The process involved in hiring a commercial electrical contractor is vastly different from when hiring a residential electrician. With the scope of work and risks expanded commercial property owners need to pay attention to more factors to enhance quality outcomes, safety, and excellent quality services.
As a commercial property owner, the key considerations before hiring a commercial electrician include the following;
Look for a Commercially Focused Electrician
Residential and commercial electricians differ in the scope of work and guidelines followed. When looking for a commercial electrician, it is important to focus on electrical contractors who strictly handle commercial projects or offer residential and commercial services.
Hiring a commercially focused electrician means you’re working with an expert familiar with a commercial facility’s complex designs. It also means that you’ll be working with a professional who understands the important strategies to adopt to improve commercial energy use efficiency while leveraging essential elements to ensure proper lighting, safety, proper wiring, and electrical support.
Look Locally Before Expanding Your Search Radius
Hiring locally is one of the best decisions you can make, especially when looking for a commercial electrician. It is important to first look locally as this gives you better access to the commercial electrician, their past projects, and reviews from locals.
Hiring a local commercial electrician can also help you save money on project logistics and labor. For example, if the labor cost in your city is lower, then you’ll likely spend less on the project compared to hiring an electrician from another city with a relatively higher labor cost.
You can start your local search by asking for recommendations from fellow business owners or property management companies. You can also look online for recommended commercial electricians in Eugene, OR, and the surrounding areas.
Please note that recommendations should be treated with a pinch of salt. You should go the extra mile to vet each recommended company before hiring.
Read Reviews and Research Electrician’s Reputation
As stated above, recommendations should be treated lightly until each company or commercial electrician has proven themselves worthy. To vet each company, start by reading their online reviews. It is best to look at third-party review websites like Yelp, Angi’s, BBB, Facebook, and local directories to get a view of the company’s services and reputation.
It is important to avoid commercial electricians with numerous customer complaints about their services and service quality. You should also ignore companies who seem to have complaints regarding hidden charges and related pricing issues.
Avoiding companies with potential red flags can help to improve your overall experience. It can also significantly boost the project outcome.
Check for Experience, License, and Credentials
After selecting potential hires based on reviews and reputation, you should go the extra mile to check for the commercial electrician’s experience, license, and credentials. This information can often be found on the company’s website, where they will showcase how long they’ve been in business and the training or certifications held.
Hiring a highly trained, licensed, and credentialed commercial electrician can significantly improve the design and setup of your commercial electrical systems. It can also ensure that every design and installation is done to code.
Consider If the Company Has Employees or Contractors
Commercial electrical contractors are often in two options, those with in-house employees and others with a network of electricians. Contractors with in-house employees often offer better services, especially because their employees get the training needed to update them with current industry practices.
In addition, electrical contractors with in-house employees are more likely to deliver improved quality services because employees report directly to the company and are bound by the company’s core values and ethics. Such companies are also more likely to have carefully vetted each electrician in their employ and are less likely to rush through your job to take on another task.
On the other hand, electrical contractors who use other contractors have less control over the quality of services rendered or the hiring process. This means that your job could suffer some minor setbacks due to communication or quality issues.
Make Contact and Request Estimates
After further narrowing your options, now is the time to break the tie by contacting the electrical contractor and requesting an estimate. Contacting the contractor gives you a clear understanding of their customer service and how fast they respond to customer inquiries. You can also use this as a perfect chance to find out whether the company offers virtual estimates or in-person estimates.
In-person estimates are preferred because you get a chance to meet with the contractors, and they also get a chance to inspect your property carefully. The physical meeting can help you decide who to hire based on their distinctive characteristics.
Following the key steps above can significantly improve your chances of hiring the right electrical contractor in Eugene OR for your commercial project.
