Frequently Asked Questions

At some point, you probably have experienced a power outage or blackout. For people who are used to the amenities of modern society, these blackouts can be an annoyance. We owe all the comforts of our life to electricity, which plays a major role in our life. Right from cooking and cleaning to television and computers – all this depends on electricity. Luckily for you, your Austin electrician is within reach and can take care of all kinds of problems like installing new appliances or making repairs on your wiring.

Installing, upgrading, and repairing wiring in residential and commercial properties can be efficiently handled by your Austin electrician. An electrician can also install new wiring for appliances such as stoves or the addition of a dishwasher and he takes care of repairs on existing outlets and circuit breakers boxes. 

Not only does the Austin electrician work on residential and business projects, but he also works on maintaining the electrical wiring used in factory-based industries. He can also be called into work on ships, subways, airplanes, and trolley cars. 

An Austin electrician makes sure that power and everything to do with it is in the best condition, and there is no interruption or breakdowns.

It may not be something you think of when things are running smoothly, but the truth is at some point in the life of your home, you’re going to need an electrician. The electricity that makes our lives comfortable and simply makes everything work is a major component in every home. Many people are capable enough to handle small jobs like installing a ceiling fan or replacing a wall switch. But for the most part, any projects that involve electricity are best left to a professional Austin electrician.

It shouldn’t be hard to find an electrician. But finding an electrician that’s right for your job may require some extra work. If an electrician is in possession of a state license, you can at least assume he is working legally within the trade. You should ask to see the license of any Austin electrician that you might potentially hire. 

Call the local state contractors licensing board to verify any electrician’s license. The electrician should also be able to show proof of up-to-date policies for both liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance.

Ask family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors for possible recommendations. If they’ve had any experience with an Austin electrician, they can tell you if they were happy with his work or not. If someone’s had a bad experience, they’ll probably be glad to tell you about it. Of course, if they’ve worked with an Austin electrician and the job ran smoothly, they may be able to recommend him to you. 

People will quickly let you know if they received great service. Check the Yellow Pages of your local phone book or search on the internet for a directory of qualified electricians.

Once you locate an Austin electrician, you think you might be interested in working with you should take the time to do a background check. If there have ever been any complaints, they will be on file with the Better Business Bureau. Ask if these complaints were resolved and if it was to the customer’s satisfaction. 

It’s not unusual for a reliable Austin electrician to get a complaint or two but what is important is how they handle it. An electrician with a list of unresolved complaints can spell problems and that is something you definitely don’t need.

Set up interviews with each prospective electrician that you feel might be right for the job so you can discuss the details with them. The amount of experience is important and an Austin electrician with many years of experience in the area might be the better choice over someone fairly new in the business, but there are exceptions. 

Since they're working to build customers and good references, a new electrician might offer you lower rates. If you do decide to work with a newer Austin electrician, make certain he has enough experience to meet the requirements for your project.

Do walk through with each electrician that you're considering and have them explain in detail what they can do for you and how they would complete the job. Describe what you hope to achieve and express any concerns you might have. 

By talking with each Austin electrician, you'll have an idea of how well you’ll work together. If you don’t feel comfortable with a certain electrician, just move to the next one. Remember, this is someone that you’ll essentially be relying on for the future of your home.

Get an estimated time for the completion of your project along with the price. Of course, the Austin electrician won’t be able to give you an accurate estimate until they can write up a detailed quote. 

Supply each electrician with a list of what you would like to see in their bid. The bid should explain the work that will be involved along with the cost of materials and labor. You should also understand what your payment options are. 

Small jobs usually require payment at time of completion while larger projects are usually made in installments as the job progresses. Make sure you also get a completion date written into every bid you receive.

You’ll then need to compare the bid from each Austin electrician with the others you have received. An extremely low bid may be tempting but you need to be cautious. True, a low bid might actually be a good deal but if a very low bid seems out of line with what others have submitted you want to use caution. 

Remember, you don’t want to cut corners where your home’s electrical supply is concerned. If the bid is from an electrician you believe to be reliable, you need to ask him how he was able to underbid the other electricians. The truth is, when determining which Austin electrician to hire, you not only need to choose the one that’s going to be the best for your budget but the one that is most suited for your particular project as well.

The professionals at Dial One Electrical Services are the highest-rated electrical contractors in the entire Austin area. We take our job very seriously when it comes to working on your home or business. We have been performing electrical repairs and construction in Austin, Texas for over two decades. We work on homes, businesses, and manufacturing facilities. 

Now performing electrical contracting in Austin and Dallas. Our company is a true Texas-wide electrical contractor. So what are you waiting for? Call the electrician professionals at Dial One Electrical Services today!