It is often seen that an electrician who quotes for an affordable price may surprise the homeowner client with hidden costs later. Even if the electrician is honest, the additional expenses are mostly legitimate. It is of no doubt that electric works require specialized individuals as there are many risks associated with any type of electrical work, insurance costs largely contribute to the high expenses. Electrical contracting companies must pay for workers’ health, compensation, and liability insurance to cover such as risky professions.
The other factor to consider is the amount of time that an electrician would spend on an electrical project which also involves the time spent on planning. The factor of having to travel to and from the job site requires travel costs that add to the project’s expenses. The time involved in the project is increased as an electrician needs to spend time to speak to the homeowner and identify the problem. The time involved in the project is further increased by the management aspects such as inventory, ordering the supplies, renewal of licenses and dealing with the paperwork.
When hiring an experienced and professional Electrician, there are certain factors that you need to consider:
1. Product quality and quantity
It is often found that contractors are using inferior quality items or fewer items than the actual requirement for the electrical project. Though it is the electrician’s responsibility to provide the materials, it is recommended that homeowners note the products that are being used as any other item; there are both high and low-quality electrical products available in the market today. Cheaper quotes may mean the eventual use of low-quality products that do not match the job requirements. Some electrical contractors may try to increase profit by using less products than specified in the contract due to which the quality of the job suffers.
2. Low labour strength
Some contractors may try to reduce cost and increase profit by cutting down the project’s labor strength. The various strategies used to do this are assigning fewer electricians to the project than required, thereby delaying the project or putting work quality and safety at stake by getting more work done in less time than actually required.
3. Compromising on safety protocols
Another hidden cost to look out for in quotations from a professional electrician is the factor of safety protocol costs added to the bid. The absence of safety costs may make the bid look cheaper and attractive to many homeowners. Though it increases the project costs, safety protocols are crucial in an electrical project as it provides insurance against probable jobsite accidents.
4. Employing inexperienced team
An unusually low bid may mean the employment of a less qualified team of electricians for the project. Electrical contractors are known for employing their most efficient electricians to expensive and lucrative projects.
Final Words
Though a low bid is not a sure sign of low quality work or hidden costs, the quote that appears irresistibly low compared to any other electrician contractor should be checked in detail. Since an electrical job is a major investment for homeowners, selecting a low bid is not always the right choice. Awareness of the hidden costs can ensure the quality and safety aspects and a satisfactory return on investment.
