How to find a good electrician

Being an electrician is so much more than carrying out re-wires and fitting new sockets – although of course this is the most essential part!

Much of our time here at Fulcher Edwards is spent visiting potential clients in and around London advising and quoting electrical work. This is a very important aspect of our job and one which we enjoy doing as its a great opportunity to show our clients what we can offer and allow them to judge us on our high standards and workmanship that we proudly offer to every client we serve.

Of course a question that is in many of our customers minds is “Every electrician we see claims to be great, how do we know if you really are the electrician we should choose to use?” Its a very valid question and one which requires some consideration. After all you are allowing this person into your home and trusting them to carry out potentially dangerous electrical work. Naturally it is important that the electrician is right for the job.

We've put together some tips on how to find a good electrician. Following these simple steps will tell you whether or not you should be using their services. Always allow plenty of time to arrange quotes and don't feel pressured into accepting any particular quote. Always give quotes thought and don't be afraid to ask questions. It can prevent any misunderstanding later. We also recommend you obtain at least 3 quotes to give you a rough idea of the price range you are looking at. A competitive quote, that is a quote in the middle is generally the best guideline. Too cheap and you need to ask yourself why, likewise you don't want to pay too much without good reason.

Here are our top tips to finding a good electrician:

1. Always ensure your electrician is qualified to carry out the work and is Part P registered. A good electrician will happily show you their certification which can take the form of 17^th edition electrician or domestic installer. Being Part P certified with an organisation such as the NICEIC, NAPIT or ELECSA means the electrician can certify their work which means less expense for you and means the work will be carried out to the right standards. Pay particular attention to when the electrician qualified – does this match with the level of experience they claim to have? It is also worth checking that the electrician is insured. This protects your home in the event of damage occurring (it is rare but can happen.)

2. Before accepting a quote, it is a good idea to see examples of work carried out previously by the electrician, ideally a similar job that you are looking to have done. A good way of doing this is by speaking to friends, family and neighbours who have had electrical work carried out. Of course high standards of workmanship are important, but also ask how good their time keeping was, whether they finished the job on time, how long it took and if they kept to the quotation price. Electricians are happy to supply references should you wish to have them and often carry a portfolio of previous work carried out.

3. When obtaining a quote, it should be presented in a professional manner, ideally printed clearly detailing all prices. It is a good idea to ask for a breakdown of all costs so you can see what is included in the costs – and importantly what isn't. This can prevent misunderstanding later on once work has commenced. You will know what is, and what isn’t included in the price you pay. This can be very helpful when looking at prices. Many cheap quotes don't include the cost of materials for example. Do the costs include VAT if applicable? Is this the full quote or are there added extras which need to be accounted for.

4. The issuing of Part P certification does vary from electrician to electrician. Theoretically, once the job is complete the electrician should leave the certificate with the property. Some electricians complete the paperwork at home and forward the certificate to the customer a few days later. The certificate incidentally belongs to the property and not the person. If the property is later sold, the certificate would be required to prove the electrical installation is safe.

5. Most electricians will specialise in a specific area of electrics. For example a domestic electrician will specialise in working in peoples homes. If you are thinking of having electrical work carried out in your home then a domestic electrician will have the specialised understanding required to carry out the job in the best way. There are also commercial and industrial electricians who carry out work for business and industry. Increasing numbers of electricians do specialise across all the sectors and certainly here at Fulcher Edwards although we work across all 3 sectors, our team of electricians specialise in a certain area, thus ensuring that the electrician that attends your job will specialise in your area. We certainly recommend consulting an electrician who specialises in the area needing the work.

A good starting point is looking on the Electrical Safety Register http://www.electricalsafetyregister.com/about.html a one stop shop to finding a local registered electrician. The electricians on here have all been assessed against rigorous technical standards. Fulcher Edwards are proud to be listed on this register which only the best electricians are featured on.