Choosing an electrician is often an unnecessarily difficult task. In Bath, there are a large amount of electrical services companies and self-employed electricians, but some aren’t worth your money. Here we’ll explain how to pick correctly, based on your specific type of project.

Just a quick repair? Or a full re-wire?

For a quick repair, your search for an electrician should be fairly straightforward. All you have to do is find a local electrician that has all the necessary qualifications (NICEIC registered), and you’re good to go. However, if you have a larger and more complicated job, then you should be much more careful when it comes to picking an electrical contractor. Beyond checking that the company you intend to use is NICEIC registered, you may also want to seek out references and reviews. As mentioned above, larger-projects need greater due diligence when choosing which contractor to use.

Some electrical firms won’t be able to perform all services

The average self-employed electrician or small contractor will not be fully competent in every area of the industry. This is perfectly ok. For example, not all firms in Bath will be able to install door automation and access control equipment to buildings. Similarly, CCTV, intruder alarms, and fire safety systems are not something every electrician can install properly. If you need specialist services such as this, ask the company of their previous experience. Don’t just assume that all the electrical contractors in Bath can do everything related to the trade. For many needs, such as CCTV installations, there’ll be plenty of specialist firms available – especially if you live in a large city.

What different for commercial or industrial electrical installations?

With commercial premises, the stakes are often higher. Any problem that affects the property can be extremely cost-heavy. For example, an office without power still incurs staff costs, but will have zero productivity. Therefore, the person who is responsible to finding a suitable electrician for their premises much chooses very wisely. The key is to make sure that the company actually has a long-standing history of working on large-scale and critical-level electrical installations. For an example of qualified commercial electricians in Bath click here.

If you need electrical services for commercial premises, then be sure to use a contractor that has extensive experience in the area. A typical small-scale domestic electrician won’t usually cut it. Commercial and residential electrical installations are much different in design, components, and often scale. Some electricians simply don’t have the experience needed to operate on commercial and industrial-grade tasks.

Industrial plant equipment can be particularly difficult to install and provide reliable power to. Many electrical professionals don’t have the skill set to install such equipment and suitable power supplies. Miscalculating the power requirements can cause an endless array of problems. Likewise, much industrial and commercial equipment is older machinery. Many newly qualified professionals are not familiar with working on older style systems. When choosing a provider of electrical services, be sure to check they have the specific-knowledge.

What is the 18th edition?

The 18th edition is the set electrical wiring and installations regulations that ensure everything is in proper working order. Any installation in the UK must be worked on according to the regulations set out in the 18th edition. It must comply with BS 7671:2018. It’s important as it’s been designed to ensure that safety and efficiency is at the core of the installation. Whoever you use on your project should be clear that they’re operating to these regulations.