How to Choose an Electrician

Electrical work is one of the few jobs around the house where a mistake can be both invisible and dangerous. A poorly made connection behind a socket can sit there for years before it overheats. That makes choosing the right person more important than for most trades, yet many people pick whoever can come soonest. This guide sets out what to check, in roughly the order you'd come across it.

Start with the job, not the electrician

Before ringing round, write down what you want done and why. "Three more sockets in the kitchen and a light in the garden" is easier to price accurately than "some electrics in the kitchen". Note the age of the property if you know it, where the consumer unit is, and whether there have been any problems such as tripping. The clearer the brief, the more comparable your quotes will be. If you aren't sure what you need, say so: a good electrician will ask questions rather than guess.

Check competent person scheme registers

In England, some electrical work in homes is "notifiable" under the Building Regulations, which means it must either be signed off by your local building control body or carried out by an electrician registered with a government-authorised competent person scheme. Registered electricians can self-certify their notifiable work, and the scheme then notifies the local authority on your behalf.

Every scheme keeps a public register. If an electrician says they belong to one, look them up on that register or on the combined search at electricalcompetentperson.co.uk, and check the name and address match the business quoting you. Logos on a van or website are not proof on their own. If the electrician isn't registered for the type of work involved, ask how they plan to deal with Building Regulations: the usual answer is to notify building control before work starts, which involves a fee and an inspection. Our guide to Building Regulations and electrical work explains which jobs are notifiable.

Get written quotes that can be compared

A verbal figure over the phone is a starting point, not a quote. A written quote should tell you:

• exactly what will be installed, and where;
• whether testing and the certificate are included;
• what happens about making good, such as filling chases and holes;
• what is excluded, for example decorating or remedial work found during testing;
• how long the work should take and roughly when it could start;
• how and when payment is expected.

When two prices are very different, the cause is usually scope rather than greed or generosity. One electrician may have allowed for upgrading earthing and bonding while the other hasn't. Ask each one the same questions and the differences normally become clear.

Ask about certificates

Any electrical work should end with paperwork. New circuits and consumer unit replacements need an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), with test results for each circuit. Smaller jobs on an existing circuit, like adding a socket, get a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate. For notifiable work you should also receive a Building Regulations compliance certificate, either from the scheme or from building control. Ask at the quote stage which certificates you'll receive. Hesitation here is a warning sign. Keep them safe: you'll want them when you sell the house or let it.

Insurance questions to ask

It's reasonable to ask any contractor working in your home whether they hold public liability insurance and to see evidence of it. For larger jobs you might also ask whether the business offers any insurance-backed cover for its work, and what happens if a problem appears after the job is finished. You're not being awkward by asking; you're doing what a sensible client does.

Look at how they communicate

You'll learn a lot from the first conversation. Do they ask about the property and what you're trying to achieve? Do they explain what they're proposing in a way you can follow? Do they turn up when they say they will, or let you know if they can't? For anything more than a small job, a site visit before pricing is a good sign. So is someone who tells you honestly that a job isn't for them.

Warning signs

• No written quote, or a quote with no description of the work.
• Pressure to decide on the spot, or a large cash payment requested up front.
• Reluctance to say which certificates you'll receive.
• A claimed scheme membership you can't find on the register.
• Advice to skip testing "to save money".

Domestic or commercial?

Some electricians mainly work on new-build sites or commercial premises, others mostly in homes. Either can be the right choice, but it's worth asking what kind of work they do most. For the kinds of domestic jobs we take on, see our domestic electrical page. If you'd like to talk a job through, call 01235 430442.