A day in the life of an electrical contractor in St. Mary’s County Maryland

Everyone loves to knock down walls, make new ones and then just cover the crooked angles with facades to end up with your new home renovation just as you wanted it. Then you just realized, ¨oh man! ¨ that switch would have been better on this side or you wished you had added an outlet here, so you could charge your iPhone as you relax on your new papasan chair. That’s when you realized having an experienced electrician in St. Mary’s County Maryland would have made your new living space actually the way it should be.
Whether it is for commercial buildings, adding a new light fixture inside or outside the house or renovations, an electrical contractor doesn´t look at the facade, he´s actually your X-Man with laser eyes who pays more attention to the blueprints. Kevin who is your local owner of Southern Maryland Electrician Pros is your experienced electrician for more than 15 years; he knows how Southerners live at home and can help you feel more right at home.

¨What do I say? ¨

When your electrician arrives to give you a free consultation and estimation, you might be thinking simple as 1, 2, and 3; not exactly. Unless you hired an interior designer you need to explain more. Most of our renovations are basically ideas we got from Pinterest and want what we see, right exactly in one area. However we are forgetting how we live in a home can be very different from others. Does one family member have to leave the door before dawn breaks? It would be wise to have a light fixture in the coat closet. Do you want a mini gym but there´s not much air circulation, so maybe installing ceiling fans close to a window could increase natural air flow as you exercise. In your large dining room, you may like to entertain your friends with a low dimmed wine and cheese night but at the same time later on, you want to play catch phrase. The daily things you do, to what you do during your leisure time at home play a huge part to where you need electricity. Having a professional local electrician understand how you live and as you show him your ideas, he can easily give recommendations that will make your renovations fully worth it in the end. Your electrician will analyze the best and safe areas to run the cables needed for your wants and he will ask as many questions needed to understand your vision. So the more you explain your thoughts and purposes, the easier it will be for your electrician to fully accommodate how you live in your home.

Let’s go fishing for an electrician

Most electricians are the ones who like to work with their hands without getting too dirty. It’s a trade where you have to constantly use your brains for mathematics, be precise, neat and clean. They are the nerds in construction. After they analyze your blueprints or assess how the initial circuits were installed he will determine where all the wires and other components will go. He will let you know if the existing wires need to be replaced with more modern ones or if a new circuit breaker box would be needed to accommodate new appliances. Especially if your home was built around the 1900s it is a definite must to have a licensed and insured electrician to do the job so you’re free from any liability; and getting the installments done correctly will be a good investment if you´re thinking to sell in the future. If they are re-wiring your house or installing new wires you will be seeing them fishing for the cables as he gets them all connected throughout the house. They use tools like conduit benders, screwdrivers, pliers, knives, hacksaws and wire strippers for installation and later on they use ammeters, ohmmeters, voltmeters, harmonics testers and other equipment to test all the connections, compatibility and safety components to make sure they are installed properly. As he works in your home he can also check if there is need for maintenance work to repair or replace electrical equipment. He may need to replace things like circuit breakers, fuses, switches or more wires.
He will have to maintain good communication with the other contractor or the person in charge of doing the renovations to be aware when he can come in to start installing the wires before anyone starts putting the make-up for the finishing touches. At this moment when the renovation contractor is ready for the electrician to come in for installation, this is the time where you as the owner should be present and observing. You may have another idea you found in the internet you want to incorporate and so this is your chance to speak up because after the walls go up it may be difficult to add something you wanted. However it’s not impossible. But as most electricians they want everything done in an orderly organized way to make sure everything is done according to the books.

A Good Catch

Whether it be installing wires for your new pool with a deck or adding fixtures inside your home to helping in a new living space your professional electrician is fully capable to leave you satisfied. They work any time of the day as overtime can be required when working on new buildings and homes. Their work may be strenuous and include bending conduit, lifting heavy objects and standing, stooping and kneeling for very long periods. They have risk injury from electrical shock, falls and cuts and that’s why you want an electrician who follows the right procedures to the minimal details and not making more work trying to finding short cuts. It can be hard to find a dedicated electrician, however luckily you have one down the street! The Southern Maryland Electrician Pros are your electricians that pride in leaving their customers satisfied that they have the only reputation to be fully trustworthy locally. No doubt, it’s hard to find a decent electrician these days but Kevin´s locally owned and operated team can’t let you down when you´ll be enjoying your new living space more than you imagined it. They are one catch you don´t want to let go.

