Hiring Local Professionals

What to Look for When Hiring an Electrician

By Admin

Before you hire an electrician, know what qualifications to check, what questions to ask, and what to watch out for to avoid unsafe or uncertified work.

Electrical work is one of the few areas of home improvement where hiring the wrong person does not just lead to a poor finish. It can create a genuine safety risk. A badly wired circuit can cause fire, electric shock, or appliance damage, and uncertified work can cause problems when you sell your home. Knowing what to look for when choosing an electrician makes the whole process simpler and much safer.

This guide covers the qualifications to check, the questions worth asking upfront, and the signs that should make you think twice before proceeding.

Check for Proper Qualifications First

In England and Wales, most electrical work in a home is covered by Part P of the Building Regulations. This means electricians carrying out notifiable work must either be registered with a competent person scheme or notify the local authority before starting and arrange for an inspection afterwards.

The main competent person schemes for electricians are:

NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting)
NAPIT (National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers)
SELECT (the Scottish equivalent)
ELECSA

Any electrician registered with one of these schemes can self-certify their work and issue you an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) on completion. This is the document that proves the work was done to the current wiring regulations (BS 7671) and is important when you sell your property.

You can verify a contractor's registration at niceic.com or napit.org.uk before any work starts. Do not take their word for it, check the register directly.

What Qualifications Should They Hold?

Look for electricians holding:

City and Guilds 2382 (18th Edition Wiring Regulations) — the current wiring regulations, updated in 2022
City and Guilds 2391 or 2394/2395 (Inspection and Testing) — required for testing and certification
NVQ Level 3 in Electrical Installations
ECS Gold Card (Electrotechnical Certification Scheme) for site-based work

A qualified, registered electrician should be able to tell you exactly which qualifications they hold. If the question makes them uncomfortable, that tells you something.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire

Are you registered with a competent person scheme?

If yes, which one? Can you provide your registration number so you can check it online?

Will you provide an Electrical Installation Certificate?

For any notifiable work, this is not optional. If an electrician is reluctant to certify their work, decline the job.

Do you carry public liability insurance?

Ask for the insurer's name and policy number. A professional electrician should have at least £1 million in public liability cover.

What does your quote include?

Find out whether materials are included or charged separately, whether the price covers making good (filling walls or ceilings after chasing cables), and whether the certification fee is included in the quote.

Have you done this type of work before?

Consumer unit upgrades, EV charger installations, and rewires are all quite different jobs. A good electrician will have relevant recent experience for your specific type of work.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Offers to do the job "off the books" without certification
Cannot produce proof of registration or insurance
Quote is provided verbally only with no written breakdown
Pressure to start immediately without allowing time to get other quotes
Reluctance to discuss qualifications or certification
Asks to be paid fully in cash upfront before any work starts

Getting Multiple Quotes

For anything more than a minor repair, get at least two or three quotes. Prices for electrical work vary, and some electricians charge significantly more than others for the same job without any corresponding difference in quality. Written quotes allow you to compare like for like and spot if one contractor has left something out.

When comparing quotes, check that each one covers the same scope of work. A quote that excludes certification, making good, and materials can look cheaper but end up costing more once everything is added.

When to Get an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

If you are moving into an older property, buying a buy-to-let, or have not had your electrics checked in ten years or more, an EICR is worth having. This is a full inspection of your existing wiring and consumer unit, resulting in a report that grades any defects. An EICR costs £150 to £300 depending on property size and is a good starting point before any upgrade work.

Landlords are legally required to have an EICR carried out every five years or at the start of a new tenancy.

Ready to Find a Local Electrician?

Post your job on QuoteBank to get quotes from registered electricians near you. You can describe the work, specify that you need certification included, and read reviews from other homeowners before you decide who to hire.