What Makes a Great Electrical Contractor?
Choosing an electrical contractor to work in your premises can be a stressful process. Not only are the electrical systems in any business vital to its day to day operation – just as they are in the home – but they also need to be installed and maintained to the highest safety standards.
It’s not difficult to find people willing to tell you horror stories about incompetent contractors and the problems they caused, or alternatively contractors who did a reasonable job but charged over-inflated prices.
If you’re looking for the ideal contractor then you’re looking for someone who can do a professional job in a friendly manner for a reasonable price, whilst causing the minimum of disruption and keeping everyone around them safe.
Sounds too good to be true?
It doesn’t have to be. Follow our guide to what makes a great electrical contractor and you’ll know exactly what to look out for next time.
Qualifications and Accreditations
Working with the electrical systems in place in any building is a highly skilled and specialised area. The ideal contractor will be one who combines the relevant training with plenty of experience of working in the field and encountering the kind of real world problems and issues that training courses sometimes don’t cover.
Look out for a contractor who is NICEIC registered, as this means two things
- not only have they qualified to an extremely high standard, but they are assessed regularly to ensure that they continue to meet that standard
- the work they carry out is also checked to ensure it meets the IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671, and other regulations put in place to ensure safety.
Don’t be afraid to ask about qualifications, as the best contractors will be only too happy to explain the standards they work to, and the effort they make to ensure they stay up to date with industry and regulatory developments.
References
All the qualifications and licences in the world don’t count for very much unless the contractor in question can point to examples of the work they’ve done. A contractor who is confident of their quality and ability to deliver should be keen to pass on the details of other clients they’ve worked for.
Ask if they have experience of working with the kind of commercial premises you own, and whether they’d be happy for you to speak to the owners about the work they did.
Few recommendations are more powerful than word of mouth, and a great contractor should be confident that people are only going to say good things about them.
Transparent Communication
The honest truth is that very few of us know much about the electrical systems in our premises. Rewiring a plug or changing a fuse is usually the best we can manage, which is why we have to call in electrical contractors.
Make sure your contractor doesn’t take advantage of this to attempt to blind you with science and simultaneously ramp up the fees they charge.
They should take the time to explain clearly exactly what needs to be done, in a language that’s easy for the non-expert to understand. They should also set out what the work involves, how long it will take and, vitally, how much it will cost.
Before taking on a contractor you should be crystal clear on all these aspects of the work. Any quote you’re given should be guaranteed to be the price you pay, with no hidden fees or extras.
Customer Service
This is similar to the last point but slightly more general in nature. When you hire a contractor you’re hiring, in effect, a temporary member of your team.
- Are they friendly, approachable and considerate?
- Do they respond to queries quickly and fully without making you feel like you’re asking silly questions?
- Do they do their best to fit in with the day to day operations of your premises and cause the least possible disruption?
- Do they take the time to seek you out if need be and explain exactly how the work is going?
All of this counts as good customer services, and it’s the least you should expect from a great contractor.
Availability
Is your contractor available when you need them? During the course of a project this should go without saying, but there may come a time in the future when you need electrical services in an emergency situation.
Your contractor should provide round the clock cover when needed. Not only does this offer the reassurance of knowing they’ll be there if your systems go down in the dead of night, it also demonstrates a commitment to their customers which will be reflected in everything else they do.
Safety
A great contractor should prioritise safety – their own and their clients – above everything else. The correct safety protocols for the work being carried out should be explained and put in place as soon as they arrive at your premises. They should also set out exactly what you, or anyone else in the premises, need to do to remain safe while the work is being carried out.
Years of experience can sometimes lead to a slightly casual attitude toward safety, but the best contractors are the ones who guard against complacency at all times, and pass that message on to their clients loud and clear.
A qualified, experienced and friendly team
Here at JHE we’ve been working in the field of electrical contracting since 2003, and we tick all the boxes listed above and more. We’re qualified, professional, highly experienced and always friendly.
All our electricians are registered with NICEIC and we currently work to the 17th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations. The 18th edition comes into effect on 1st January 2019, and you can rest assured all JHE electricians will comply with it fully.
To find out more about JHE and how they can help your business or home to ensure your next project meets the latest regulations, please contact one of the team on 01763 245108 or 07710 065784.