Looking for an electrical contractor for your new project? The most challenging aspect of such a search includes finding an organization that is not too small to provide the required resources for your deal and yet not too big so that your project will be lost, and at the same time you also need a specific skill set within a budget to accomplish the task at hand. That is a very difficult combination to come across. You have to also look into the authenticity and the quality of services provided by them, since you do not want to around re-doing all the work again. It is essential for your electrical work to be secure and code complaint and therefore it must be done according to the National Electrical Code and has to follow the local building rules. The only way to figure out if you are selecting the right professional who has experience, knowledge, resources, required skills and connections to complete the project safely all you need to do is ask the following nine questions:

1. Do you posses the required documentation for conducting the project?
It is essential for you to know if your electrical contractor has all his legal documents and licenses in place or not. Most states and communities require the contractors to be licensed since that brings in a level of professionalism. Not to mention, they are required to have permit for the kind of services they are expected to carry out.  Someone who claims to be an electrician but lacks the license to prove the same is not your guy. There are two levels of licensure – the journeyman is only licensed to carry out installations and must work with a senior electrician. Whereas, the senior electrician is authorized to both design and carry out installations. Therefore, there exists a twofold licensure which must be confirmed before hiring the individual for any project.

2. Do you have insurance?
The service of an electrical contractor is accompanied by potential liability due to obvious reasons. Therefore, you must always make sure that the contractor you employ has insurance. An electrical contractor you hire should at least have a sum of $500,000 in liability along with workers’ compensation insurance.

3. What sort of electrical work do you specialize in?
You need a specific skill set to attend to your project, therefore it is important for you to know what your contractor specializes in. Nowadays, due to the availability of a variety of different electrical work, specialization has become a common practice. Therefore, make sure that the specialization matches the requirements of your project.

4. Can you give references?
Since you are hiring them, you might as well have a look at their previous projects. So ask them for references so that you can decide if you are satisfied with their quality of work and their approach towards it.

5. What is included in the estimate?
An estimate has to be comprehensive. You should have prior knowledge of all the various expenses for the different aspects of the project. While deciding the estimate you should have a word about the pricing structure and the incidentals as well. This includes things such as repairing drywall and various other things throughout the course of the job.

6. What are the permits required and who will obtain them?
The permits are important since it ensures that the city inspector would check the work being done. The permits are usually obtained by the electrical contractor himself.

7. Who will carry out the work?
You need to be aware of all the minute details therefore you also need to know who will actually carry out the work. You may also want to know about their past experience and the team they will be working with.

8. What type of guarantee is offered?
Mostly the electricians you will deal with will live up to your expectations completely. They will be responsible for all the fixtures, the devices or any other equipment that they buy for you through their professional accounts. This area usually is not of much concern for the employer.

9. Can you see a similar project in progress?
It is always easier to decide when you see a similar project being executed by the same group of people who are hired to carry out your project as well. You will be able to see their way of working and since the work is similar, it will remove all concerns and doubts if you like their way of working. This is essential for big projects which are more extravagant and expensive. You should be looking for organized and orderly installations; neat cable extensions and clear labeling. If you manage to tick off these little points, you can be rest assured that your project will be completed with perfection.