Hiring someone to electrical work on your home can be daunting task. How do you know the person that you find is going to be trustworthy, or knowledgeable? There are review services and BBB ratings, sure, but can you always trust them? Here we have compiled some tips for spotting a bad electrician. There are major red flags, and knowing these can help prevent you from having a negative experience!

 

1. Has your electrician rescheduled multiple times, with a wishy washy excuse, or no call at all? This is called unreliable service, and the first sign of a bad experience to come. If you were scheduled for 9 am, and at noon you're still waiting for them to show up, that's considered unreliable.

 

2. Not all electricians wear uniforms. This is fine, but they should always have a clean, professional appearance. If your electrician arrives looking like he/she just rolled out of bed, this is an unprofessional appearance. If they don't take pride in their appearance, how does that affect the pride they show in their work?

 

3. A prepared electrician will have all the necessary tools to complete the job at hand. One trip to the shop is excusable, sometimes jobs are not as easy as they seem. However, if your 1 hour job turns into a 3 hour job with constant runs to the shop, your electrician is unprepared and wasting time.

 

4. Attitude is everything, and you shouldn't feel bothersome when asking questions. As the homeowner and paying customer, you should ask any questions you have, and receive no complaints or rolling eyes. This is an unprofessional attitude.

 

5. The last sign, and perhaps the most important, is poor quality of work. Are there exposed wires, sparks, or signs of a shortcut? Electricians have strict codes to follow, and a quality electrician will not use a shortcut to save time.

 

We've pointed out a few ways to spot a not so great electrician, but there are sure to be others! Knowing what not to look for will hopefully prevent you from going with the wrong contractor.