quality, service, and process.

Talk to other local professionals

You can often get inside information by talking to other contractors in different fields who have worked with the electrician in question. These contractors, such as architects, electrical inspectors, and general contractors, can give you a high-quality tradesman’s point of view on the contractor’s work.

Visit current jobs

If you have the time and desire to do so, take a trip to see some of the potential electrician’s current or recently completed work to assess the level of quality for yourself. Although you’re not an electrical inspector and won’t be able to tell things like code and regulatory compliance, you can get a good idea of ​​the overall quality and attention to detail by taking a close look at the work they’ve done. Check things like the following: do the cables run nice and straight? Are they clamped at regular intervals? Are the sockets and switches properly installed?

Contractors who do a good job have a good reputation

One of the biggest signs of a good contractor is a good reputation. Although you may be able to find some relatively new electrical contractors who will do high-quality work, those who have been working in your area for a while will have developed a reputation in the city. These contractors must proudly display their past work, direct it to satisfied clients, and be frequently recommended by clients and trade professionals alike. If the contractor you are considering has few or no references and no reputation, then you have to ask yourself why. Always choose an electrician who can stand behind his warranties and has a reputation for proving it.