We’ve all been there. The light goes out, so you change the light bulb. However, the light still won’t turn on. There is a problem with the wiring or circuits. Or, maybe you want to add an extra porch light on the outside of your house. You think you can do it yourself because you watched three Youtube videos, and it looks easy enough. Stop. The last thing you want is to shock yourself, burn your house down from putting in faulty wiring, or in the worst-case scenario die from electrocution. There are professionals for this type of work. Even though it might hurt your pride, you need to call an electrician to deal with any electrical problems you are having.
But, how do you choose an electrician? You might go online and search “Electrician in Lubbock” and be shocked at the amount of results your search returns. Today, I’m going to give you some tips on how to choose the best electrician for your needs.
Step #1- Ask Your Network
I know that some people search online before they do anything. They check the reviews from anonymous people before they even buy something cheap from an online store. However, before you search online, why don’t you first check with your network? If you need an electrician, tell your friends or family and ask them if they know anyone they can recommend.
If someone is willing to recommend an electrician to you then they are putting their word on the line that this electrician is up to the task. I guarantee that your friends or family care more about your need for a good electrician than a search algorithm. So, call up your friends or family for help before you go to your favorite search engine.
Step #2- Use Social Media Effectively
So you asked your friends or family and you heard a few names, but you are still not sure about which electrician to contact. Or, maybe you have a low budget that you are a bit ashamed to tell your network, and they recommended someone who is very expensive. This is where you can use social media to help you.
There are countless groups on social media platforms that are for local areas. People maybe have already asked the very question you want to ask. Why don’t you do a search on forums or social media groups Instead of going through the headache of dealing with a long social media post talking about your electrician problems?
People may have already posted answers in the replies that link to a local electrician who helped them. When you go to the social media page of that business you can often see reviews left by people in your area, as well as pictures of the work they completed.
If you know anything about Texans then you know they place an emphasis on hard work and honesty, so when you search “Electricians in Lubbock” on your favorite social media site there will be truly honest reviews of the work that the electrician completed.
This is actually much more helpful than just using word of mouth because you can see the work they have done in the past. If their electrical work is bad then they will get bad reviews, or the pictures will reflect the work they have done.
So, instead of going through the hassle of baring your soul on social media asking for help, just go to a local area group and see if someone has already asked the same questions you wish to ask.
Step #3- Search Online
I know you may be asking yourself “Why is searching online a step after using social media?”. When you search online you might get the results you are looking for, but the pages might be mixed in with results that have nothing to do with what you searched for. In addition, the most popular electricians might be at the top of the search engine results, but there might be some great electricians that just don’t show up in your search. A long time ago when you looked in the phone book a lot of company’s names started with the letter A so they would be first when you looked for a business to call. Search engine results follow a similar idea where the names at the bottom might get ignored.
Searching online is a great option for people who are new to a city and don’t know anyone, or for people who don’t use social media. When you search online you can see a lot of different companies in your area, and can click a link to go directly to their website or social media page. It might take a little extra time to find the best electrician, but it will provide you with a wider source of information about electricians.
Step #4- Speak with the Electricians
Whether you got the phone number from someone you know, or from a page on social media, it is now time to call the prospective electricians in your area. I recommend having a list of electricians to speak with because you need to check on rates and availability before you make your choice.
If your need is urgent then you will need to pay a higher amount because they will need to drop what they are doing and come help you immediately. Sadly, there is not much room to negotiate in those situations. You might be able to have them do a free estimate, but if it is an emergency then the price will typically be higher. However, if you are thinking of doing some electrical work in the future then you can probably negotiate rates with several different electricians before making your final choice.
See how quickly the electricians respond to your messages or phone calls. If there is a problem, do you really want the electrician who takes five hours to call you back? When you are comparing electricians, you can see who gets back to you immediately, and who takes all day. Even if they have great reviews, it might be difficult to trust that they will be there for you when you need them. We all want great customer service from businesses, so check for yourself how they compare to each other!
Final Thoughts
I gave you some advice on checking with your network first and then checking on social media to choose an electrician. However, some people might be new to an area and not know anyone to ask for advice. Whether you ask a friend, use social media, or search online for help choosing an electrician you still need to follow up and speak with the businesses. I find that when you speak with someone on the phone or face to face you can quickly get a sense of the people you are hiring for a job. I hope these tips help you find an electrician in your area!
