Our immediate answer to this is immediately – YES! Mostly because the local safe electricity laws require it but also because it will save you from so many stressful situations. You should take some time to understand the differences between a licensed electrician and one that isn’t. The consequences that can come with unlicensed electrical work can be as small as an electrical fault that is an inconvenience to something much more expensive. The absolutely worst case scenario may be something as devastating as a fire breaking out and causing irreparable damage to your property. If you used an unlicensed electrician, your insurer will not pay out and the buck will stop with you! Licensed electrical tradespeople are the most qualified to handle the systems on your property because they will do it with better training and more regulatory knowledge than anyone else.
Licensed electricians are the best because they passed several exams and acquired the necessary qualifications to do better work than anyone else. They also go through this rigorous process because they need it to qualify for permits to operate as electricians in the Gold Coast. The permit means that they are registered with the state to operate but also that insurers are more likely to pay out in the rare case that something bad happens. You might choose an unlicensed electrician because they’re prices are much lower than the typical cost for a local electrician. But please, do not take this as an indication that you should use their services. These are only some of the benefits that come with hiring a licensed electrician. Keep reading below for more…
Reasons to hire a licensed electrician
1. Maximum safety maintained
Licensed electricians are trained according to local electrical safety regulation which is stricter than anything else. That means that the most knowledgeable electricians in high-quality safety practise for your home or commercial building are those who are licensed. Developing problems could be invisible to the average Gold Coast local but they are easy to spot for trained electricians. Not only can they spot problems the fastest, but they will also follow a well-defined set of safety standards, procedures and regulations. The work they do will be accompanied by legislation, which imposes penalties for non-compliance. Take switchboard upgrades, for instance, a licensed electrician will know what style of the update is appropriate for your particular electrical supply needs.
2. They have the correct knowledge
Licensed electricians get the best of both worlds as they are being trained by legislation, schools and experience on the groundwork. Unlicensed electricians who do not care to gain knowledge from all of these areas will simply not have as much diverse knowledge as those who do. They’ll know exactly when you need to replace or repair your air conditioner because they have a triad of expertise to guide the decision. If your electrician lacks this extent of education, they could create inefficiencies or problems with overloading circuits.
3. Insurance in case something goes wrong
Proper electrical services companies are required to offer you comprehensive insurance on all the work they do. To even qualify for licensing, they need to be properly insured. This is one of the things you should use as a basic requirement when choosing the best electrician for your property. The insurance protects you, the property and anyone else on the property using the electrical systems on it. What’s even better, is that hiring a licensed electrician will also protect your own insurance policy. It probably has a clause that requires that all electrical work be conducted by a licensed and insured electrician. In the event of a fire or accident, if an inspection concludes that the reason behind it has something to do with electrical work which was done by an unlicensed electrician, it leaves you open to payment voids and effectively uninsured.
4. Cheaper in the long run
Believe it or not, licensed electrical work is more cost-effective than using shady service people who won’t ensure the same quality of work. A professional is sure to get the project done right the very first time, and this makes sure that you don’t have to call anyone else to re-do a quick fix job from an unlicensed technician. Whether it’s relying on them for regularly scheduled electrical maintenance or when you need an emergency electrician, locally licensed professionals will make sure that no money is wasted.
How to know if an electrician is licensed?
There’s a way to check if an electrical contractor you’ve got working on your home or commercial property is suitably licensed, you can start by using use the QLD Government’s Worksafe as a source. It gives detailed examples of what work requires which types of electrical license. You can then ask your chosen electrician for their insurance certificate.
