3 Questions to Ask When Hiring an Electrician

These days, there are so many home projects and repairs that you can do with the help of a YouTube tutorial and trip to Home Depot; but electrical work usually isn’t one of them. While we’ll always let you know what is generally safe to do yourself, electricity can gravely injure you so many things require a professional. Here are some questions to ask an electrician before you hire them (and our answers, so you can get to know us).

1. Are you licensed and insured?

This is the most important thing you can ask! Anyone who performs repairs or other work on your home should at minimum have a license for the type of work they’re doing and carry insurance. (We’re licensed and insured.)

2. What are your rates/how much will the project cost me?

You never want to get hit with surprise charges when getting a project done in your home. Ask about trip charges, hourly rates, and any other fees you can expect for the service. (Grand Bay offers a free inspection, diagnosis, and estimate before starting work so you know exactly what to expect.)

3. Who will actually do the work?

Particularly in larger planned projects rather than emergency response, it’s common for a Master Electrician to come out for an inspection and estimate but for the Journeyman and Apprentice working under him to do some or all of the actual work. Don’t worry - these are also highly trained professionals and they’re covered under the Master’s license. But it’s normal to want to know who to expect at your house. (When you schedule an appointment with us, we’ll tell you who to expect and they’ll give you a call on the way to your appointment just to remind you.)

There are plenty of service providers out there these days; you have tons of options but also more to worry about because it’s hard to sort the pros from the DIYers. Do your homework and don’t be afraid to ask questions. 

When you hire Grand Bay Electric, you get highly professional, personalized service from a company with decades of experience in western Michigan. Whether you need a new breaker box for your home or a full security and alarm system for your business, the team at Grand Bay is there for you. Call today to schedule an appointment.