When it comes to your business, you cannot afford to leave everything to chance, especially in terms of safety. Even a minor mishap can lead to major losses due to claims, fines, and damages. So, when looking for electrical services to install a wiring system for a new building, upgrade an existing one, or fix some faults, you should ensure you are hiring the right contractor. You can start on the right foot by asking the right questions during your initial interview or meeting.
Questions to Ask When Hiring a Commercial Electrician
Not all electrical services are created equal, with one not having the same amount of skills and experience as another. To determine the best contractor for your needs, you should ask the right questions.
Are you licensed by the state?
Both electrical companies and individual electricians should be licensed by the state to perform their job. In Australia, they would also have different levels of licensure, which are:
- Electrical contractor – Licensed to engage in the electrical contracting business.
- Master electrician – Certified to provide electrical design and installation services. At least two years of field experience is a must.
- Electrical worker – Also known as “journeyman” in other places, this individual is certified to work on electrical work in the class stated on their licence. Most of the time, they work under the supervision of a master electrician.
A licence is always required by the government for electrical contractors. So, if you are considering a commercial electrician Qld has today, make sure to check them on the state’s Electrical Licence Register.
What and how much does your insurance cover?
Given the risk and high liability potential of their work, electricians should have an insurance policy in place as protection. As the one hiring them, it is important for you to know what it covers should something unfavourable happen as your project progresses. Will it also protect you from any financial liabilities for your property or any of your employees?
Aside from that, you should also try to ask how much their insurance will cover. Under Queensland’s public liability law, for example, commercial electricians are required to hold a minimum amount of $55,000 of cover to protect consumers against defects and non-completion of electrical work.
What is your specialisation?
Like other contractors, electrical companies also have specialisations of their own. While some specialise in installations and updating, others are experts in maintenance and repairs. To know which contractor to hire, look into the type of project you have.
What Type of Training Do Your People Have?
Aside from installation, updates, maintenance, and repairs, there are also other aspects of electrical work that you may need for your project. For example, you might need to install a solar power system, automation system, or voice/data cables for your business. In this case, it also makes sense to hire electrical services Brisbane has today that are performed by individuals who are trained to work on such systems.
Do you offer any warranty for your work?
Trusted electricians will be confident to offer you a warranty to prove the quality of their work. Regardless, a warranty will protect you from any additional expenses if a problem arises in your electrical system within the warranty period.
Aside from these questions, you should also seek other pieces of information that will be relevant to both their services and your project, such as cost estimates, permits, and the contractor’s past and present work, among others.
You can also seek out references and read reviews to gather feedback from other businesses that have used the same contractor.
What an Electrical Work Contract Should Contain
Of course, when you are hiring a commercial electrician, you will enter into a contract to serve as a legally binding document for your agreement. And, this contract should contain the following details:
- Timeline for the project
- Scope of work
- Fees and other related costs
- Terms and conditions of the services provided
Aside from these, the contract could also specifically define the roles of each member of the contracting company to ensure that someone will be responsible for each task necessary for your project.
With these pieces of information, you will have a solid reference should any dispute arise in the course of carrying out your project or after its completion.
Conclusion
The importance of hiring electrical services for your business cannot be stressed enough. Not only that it ensures everyone in your establishment is safe from fire hazards, but it also protects you from huge unwanted financial obligations that you should answer to if an accident happens. That is why you should have the right contractor for the job. So, do your research, read reviews, seek referrals, and ask the right questions.
For more invaluable tips and information that you can use in running your business, check out the other articles on our website!
