Even so, general contractors don’t have it much easier than homeowners when it comes to selecting the right electrical contractor for any particular project.
Most experienced builders have a reliable contact or two. But there are plenty of situations where you might need to find a new electrical contractor to work with:
Maybe your “go to guy” is booked solid.
Maybe you’re breaking into new markets.
Or maybe you have an installation that requires specialized skills or capabilities.
For whatever reason you’re looking, there are some guidelines to follow in your search for a reliable new contact.
But first, a quick primer on what you should be looking for.
Reliable AND Right Fit
Reliability, attention to detail, timeliness, experience, professionalism, expertise, affordability.
All important characteristics to look for in any contractor—and we’ll go into detail about how to find electrical contractors in the UK with such traits.
But there is actually something more important than all of these qualities:
Project compatibility.
When it comes to electrical systems, you need to make sure who you hire for the job can actually handle your specific installation and work well with your company.
This leads us directly into the first step involved in finding the right contractor for your project.
Know What You Need
Too often, general contractors and project managers reach out to contractors who handle electrical installations before they have established the full parameters of the job they are hiring for.
This may make sense on the surface. But this method has a fatal flaw:
What if the contractor you have contacted is short on leads?
What if they will do whatever it takes to keep your business, including accepting work they shouldn’t?
Of course, the info throughout the remainder of this post will help increase your chances of finding an honest and reliable contractor. But there is simply no logic in tempting and teasing businesses with leads that they aren’t qualified for.
So research your project first.
Establish a Scope of Work up front.
Only then should you begin to reach out to worthy candidates.
If you’ve done your due diligence yet feel that you need more expertise to establish what needs to be done, create a preliminary one up front anyway. Then take that to several different contractors and use their perspectives to hash out the specifics.
If you’ve done a good job selecting dependable contractors, these discussions will help you establish what your final Scope of Work will need to look like.
Then you can go ahead and begin:
Vetting Out Honest, Reliable Electrical Contractors
Traditionally, most work for labor contractors was gained via referral.
Today, this is still one of the very best ways for general contractors to connect with electrical contractors they can count on. If you’re a veteran with a solid network of contacts in the industry, send out feelers to your peers for some of their favorite contractors.
However, it’s possible that you may exhaust this option with no luck.
Luckily for us all, the Internet helps us connect like never before.
Google search results and online reviews are a great place to start. Generally, the most popular companies on the Web get that way through goodwill in the marketplace.
Just be sure you aren’t too dazzled by those little yellow rating stars. This is just how you build a list of “maybe’s”.
Whether you need a contractor for a one-off job or are looking for a long-term partnership, it’s vital that you take a look at portfolios and speak to references—no matter how many 5-star reviews a candidate has online or where a recommendation came from.
In their portfolio, be sure to look for installations similar to what you need.
When you speak to references, there are many important things to ask about. You might want to start with questions like:
Was your project completed on time? Did they maintain a professional manner? Did they leave the job site cleaner than they found it?
Then you might want to finish with questions like:
Would you use this electrical contractor again? Did this electrical contractor meet or exceed your expectations?
By talking to real people who have worked with an individual or company before, you can get a real feel for what you can expect.
This will allow you to:
Make an Informed Decision
Don’t take any shortcuts.
The more effort you put into this side of the process, the less effort you will expend correcting mistakes and other issues once you’re on the “action” side.
Obviously, you want to make sure potential contractors are licensed and insured: ask to see the documents. They also need to offer a warranty or guarantee on their work.
It’s also vital that you check within the CHAS and NICEIC databases to make sure your candidate is a member.
If they pass these tests, you’re almost ready to make a hiring decision.
However, there are still a few extra considerations that need to be made.
One of the main criteria you want to look at relates back to compatibility, but in a different way than mentioned before. At this point, you should only be considering candidates who can successfully complete your job.
But you also want to factor in the standard operating procedures and relative size of any electrical contractor you might be thinking of working with. Whether searching for a stop-gap solution for a single job or looking for a contractor to include in your regular rotation, make sure the manpower matches up.
If the company is too big, your project may get lost among their projects. If the company is too small, the timetable and quality may suffer.
Ideally, you’d select a contractor whose typical work matches the job you are interviewing them for. It’s also vital that you know exactly who your point of contact is within the company.
When it comes down to the final selection, follow best practices:
Make sure the Scope of Work is finalized, the bid is realistic in terms of price and timetable, and create a contract.
Also, be sure that you stay wary of contractors who quote extremely low bids or fast timetables:
There are few superhuman electrical contractors. Yet, there are many who cut corners on building and safety codes.
This why it is so important to be thorough along every step of the selection process:
To “weed out” the untrustworthy candidates as early as possible.
Wrap up the Search
From here, all that’s really left is to set your new electrical contractor up for success by providing them with all the direction and support they need.
You also might want to take all the research you did narrowing down your candidates and save it. This could make things easier when you are in need yet another electrical contracting company.
Now, you are set up to go and find your new rockstar electrical contractor. If you’ve learned something new or gained important insights, please like and share this post. Also, please feel free to ask any questions or contribute good new information in the comments below!