How Do You Find A Reliable Electrician In Houston?
Like most homeowners, you probably don’t have a really great electrician at your fingertips. Most people wait until there is an emergency or want to do some major remodeling project before they start looking for one. Most of the time, they don’t know where to start. Having a trusted, reliable electrical contractor available is vital for a safe and comfortable home. Building a relationship with a licensed, certified Houston electrician through regular inspections is a good place to start.
Tips For Finding A Dependable, Certified Houston Electrician
According to one Angie’s List article, there are several questions homeowners need to ask before they hire an electrical company.
Hiring an electrician is an important decision because they work with critical home systems that affect nearly every aspect of the building and can cause significant inconvenience, damage or even house fires if the work goes wrong.
As always, homeowners should get multiple bids to ensure they received the best price for the service. To vet the companies, homeowners should ask about the following items:
- Up-to-date education: A reputable company will require staff to attend regular training courses and stay current on the National Electrical Code, which is amended every three years.
- Pulling permits: A permit is usually required in most counties and from the power company any time you’re replacing a home’s main electrical equipment or doing a significant amount of rewiring. The cost of the permit is often included in your electrician’s bill, but be sure to ask. With the permit comes an inspection to ensure the work meets code.
- Legitimate licensing: If your state requires electricians to be licensed, check that the license is current. Poor wire connections, overloaded circuits, improper grounding and broken safety elements on an electrical panel are just a few of the problems that can arise from bad workmanship. To check an electrician’s licensing, refer to the Angie’s List License Check tool. You should also protect yourself by verifying the hold the appropriate bonding and insurance, including general liability and workers’ compensation coverage.
- Specialization: Since companies specialize in different areas and scopes of work, it’s important for homeowners to hire the right company. If a homeowner only wants to replace outlets and switches, then he or she probably shouldn’t waste time calling commercial electricians that wire large buildings.
- Find out who’s doing the work: You’ll want to know if the electrician does the job themselves, if they employ helpers or apprentices, or if they use subcontractors. In the case of helpers and apprentices, verify that a licensed electrician will supervise them, and in the case of subcontractors, make certain their insurance covers you as well.
- Ask about their warranty: Highly rated electricians say a good contractor will offer a parts and labor warranty to show that they stand behind their work.
Other Tips For Finding A Local, Licensed Houston Electrical Contractor
In most places, after electricians in Houston have completed their certification training, they learn on the job through an apprenticeship program. Most state licenses also require hours of on-the-job training, which may vary by state. At Abacus, we have highly trained, experienced, licensed electricians that specialize in a broad range of residential and commercial electrical services:
- Home Electrical Safety Inspections
- Electrical panels, Breakers and Fuses
- LED Lighting
- Recessed Lighting and Light Fixtures
- Landscape Lighting
- Decorative and Accent Lighting and Ceiling Fans
- Switches and Dimmers
- Outlets
- Lightning & Surge Protection
- Sound, TV and Cable Installation
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical is a full service residential contractor that has been serving the greater Houston area for over 50 years. Abacus is a member of the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce and has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau of Houston. Abacus is licensed and insured and offers 24/7 emergency service. To learn more about Abacus Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical, visit www.abacusplumbing.net or call 713-766-3605. License Numbers: ALAN O'NEILL M-20628 | TACLB82488E | TECL 30557
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical services the greater DFW area including, but not limited to: Houston, Humble, Baytown, Bellaire, Conroe, Katy, Spring, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and more. Check out Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical reviews or see Abacus A+ BBB to confirm Abacus is a company you can trust.
