Being over charged doesn’t necessarily mean looking at the total price of the job – although to be fair the vast majority of us do look at that bottom line to determine whether or not to proceed.
When it comes to having electrical work carried out in your home, it is important that the electrician who carries out the work is going to leave your home in a safer state than it was before.
This time, I’m going to outline some simple fundamentals you need to think about when receiving quotes for electrical work.
Firstly, ensure that your quote contains a detailed breakdown of what work is going to be carried out and the type/brand of the accessories are going to be used – what’s included in your quote? This is important. I have seen first hand the devastation caused to homeowners in Medway and Maidstone from simple misunderstandings between the homeowner and the electrician.
What materials are going to be used? This may seem silly to suggest that the materials the tradesperson uses will be inferior but unfortunately it does happen. Much of the items fitted in your home such as ventilation systems (fans) consumer units (fuse boxes) and downlights have to comply with several electrical and building regulations. The use of inferior products obtained cheaply can leave your home in a dangerous condition, leading to increased risk of fire and electric shock.
If the quote you’ve received seems very cheap, I would suggest asking the electrician how the work can be done so cheap – remember an electrician in Medway, Kent and the rest of the country has to issue certificates, buy quality materials, provide a high standard of workmanship, be reliable and trustworthy, and above all be suitably qualified and insured to carry out the work. This is in addition to buying their tools and running costs of their van.
Quoting a customer for remedial work following shoddy and dangerous workmanship is never a pleasant experience and of course this has cost the customer more money in the longer term. I have seen jobs where the cheaper ‘’electrician’’ finish the job in very poor standards and left the customer’s home in a worse condition than it was in before.
I have also seen instances where the incorrect cable sizes have been used to connect household items such as cookers and showers leading to cable meltdown and fire. Live cables being left in customers homes when the electrician has left the job temporarily (often to go to a bigger, more lucrative job)
Don’t feel pressured into accepting a quote, take the time to think about what is right for your home.
An electrician doesn’t cost the earth, but please don’t fall into the trap of accepting very cheap quotes thinking that you will save money.
If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t, trust your instincts and go elsewhere!