7 Things to Remember When Hiring an Electrician in Southern Maryland

We live in the 21st century and all of our homes run on electricity. No one likes the idea of a house fire in this century anymore than they did ever. It is highly recommended that you call an experienced electrician for all of your electrical needs. Finding the right electrician for your project is vital. Here are a few things to remember before hiring an electrical contractor in the Southern Maryland area.

1. Make Sure You are Hiring a Maryland Licensed Electrician

This is an easy step, but it is crucial. If something goes wrong because of the work that an unlicensed electrician did, you will be left cleaning up and paying for the mess. This includes on the job accidents or post-installment mishaps. If someone is unlicensed they, nor their work, will be insured. Before you call to schedule an appointment verify that they are licensed in the state of Maryland as an electrician.

To verify that who you are thinking about hiring has an active license in Maryland you can search the Maryland Board of Master Electricians database by last name, city, or license number.

2. Verify You are Hiring an Insured Electrician

Just because you have found a licensed electrician in southern Maryland does not guarantee that they will have the proper insurance to protect you from any incidentals. Verify that your potential electrical contractor has liability insurance to cover the cost of any repairs. Also make sure that they have workman’s compensation so that you will not be liable if someone breaks a wrist falling off a ladder on your property.

3. Know the Difference in Electrician Qualifications

You need to understand the difference between a Master Electrician and a Journeyman Electrician. It is hard to ask who will be doing the work if you are not aware of the differences in the workers. Take a minute a read the main differences between an apprentice, a journeyman, and a master here.

4. Who will be doing the work? The owner or an employee.

Unless you are hiring a one man company, there is a high probability the owner of the business won’t be doing all of the work himself. He may have licensed journeyman completing the work. Or there may be an apprentice on the work site. Just make sure to ask if their work is insured and will be overseen at all times. If a subcontractor will be used, make sure they are licensed and insured completely as well.

If a different employee than the one giving the estimate will be doing the work, make sure you have the right number to call if you have questions or something goes wrong.

5. The Hourly Rate Should Not Be the Deciding Factor

This is an important thing to remember when hiring an electrical contractor. A high hourly rate should not dissuade you from considering a certain electrician. A few things to consider would be: 1) Does this include any warranties? If so, what are they and how long are they good for? 2) Does the high hourly rate include all the electricians travel costs, or will these be additional charges at the end of the project? Going with a cheaper hourly rate may not account for travel time and can add up quickly if your electrician has to run back and forth to the store because you keep changing your mind on a light fixture. 3) If someone is charging a low hourly rate, there may be a reason. Definitely ask for proof of all licensing and insurance, references, years of experience and training.

Basically, check the fine print and don’t hesitate to call around before signing any contracts.

6. Ask for References and Previous Experience

If you were the boss of a company and were trying to hire employees, you would not hesitate to ask for references and previous experience before making someone a part of your company. It is no different when hiring an electrician. When hiring an electrician in Southern Maryland you are the boss of your home or project. Do not hesitate to ask for references from previous jobs similar to your own. Make sure that who you are bringing into your home or onto your project has a good reputation for doing a good job.

7. How Does Your Electrical Contractor Feel About You Inspecting His Work

When shopping around for an electrical contractor, remember to ask how he feels about random or routine inspections of his work, whatever your schedule will allow. An inspection is recommended because it will allow you to get a good sense of the kind of work you are paying for. You may not understand how the wiring works, but if wires are running to panels or utility boxes in a jumbled, unorganized mess, be wary. Evidence of habitual disorganization and untidiness may lead you to hiring a different electrical contractor who pays more attention to detail.

A few things to look for: If you notice that cover plates are loose and crooked, that means the electrician did not take the time to put the utility box in the right place; flush with the studs and far enough away from the wall. If wires that are going into a panel box or circuit breaker look criss-crossed and jumbled, this means that it is possible for wires to have literally become criss-crossed leading to obvious issues later.