How to Choose an Electrician in Perth & What to Look For

Searching for an electrician in Perth returns a long list of results very quickly. Working out which ones are actually licensed, reliable, and fairly priced takes a bit more effort but it is worth doing before you hand over access to your home and your electrical system. Here is what to look for and what questions to ask before you book anyone.

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Verify the licence number

In Western Australia all electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrical contractor. The licence is issued by Building and Energy WA and you can verify any electrician's current licence status through the Building and Energy website at demirs.wa.gov.au. Ask for the licence number before you book and check it is current. A legitimate, qualified electrician will give you their licence number without hesitation and will have it displayed on their invoices and website. Nexus Electrical Co operates under WA Electrical Contractor Licence EC14149 and that number appears on every quote, invoice, and Certificate of Compliance we issue.
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Ask whether they provide a fixed price

There is a meaningful difference between an electrician who quotes a fixed price for the job and one who quotes an hourly rate with materials on top. With an hourly rate arrangement you have no certainty over the final cost and the invoice can grow substantially if a job takes longer than expected or additional materials are needed. With a fixed price quote you know exactly what you are paying before anyone picks up a tool and that figure does not change unless you change the scope of the work. At Nexus Electrical Co we provide fixed price quotes on all residential and commercial work before we start and the price we quote is the price on the invoice.
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Read the Google reviews carefully

Google reviews are the most reliable public indicator of how a tradesperson actually performs on the job. When assessing reviews look at the total number rather than just the rating because a business with 80 reviews at 5.0 is a much stronger signal than one with 4 reviews at 5.0. Read the content of the reviews rather than just the star rating and look for consistent mentions of the things that matter most on the day including punctuality, communication, quality of work, cleanliness, and whether the final price matched the quote. Nexus Electrical Co has over 80 five-star Google reviews from Perth homeowners and businesses and you can read them before you call.
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Ask about the Certificate of Compliance

A Certificate of Compliance is a legal document issued by a licensed electrician confirming that the electrical work carried out meets Australian Standards and the relevant WA regulations. It is required by law for most electrical work in Western Australia and it matters for several reasons. When you sell your home, buyers and building inspectors will look for certificates of compliance for any electrical work that has been done. If you make an insurance claim following an electrical fault your insurer may request evidence that recent electrical work was certified. If the work was carried out without a certificate your claim could be affected. Nexus Electrical Co issues a Certificate of Compliance for all applicable work as a standard part of every job.
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Consider whether they are locally based

A locally based electrician can respond faster to both standard bookings and emergencies, tends to have better knowledge of the common electrical issues in local housing stock, and is less likely to add significant travel costs to your invoice. Nexus Electrical Co is based in Balcatta and carries out electrical work across all Perth metro suburbs with particularly fast response times across the northern suburbs including Stirling, Osborne Park, Karrinyup, Innaloo, Scarborough, and Joondalup.