It’s not every day that you invite a contractor into your home, so it’s natural to have questions about the process. A professional electrician should make the process feel easygoing and smooth. After you make an appointment for electrical repairs or installations, here’s what the homeowner can expect:
How You Can Be Prepared
We’re the experts — that’s why you called us. To speed up and ease the project, though, you can clear the workspace and prepare any questions you might have. If a broken electrical outlet is blocked by a console table with delicate art objects on it, it’s better to move things out of the way before the electrician arrives. If you want the electrician to inspect for other issues unrelated to the main task, be ready to ask questions and point things out before the work starts.
Also, it helps to make yourself available. Someone with decision-making authority should be present when the electrician arrives. We know you’re busy and have other things to do, but we may need you to make a decision or approve work in the midst of the job. If you can be reached, it helps avoid delays and get the work done faster.
What to Expect During an Electrician Visit
When you invite an electrician into your home, you should feel like a friendly professional has arrived to communicate and solve problems. Most electrical work is a one-person job, but it requires a good bit of communication with the homeowner. Here’s what you should expect:
- Respect for your schedule. Appointments are only meaningful when you work with a punctual and reliable electrician. We may run a few minutes late because of traffic and other issues, but you should not feel like you’re trapped at home waiting for the doorbell! Professionals will reschedule well in advance if necessary and call to alert you if there’s a delay.
- Professional conduct. For any contractor, clean clothes and a smile go a long way. A disheveled-looking electrician who can barely make eye contact fails to inspire much confidence. If something seems off, you might want to refuse the work — the results might match the professionalism of the worker’s appearance and conduct.
- Helpful communication. Electrical work involves plenty of jargon, but an electrician should be able to put things in lay terms to help a homeowner make smart decisions and feel comfortable.
- Expertise and preparation. Sometimes your electrician might need to stop and get a special part before proceeding. In general, though, electricians should have the appropriate knowledge in their head and the right tools in the box.
- Paperwork in order. You can ask for proof of insurance and licensing before the work begins, and you can request a detailed job order or bill.
- Job completion. Talk to your electrician to know exactly how things will stand after the finished job — will you need to repaint something or will another contractor be necessary to repair plaster? An experienced electrician should be able to complete a job and clean up afterward with minimal disruption.
Ready for your appointment? Talk to your electrician and find out what the work entails to get a clearer picture of what to expect from the visit.
