Whether you’re a brand new homeowner or simply haven’t needed electrical repairs before, finding a reputable electrician can feel daunting. Electrical work can be dangerous, which is why it’s so important to find someone who is qualified, skilled, and trustworthy. But too often, homeowners try to take a DIY or discount route simply because they don’t know who to turn to in their area.
Whether you’re installing new fixtures, adding outdoor lighting, repairing a broken socket, or rewiring your home, you need an electrician you can count on to get the job done right. Here are a few of the top things you should look for when hiring an electrician to work on your home!
Check The Team’s Licensing & Insurance…
Anyone who performs electrical work in Texas has to be licensed with the state. You’re completely within your rights—and encouraged—to ask for proof of licensing. If a company or independent contractor is reluctant to provide their Texas electrical contractor license number, that’s an immediate red flag.
Once you have that number, you can check that they’re in good standing by searching for it on the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation website.
Reputable electrical contractors should maintain general liability and worker’s compensation insurance. Being insured proves that the electrician is committed to doing safe, high-quality work. If they aren’t insured, they’re not likely to be an established contractor.
…And Their Experience & Qualifications
In Texas, there are three main levels of licensing for electricians: Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Electrician
- Apprentice Electrician:an electrician in training who must work under the supervision of a Journeyman or Master Electrician. They must have an Electrical Apprentice License.
- Journeyman Electrician: must have completed a minimum of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Master Electrician and passed a formal examination. They may perform some work alone.
- Master Electrician: must have held a Journeyman license for at least 2 years, completed 12,000 hours of on-the-job training, and passed a formal examination. They may perform work alone.
Make sure that your electrical contractor has the right tech for the right call. At Bacon Plumbing Heating Air Electric we require all of our electricians to hold at least the rank of Journeyman. We also carefully consider the level of expertise required for each project. We will always send a Master Electrician to complex jobs that require special care and attention.
Check Their References
Reputation can’t be underestimated when it comes to electrical work. Trust the folks who have hired the electrician in question before you. Reviews, recommendations, and testimonials from other homeowners can give you a feel for how the electrician performs the work, the quality of their work, and other important information about working with them.
Google reviews are a great place to start! Look for a good number of positive reviews (and note that a company with 1,000 reviews is likely more established than one with 10). You can also browse sites like Angi and the Better Business Bureau to ensure that a contractor is reputable.
Take Note of How They Present Themselves
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But in some cases, an electrician’s attitude and appearance can say a lot about their integrity—and the integrity of their work. If a service tech or electric company demonstrates good communication, a positive attitude, and a put-together appearance, you know they’re willing to go the extra mile for their customers.
See if the company can provide pictures of previous work, or features like Meet Your Tech, which we use here at Bacon. We send customers their electrician’s name, photo, and bio before they ever arrive at your door so you know ahead of time who is coming to your property. It’s a little something extra we like to do to put our customers’ minds at ease.
Get a Quote From Bacon!
We understand that budgeting and scope are always top concerns for our clients—so we would never discourage you from getting multiple quotes to compare rates! To help make your decision easier, we offer upfront, flat-rate pricing on all of our electrical services so you’ll never have to guess about the final cost of your project. To get your quote and learn more about our team’s qualifications, experience, and reputation, get in touch with us today!
Find a Trusted Electrician in Dallas-Fort Worth
Bacon Plumbing Heating Air Electric is a family-owned company committed to treating every one of our customers with full respect and transparency. All of our service technicians are part of our family, equally dedicated to providing high-quality services with unmatched customer service. To get started, call us today at (469) 864-7538 or request a service call online!
