Barbara Ragsdale, president of Knights’ Electric, Inc. in Windsor, advises to find and stick with a firm that has the personnel to immediately staff a job, provides ongoing maintenance and cares about doing the job right. “It’s also important that the individual electricians are certified by the state of California and that the work is up to code.”
Handymen and general or unlicensed contractors are simply not qualified to do electrical work. “There are a lot of electrical installations that aren’t up to code,” says Ms. Ragsdale. “That’s a situation that can be dangerous to people and property.” Most people either don’t know or forget how dangerous electricity can be. When installed and maintained properly, electrical equipment is very safe, but substandard work can be very hazardous.
Ms. Ragsdale says being bonded isn’t an important condition in selecting a contractor. All licensed electricians in California are bonded, she says, and a bond doesn’t guarantee the work will be done properly.
