Hiring the right electrician is an important decision since the work they do has impact on the safety of you and your family, and your home, business, or other property. For example, faulty wiring is a major cause of fires and other accidents and at the very least can cause inconvenient loss of electrical power.

Standards and certification for electricians

In the United Kingdom, the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) recommends that you only use approved contractors for electrical work. There are five “Full Competence” schemes approved by the NICEIC for electrical contractors:

• Domestic Installer Scheme – Offered by NICEIC Certification Services Limited
• BRE Scheme – Offered by BRE Certification Limited, the Electrical Contractors Association and the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
• Kitemark Scheme – From the British Standards Institution.
• ELECSA Scheme – Offered by ELECSA Limited with support from the British Board of Agrément
• NAPIT Scheme – Offered by NAPIT Certification Limited.

There are more than 10,500 approved contractors in the UK, and for certain types of work covered by what are known as Part P building regulations, you must have a Part P registered contractor do the job.

Getting recommendation and references

One of the best ways to learn about competent electrical contractors is through word of mouth. The best recommendations often come from people who you trust like family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. However, with advances in technology, dedicated websites such as Falkirk Electricians make it easier to find a qualified electrician in no time.

You can also ask prospective electrical contractors for references of past clients. If they have done good work in the past, contractors should have no problem in providing such references.

Of course, one of the most important questions is how much the job will cost. You should get at least a few estimates so that you can compare prices. Also ask around to get an idea of general rates for jobs similar to yours.

Make sure that you know exactly what is included in the price offered. Many contractors will give one price, but then add on extra costs once the work has started if they find additional issues. Get a detailed estimate that includes all the work that you are paying for. If you are not sure if some work is included in the estimate, then ask the contractor directly. Ask whether the price includes value added tax (VAT), and whether the contractor will accept installment payments for costly jobs.

You will also want to ask whether the contractors guarantee their work. If so, they should be willing to give you a written guarantee. And find out if your contractor is fully insured. Obviously you want an electrician with experience, so you should interview all prospective contractors about the extent of their previous work.

Once you have shopped around and compared quotes along with the qualifications of the contractors, you should be able to choose the right electrician. In some cases, you may be able to do most or all of your searching over the internet. Many contractors have their own websites, and there are also sites that allow you to compare local companies. You can review the different companies right from these sites and get contact information for those that interest you.