5 Factors to Consider When Hiring a Commercial Electrician

1. Scan for References and Reviews

Maybe this is the first time that you've had to call a commercial electrician in since your company moved into the building. Perhaps you've been burned by a previous service and are looking for a new one to take its place.

No matter what your situation, it's vitally important that you find someone with the right mindset. That being a "customer first" mindset. 

Fortunately, there are two simple ways of doing this: checking online reviews and asking the company for references you can reach out to.

With online reviews, you can get a glimpse into the different experiences that previous clients have had with the brand. Some good, some bad. The key is to focus on the comments that were left behind, not necessarily the ratings.

Were they satisfied with their service? Did the electrician show up on time? How long have they been working with them? What problems were they experiencing? Was the issue resolved after the electrician came to visit?



All of these answers will help you find the best commercial electrician for your needs. You will find someone that offers high-quality service and customer support to their clients. If you need further confirmation, you can request a reference or two from the service.

2. Comparing Electrician Fees

This goes back to the customer-first mindset that was just mentioned. All commercial electrician services have fees; some of them try to hide them, others are transparent about the fees they have.

Obviously, you want to find someone that fits the latter description. Not only will they let you know what the fees entail, but they might also be willing to discuss options of clearing them once the service reaches a certain price threshold.

Start by creating a budget for this expense. How much can you spare to spend on this repair? What all needs to be replaced? How much does that repair or replacement (or both) typically run for? These are all questions that a trustworthy electrician will be happy to shed some light on.

Once you have all that laid out, ask for an estimate with all the fees included. This will give you a better idea of where the cost stands with your budget. 



Whatever you do, don't hire a commercial electrician just because their prices are significantly lower than the others. You get what you pay for. Instead, focus on finding the highest quality service for the price.

3. Check for Insurance

As you might imagine, commercial electrical work is quite a risky job. Not only is there the risk of being shocked or electrocuted, but the worker could also trip over the wiring, fall of a ladder, and so on.

That's why it's so important for you to make sure the commercial electrician company you've hired has insurance policies of their own. Make sure they have policies like business liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance for their staff.

If an accident were to occur on your property and the company doesn't have insurance, you could wind up being the one covering all the expenses.



A reputable company will have all the necessary policies in place to protect their company, their employees, and (most importantly) their clients. If they seem like they're being sketchy when you ask, cross them off your list.

4. Find an Experienced Workforce

Many companies make the mistake of hiring a commercial electrician service based on the "years of service" that the company has. They deem the years of service as a sign of experience in the field. However, this sometimes leads to them dealing with an electrician with minimal experience.

There's a huge difference between years of service and experience. You want to make sure the electrician that comes to your building has years of service under his/her belt.



That way, they'll be able to troubleshoot the problem easily and find a resolution for the long haul. Otherwise, you might be scheduling multiple visits, which can be frustrating and lead to long setbacks for your company.

5. Familiarity With Commercial Electrical Systems

Don't hire a residential electrician to do a commercial electrician's job. Those are two vastly different services.

Commercial electrical systems are much more powerful and require someone with experience working on and solving electrical issues for retail stores, offices, corporate buildings, and so on.

The more emphasis that you put into it, the better outcome you'll have. Be sure to look for commercial services from the start so that you don't experience a setback.



Keep in mind that there are services that provide residential, commercial, and industrial electrical services. You just need to make sure the electrician they send out has experience in commercial needs.

Find the Best Commercial Electrician for Your Needs

Now that you have seen several different factors to consider while you search for a commercial electrician, be sure to use it to your advantage.

Be sure to read this article to educate yourself on power surges and dips, what causes them, and what you should do when they happen.

For more inquiries, please be sure to reach out via our contact us page and Buell Electric will be happy to assist you further.