Sometimes things are just too good to be true, like an electrician offering services at half the normal rate. How can they work for so little when others cannot? It’s more than likely that he or she lacks the required permit or general liability and workers compensation insurance. In other words, he or she is an unlicensed electrician.
An unlicensed electrician is a serious risk to you and your home. An electrical license is given based on skill, education, and experience. Anyone without this license is not qualified go by “electrician”, let alone offer electrical services. We at fred understand that hard work goes into becoming an electrician, and for good reason; as there are plenty of dangers that come with hiring a non-professional.
Your House
Although there are several bad scenarios, the area that an unlicensed electrician can cause the least amount of damage to is the home’s wiring. A professional can address those mistakes easily. The worst case is that a poor electrical job causes an electrical fire. These fires are hard to extinguish and can create irreversible damage. An electrician’s job is no easy task and it’s probable that whatever money you saved in hiring this “electrician” will not rival the costs to replace your home.
Insurance
An unlicensed electrician is not insured, which means that the liability for the damage will be placed on you. Potentially, thousands of dollars in damage repair could be the price you pay for hiring someone that is not qualified. A legitimate contractor with certified electricians will have insurance in case an accident happens, which is far less likely to happen with a professional in the first place. Overall you need to ask yourself, is the risk worth the reward here?
Liability
The problem can amplify if an unlicensed electrician harms their self on the job. A good contractor will have general liability insurance to cover any potential injuries, while someone who is uncertified will not. All things considered, the cost of the injury will be placed on you, which your homeowners’ insurance company will need to cover. Costs will go up, and there is no guarantee that you will be reimbursed for any of the damage.
How Do I Know?
There are some simple precautionary measures to ensure that your electrician is the real deal. First of all, ask the electrician for their license number. A real professional will be happy to provide it, and you can easily look it up online (MD, VA, DC) to make sure that they are registered to work in your state. You can also ask the electrician for a copy of his insurance certificate, which gives detailed information on the extensiveness of its coverage and effective dates.
fred looks out for its customers, ensuring that they don’t make a bad decision when it comes to taking care of their homes. If you feel like you may have hired a faulty electrician or want to ensure that your electricity is managed by a real professional, remember that you can always schedule Fred, the first name in home repair.
