Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Electrician

Why the Questions Matter More Than the Quote

Electrical work is one of those jobs where the cheapest quote can end up being the most expensive decision you make. Bad wiring does not announce itself. It sits behind plasterboard, quietly overheating, until a socket scorches or an RCD starts tripping every time it rains. So before you hand over a deposit, it is worth spending fifteen minutes asking a few direct questions. A good electrician will welcome them. Anyone who gets defensive or vague is telling you something useful.

Here is what to ask, and what a decent answer sounds like.

Are You Registered for Part P, and Can You Prove It?

In England and Wales, most electrical work in a home is covered by Part P of the Building Regulations. Notifiable work — new circuits, replacing a consumer unit, anything in a bathroom or kitchen that involves fixed wiring — has to be certified, and the easiest route is an electrician who is registered with a government-approved competent person scheme.

Ask directly: "Which scheme are you registered with, and what is your registration number?" Then check it yourself on the scheme's online register. Registration is not a one-off qualification; it has to be renewed, and it can lapse. A number that does not appear on the register is a red flag.

If they are not registered, they can still do the work, but the notifiable parts must be inspected and certified by your local authority building control — which costs you extra and takes longer. Also ask what qualifications they hold. The industry standard is an NVQ Level 3 in electrotechnical services, plus the current edition of BS 7671 (the wiring regulations) and inspection and testing qualifications. Scottish and Northern Irish rules differ slightly from England and Wales, so ask how they handle certification where you live.

What Insurance Do You Actually Hold?

Anyone working in your home should carry public liability insurance. Ask for the certificate, not just a verbal yes — and check the date and the level of cover. A practical minimum is £2 million, though many established firms carry £5 million or more. If they employ anyone, even one apprentice, they are legally required to hold employer's liability cover of at least £5 million.

Two things people forget to ask:

• Does the policy cover accidental damage to your property? A drill through a water pipe or a cracked tile should not come out of your pocket.
• Are subcontractors covered under the same policy? If they plan to bring in others, the cover needs to extend to them.

Have You Worked on a Property Like Mine?

Electrical work in a 1930s semi is a different job from work in a listed cottage or a modern flat with a communal riser cupboard. Older properties often still have rubber-insulated or lead-sheathed cables, lighting circuits with no earth, or a fuse board that has been added to piecemeal over fifty years. A competent electrician will want to see that before quoting, not discover it halfway through.

Ask:

• Have you worked on homes of this age and construction before? Solid stone walls, lath and plaster, and timber-framed buildings all change how cables are routed.
• How will you deal with the existing wiring? Will it need rewiring in part, or can it be safely extended and tested?
• What about access? Who lifts floorboards, chases walls and makes good afterwards?
• If it is a flat, do you need permission or access to communal areas?
• If you rent the property out, do you understand landlord obligations, including the five-yearly electrical installation condition report?

How Will You Quote, Test and Certify the Work?

Get it clear in writing. A fixed price is not the same as an estimate, and neither is the same as an hourly rate with materials on top. Ask whether VAT is included, how materials are charged, and what happens if unexpected problems turn up once the floorboards are up. A written quote should also state who is responsible for making good, and whether waste is removed.

Then ask about paperwork. You should expect:

• An Electrical Installation Certificate for new circuits or a consumer unit change.
• A Minor Works Certificate for smaller alterations, such as adding a spur.
• A schedule of test results, showing insulation resistance, earth loop impedance and RCD trip times.
• Confirmation that notifiable work has been reported to building control, usually within 30 days.

Anyone unwilling to put their name to a certificate is not someone you want working in your home.

The Practical Checks Worth Doing Before You Shake Hands

Once the technical questions are answered, a few everyday ones remain. Ask for two or three recent references from local customers and, if possible, look at completed work yourself. Get three quotes, but compare what is included rather than the bottom line alone.

Be cautious about large cash deposits or requests to pay the whole job upfront. A modest deposit for materials is normal; staged payments tied to milestones are better. Confirm the start date, the expected duration, and who will actually be on site each day — the person who quoted you is not always the person who turns up.

Finally, ask about the guarantee on their workmanship, how long it lasts, and how you would make a claim. A written guarantee, ideally backed by their scheme, is worth far more than a handshake. Ask these questions once and you will spend the rest of the project relaxed, knowing the person rewiring your home is qualified, insured and accountable.