How to find a great electrician you can trust

One of the hardest things about finding a tradesman, whether that is an electrician, a builder or a plumber, is finding someone that you can trust to do a great job at a fair price. Today, I'm going to share some tips with you about finding a great electrician.

• Ask for recommendations. A lot of our work from private customers comes from recommendations from previous clients. Our customers love what we do for them, and are happy to spread the word to their friends, family and colleagues and we are so happy about this. Ask the people you know if they've had any work done recently, or if they can recommend an electrician.
• Check they are an NICEIC approved electrician. NICEIC are the UK's leading voluntary regulatory body for the electrical contracting industry. It has been assessing the electrical competence of electricians for nearly sixty years. When you get a recommendation, search for the company on the NICEIC to ensure that you're getting an electrician who is regulated and approved. If you weren't able to get a recommendation, you can also search for registered electricians in your area. APR Electrical Solutions Ltd are NICEIC approved contractors and domestic installers. 
• Search for their Facebook page or Google reviews. Now you've found a company, try searching their company name in Google. These days, companies can be reviewed by their customer's on their facebook page or on google reviews. See our 5 star review on facebook here. Although this isn't as important a step as the one above, it can help to hear what other customers are saying to put your mind at rest!
• Ask for a written quote. Don't be afraid to ask for a written quote, yes a good electrical contracting company will be busy but they won't be too busy to give you a quote. A good electrician will be happy to provide you with one so you can see exactly what you're getting and how much it will cost you. APR Electrical can offer free quotes to all our customers, just contact us to arrange one. Although, bear in mind that if you make any changes once the work starts this may alter the final cost.
• Check for insurance. Check that the electrical company you're thinking of hiring has proper insurance, we all hope we would never have to use it but we have it just in case. Don't be afraid to ask your chosen electrical company to see a copy of their insurance - if they have it, they won't mind showing you!
• Don't necessarily go for the cheapest quote. If you get quotes from a few different companies and one is noticeably lower than the rest, ask why. Perhaps their training isn't up to date (the best way to check this is to ensure they are registered with NICEIC) or they don't have insurance. If they tick these boxes, then great! But it only takes a few minutes of your time to check for peace of mind.
• Trust your instincts. When the electrician visits your property, trust your instincts. Are they friendly, polite and confident? Are they honest and transparent about the cost and time frames? Are they happy to discuss your project? Do they offer ideas or tell you how they can achieve what you are asking?

Following these tips will give you the ability to find the right electrician for you. If you want anymore advice on how to find a great electrician, then head over to our facebook or twitter page, or contact us and we'll be happy to assist you.