Questions to ask an electrical contractor
Electrical work is inspected, licensed, and largely invisible once the drywall closes. That combination makes the questions you ask before signing far more valuable than anything you can check afterward.
License, permit, and inspection
- Who holds the license the work is performed under, and what is the number?
- Is a permit being pulled, and is the fee in the price or billed separately?
- Who meets the inspector, and is the final inspection sign-off included?
- Is the work being performed by a licensed electrician or an apprentice under supervision?
Capacity and existing conditions
Ask whether the existing panel has capacity for the added load, and whether a load calculation was performed. Adding an EV charger, a heat pump, or a kitchen circuit set to a panel already near capacity turns into a service upgrade — a several-thousand-dollar change if it arrives mid-job instead of in the bid.
Also ask what the panel brand is. A handful of older panel types are widely refused by insurers and cannot be safely added to; an electrician who has been in the panel knows this on day one.
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Scope questions that prevent change orders
- Are AFCI and GFCI protection included where current code requires them?
- Is drywall patching and paint included, or is the wall left open?
- Are fixtures supplied by you or by the contractor, and at what allowance?
- Are circuits labeled and the panel directory updated at completion?
- Who removes and disposes of old fixtures and wiring?
Payment, warranty, and timeline
Ask for the labor warranty in years, in writing, separate from any manufacturer warranty on fixtures. Ask what triggers each payment — dates are weaker than milestones such as rough-in inspection passed and final inspection passed.
Frequently asked
- Is a permit really necessary for small electrical work?
- Requirements vary by jurisdiction, but new circuits, panel work, and service changes almost always require one. Unpermitted electrical work can complicate a future sale or an insurance claim.
- What should an electrical estimate include?
- The specific devices and circuits, wire gauge where relevant, permit and inspection handling, patching responsibility, fixture allowances, and a labor warranty length.