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"I need a new roof on my house, and some new wiring done." "Which electrician should I use?" My friend asked me. This is a question I hear often from people who have been recommended to me by their friends of the family.

In this article, I will give you the information you seek so you can make an informed choice about who deserves your money! Let's break it down into three simple steps:

• * How much electrical knowledge do you want?
• * What location does the job take place in? (i.e.: Undercover or undercover/indoor?)
• * Do they specialise in any specific areas (i.e.: Wiring a new house or a small renovation/maintenance job?)

These three steps will help you determine what type of electrician is suitable for your needs. Whether it be a level 2 electrician or an emergency electrician, we cover it below. 

1) How much electrical knowledge do you want?

Some people only need general repairs and maintenance wiring done, such as adding an electrical point to the kitchen benchtop, fixing some plugs, replacing light fittings etc. This can be done by the most qualified electricians. However, if you'd like someone that does more than just basic services, then it's time to ask some questions!

For example, you would like to get a new roof installed on your house and rewire the inside so you can start using one of those eco-friendly energy-efficient heat pumps. You need an electrician that specialises in roofing and also has experience installing heat pumps for this job! This is normally more expensive than getting a generalist to do both jobs, but you get what you pay for and your money will be well spent if they don't mess it up or damage something else while completing the job. Another factor of electrical knowledge is whether or not they have any certifications/licenses from organisations such as:

• SAP - Safe work Australia, formerly known as WHS (Workplace health and safety)
• NECA - National Electrical Contractors Association
• ETSA - Energy & Water Ombudsman SA

These aren't essential but may just give you a bit of extra piece of mind. These are the organisations that control licensing of electricians in Australia. Most are available to electricians after they've completed an apprenticeship, which usually takes 3-5 years depending on your states government rules regarding electrical training. For most jobs, I don't find it necessary to have one of these licences, but for bigger jobs that require more knowledge and experience with electricity, you may want to at least check if they're licensed before you hire someone.

2) What location does the job take place in? (i.e.: Undercover or undercover/indoor?)

This is pretty self-explanatory. If you'd like them to come to your home, then having a full set of test equipment such as voltmeters and ammeters isn't necessary. However, if the job takes place in a warehouse or other industrial space where they're required to be safety switched and use larger power tools, then yes it's important that they have all the right equipment/tools to do this work! There is nothing more annoying than getting quotes from electricians only to find out they don't possess some of the basic tools such as an insulation tool (tape measure) for example, meaning you either need to hire them yourself (not worth it IMO), or risk not knowing if you're being overcharged by the number of materials used.

3) Do they specialise in any specific areas?

A generalist will offer a service package range of:

• New house wiring - $5,000+
• Renovations/maintenance - $1,500+
• Rewires - $2,500+

This can be broken down into smaller sections depending on your needs. For example when I first moved into my home in Sydney's southwest. The previous owner had about 2-5 power points per room and they were all old and overloaded. I knew the best electricians, in this case, would be able to identify where improvements could occur so we could get more power points added without having to cut new holes in the wall every time we wanted another point installed. This is where a generalist shows their worth, but if you need specific work such as wiring up an outdoor area for entertaining purposes then it would probably be best to look for an electrician with experience in this field specifically!

4) What is the level of skill/knowledge required? (Do you need help with ceiling fans or would you like them to install kitchen appliances?)

This part may seem obvious, but just keep in mind if it's something simple such as putting up a new light fitting or fan they should be able to handle most jobs without any issues. However, if you require any installations/testing or anything that requires more than basic knowledge, then investing in a qualified electrician is always the way forward. I had my home rewired by one of these guys once and they didn't miss any spots, tested everything when completed and made sure there weren't too many cables running along one point (could cause a short circuit and trip the main switchboard).  Similarly, if you’re installing a dishwasher or plumbed in fridge, you may require a sparky experienced in working with northern Sydney plumbers.

5) How much experience do they have?

This goes back to my first article about not always trusting online reviews. As with any profession that requires skill, you will find some unqualified people who just want to get that $1,000 - $2,000 quote only for it to fall on you as the client to fix their mistakes after they've gone! It's either because of poor materials used during the installation process such as low-grade electrical cable, or more often than not they simply don't know what they're doing and we need to rewire parts of your home! A good way I would suggest is checking out on their website and speak to the person who did the work, or even better find an electrician in Sydney that has recently come back from courses/training so you can assure yourself they're up to date with industry standards!

6) What kind of warranty do they offer?

All good electricians in this day and age should be able to offer at least a 1 year warranty on their work. It doesn't matter if it's 100% labour (free repairs for the next 12 months), or 10% parts (replacement parts at 10% off retail prices). Anything is better than nothing when it comes to giving protection against faulty wiring or installation! Sometimes things like light bulbs or cables can simply burn out after 5 years, meaning an honest trader will rectify the problem at their own cost.

7) What is the billing structure?

based on time spent, or a flat rate fee? Sometimes the cheapest quote does not always mean it's the best deal. You should ask for quotes based on time or price depending on your preference. I would always suggest starting with the least expensive options first and seeing how it compares to what you were expecting. If they are able to work at cheaper rates then that is great news! It could save you hundreds of dollars without compromising too much quality in terms of their experience or materials used during installation/testing/wiring etc.

8) What happens if they don't show up?

Never ever ever use anyone who doesn't have an office based in Sydney where clothes/tools can be left overnight if required! There are plenty of dodgy tradies who will turn up in dirty jeans and an old shirt, drive a wreck of a car that's seen much better days, have no tools to carry out the work required… AND THEN FAIL TO SHOW UP THE NEXT DAY! This is how it can sometimes go when hiring someone online without recommendations or reviews.