I enjoy a great bargain. Whilst in Gibraltar I purchased a great looking Seiko watch. It worked ok for a while until I took it to have a new battery fitted and found out it was a fake, it came from a shop which had no reviews and was not recommended by anyone. I thought I had saved several hundreds of pounds Kachingggggg!
You see the point I am making is that although something that is cheaper can seem like a great deal on the surface, rarely is that the case and more often than not it will end up costing you more. I’m finding that this is the case in my business at the moment too, talk of rising interest rates and housing markets slowing makes people nervous and everyone is looking for a way to save a few pounds. They are comparing quotes with cheap electricians offering cut price rates yet promising top-quality work. It’s easy to make that claim but I challenge you to think it through before you go down that road. Here are a few reasons why-
#1- You get what you pay for! – I’ve highlighted this quite clearly above. 100% of the time, no matter what it seems on the surface, you will get exactly what you pay for. It’s just the way the world works.
#2- Quality – If you hire a half price tradesman, the quality of work will be half as good. It’s as simple as that. No one does work for free or half price, they simply have different business models. The electrician with the higher price will always have the correct tools and equipment to carry out the work to the highest standard and carry it out safely. They will be well presented and have modern clean vans, they will be fully licensed and insured and will offer warranties and guarantees on their work. Try getting all of that from the guy who is half price.
#3 – Exclusions – Most quotes come with some form of exclusions from the scope of works. This is pretty standard and is usually because some things have been unclear or that they are undecided yet. Exclusions should be clear and articulated well from the outset. If they are not, it can cause you to have nasty surprises further down the line when it comes to payment. “What do you mean the lights are not included in the quote?” Cheap quotes can often be just a skeleton quote with zero inclusions, only the bare minimum. It can be a nasty shock to the system if you find out when it’s too late and the contract is signed and deposit paid.
#4 – Trust – You should always pick an electrician that you can clearly communicate with and that you trust. I don’t mean just trust with the work they are undertaking, I mean someone you can trust with everything! You are after all allowing them to enter your personal space and access your home and everything in it. Goodwin Electrical are Which Trusted Traders and are registered with Trading Standards “Buy With Confidence”
#5 – After Care – So you did it, you went for the cheapest option and you’re happy with the work, and with the extra few pounds you saved in the process. Winner! Until one night a month after the new Fuseboard has been installed, you have no power in the house. You try everything you can think of to get power on but nothing happens. What do you do? Call the electrician back of course! But what if you can’t get hold of him or her? It’s late at night so you leave a message, no one calls back. You send texts and emails but no one answers. Or worst they do answer but give you the “I’m too busy” or “I only work from 9am until 1pm” spiel. Not to worry, it was nice and cheap so no harm done…….
Now, I am not suggesting that somehow the most expensive option is always the best option. In fact that would be more a more foolish system by which to choose than by simply using the cheapest is always best model. In every case I would urge you to-
- Get at least three quotes and compare them “apples for apples” ask questions and make sure you fully understand the contents of all 3.
- Do your due diligence on the companies. Check their website and social media sites, these are a good place to look at the reviews other people have given them on their past work.
- Ask to see insurances and licences. Licenced electricians carry copies with them or can show you or send you a copy on a tablet or mobile device.
- Ask to speak to an existing client. There can be legal issues with passing people’s details on to third parties but in most cases existing clients are more than happy to take a phone call from me or one of my guys to share their positive experience with others.
I hope you have enjoyed reading and I hope I was able to provide you with something of value. I would love to hear your feedback and invite you to leave a comment in the comment box below.
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