Finding a good electrician can be an arduous process.  The keyword is “good” because electricians are very easy to find but lots of homeowners have had some very bad experiences.  At the same time, many similar homeowners have had very good experiences; it’s all about finding a trustworthy, knowledgeable, and fairly priced contractor.  As with any important decision, it is much easier to make an informed choice if you have the appropriate information necessary to do so. 

A great way to find an electrician is to talk to your neighbors.  If you think about it, anyone who has owned a house for more than 5 years will almost inevitably have needed the services of an electrician.  First hand accounts from people you trust will give you the peace of mind that you need to continue the hiring process.  On the flip side, learning information about bad or dishonest electricians could protect you from suffering the same fate as others.  This is a great way to start but if you really care about finding a good electrician it certainly is not the end of your search.

The beauty of the twenty first century is all of the free information available to you on the Internet.  A simple Google search for “local electrical contractor” should bring up many electricians in your area and many of them will probably has reviews right on Google’s pages.  Lets remember that anyone can add a review so take these ratings for what they are worth: not a whole lot.  At the same time they can certainly help to solidify an opinion that someone else has given about a certain company or electrician.  Search for the different companies that your neighbors have recommended and make sure there are no negative reviews.  I’ll say it again: positive reviews are somewhat useless but negative reviews can be very indicative.  Combine the word of mouth information, the Internet information, and your gut feeling to make an informed choice about the company or individual you would like to approach. 

If the project or job you need to hire an electrician for is substantial it is absolutely a good idea to get quotes from two or three different people.  Just like car repairs, fixing a computer or any skilled labor there are people who will take advantage of the fact that you might not know anything about their trade.   That doesn’t mean to always go with the cheapest electrician but it will help you to understand what the problem is and how much you should expect to be charged.  If you hire an individual you might be quoted a lot less than a quote from a larger company.  Electrician prices should equate to no more than the price of the parts you might need and a bit marked up from the average hourly wage (which is around $25-$30).  Ask for a complete breakdown of the quote or the bill (if they have already completed the work) and you should be able to tell if they are charging an appropriate amount for their services.