Hiring an electrical contractor can make projects easier, but it is imperative to ask the right questions before they sign on. While some questions may seem obvious, there are others that can help you determine if they’re the right person for your job. From licenses to experience, frequent projects to references, we’re going to help you nail down the right questions to ask any electrical contractor before hiring them for your project.
Licenses
The first question you’ll want to ask an industrial electrician is if they are licensed. In Ontario, Industrial Electrician Licenses fall into two main categories: 442A and 309A. An electrician with a 442A license can work for their employer (internal company employee performing work inside a company facility) while an electrician with a 309A license can work for an electrical contractor, performing work outside of their place of business (any facility or location). Requesting a company’s ECRA/ESA License number ensures you that they can operate their electrical contracting business in Ontario.
Insurance
Making sure that your chosen industrial electrician has proper insurance coverage will not only save you trouble but will protect you in the event of an accident occurring during the project. In Ontario, all electricians (industrial or not) are required to have a minimum of $2,000,000 of liability protection (Source: ESA). More often than not, any electrical work & electricians performing the work will need to have a permit from the local building inspector – be sure to ask your electrician if they will need permits, and who will be pulling the permits.
RBT Electrical and Automation carries liability insurance in the amount of $10,000,000 as clients often require higher coverage. Companies should also be able to provide you with current WSIB coverage documentation.
Experience
As with any trade, your industrial electrician is bound to have their specialty. Inquire about what projects they do the most – if your selected industrial electrician largely troubleshoots and repairs electrical wiring, most likely they won’t be interested in installing a lighting fixture in your office or waiting room.
With experience, you also want to know who is actually performing the work (apprentice, helper, etc) has the skills needed to do the job. Ensure you ask who on your hired team will be completing the job(s), and ask what related experience they have.
At RBT Electrical and Automation we like to specialize in everything – we offer a large selection of electrical services throughout a variety of industrial, institutional and commercial facilities. We encourage you to contact some of our customers to see how their RBT experience was
Estimates – what do they include?
As a final step in selecting your industrial electrician, ask them what their estimates include. Check to see if all elements of the project are there, including specified product/product quality, equipment and incidentals like repairing any damages or alterations required.
When in doubt, trust RBT.
At RBT, we understand the electrical industry because we’re a part of it! We know how difficult it can be to choose the right company for your job, that’s why all of our tradespeople are fully licensed in the Province of Ontario and across the country. We have a full complement of staff including master electricians, programmers, panel builders, apprentices, and office administration all ready to help turn your next electrical project into a reality.
Contact us today at 519-752-3675 to get started, even if you’re just looking for some tips!
