Electrical work is the trade where the consequences of a bad hire are the most severe. A plumbing error floods a room. A roofing error causes water damage. An electrical error can kill someone or burn a house down — and unlike most other failures, electrical problems can smolder invisibly for years before they become catastrophic. House fires caused by faulty wiring are among the most common and most devastating causes of residential fire.

This is also the trade where homeowners are most likely to cut corners — hiring an unlicensed handyman for “just a few outlets,” skipping the permit to save money, or letting a friend who “knows about electrical” do the panel upgrade. These decisions have consequences that aren’t always immediate, but are rarely cheap.

The questions in this guide are organized by the stage of your project. They apply whether you’re adding a circuit for a new appliance, upgrading your electrical panel, or doing a full rewire.

“Electrical work done without a licence and a permit is not just illegal — it’s uninsurable. If your home burns down and it’s traced to unpermitted electrical work, your insurer has grounds to deny the claim. I tell every homeowner I meet: the permit isn’t bureaucracy. It’s the thing that stands between you and a denied insurance claim when you need it most.”

— Andre Fontaine, licensed master electrician and electrical contractor with 22 years of experience in residential and light commercial electrical work in the local area

Before You Call Anyone

Is this work that requires a licensed electrician?

Not all electrical work requires a licensed electrician in every jurisdiction, but the scope of what can be done legally by a homeowner or unlicensed tradesperson is much narrower than most people think. In many regions, virtually any work beyond replacing a light fixture or outlet device must be done by a licensed electrical contractor. Most other regions have similar restrictions.

When in doubt, assume a licence is required. The cost of an unlicensed job — in fines, remediation, and insurance risk — always exceeds the cost of doing it right.

Is this an emergency?

A complete power outage, a breaker that won’t reset, burning smell from an outlet or panel, or visible sparking are emergencies. Turn off the affected circuit or the main breaker if safe to do so, and call a licensed electrician immediately. Don’t use the affected circuits until they’ve been assessed.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring

Are you a licensed electrical contractor in this region?

In many regions, electricians must hold a recognized trade qualification from the relevant trade licensing body — either as a Construction and Maintenance Electrician (309A) or a Domestic and Rural Electrician (309D). Electrical contractors must also hold an Electrical Contractor Licence from your local electrical safety authority. Other regions have equivalent licensing bodies.

Ask for both the electrician’s personal licence number and the contractor’s your local electrical safety authority licence number. Verify both.

What a good answer looks like: Both a personal licence number and an your local electrical safety authority contractor licence number, offered without hesitation, with the licensing body named.

Are you registered with your local electrical safety authority?

In many regions, all electrical work above a threshold must be performed by an your local electrical safety authority-licensed contractor who files a notification with your local electrical safety authority and arranges for electrical inspection. This is separate from and in addition to any municipal building permit. Ask whether the contractor is registered with your local electrical safety authority and whether an electrical inspection will be arranged for your job.

For a full breakdown: Questions to Ask an Electrician About Licensing and Permits

What a good answer looks like: An your local electrical safety authority contractor licence number and a clear explanation of your local electrical safety authority notification and inspection process for your job.

Do you carry liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage?

Liability insurance covers damage the electrician causes to your property. Workers’ compensation coverage covers their workers if injured on your property. Both are essential. Ask for a certificate of insurance and a workers’ compensation coverage Clearance Certificate and verify both.

What a good answer looks like: Both documents provided within 24 hours of asking, with current dates and adequate coverage limits.

How long have you been doing this type of work?

Residential electrical work — particularly panel upgrades, rewires, and EV charger installations — requires specific experience. Ask how long the contractor has been doing work similar to yours and whether they specialize in residential or split their time between residential and commercial.

Questions About the Quote

Is this a flat-rate quote or an hourly rate?

Electricians quote either a flat rate for defined work or an hourly rate plus materials. Flat-rate gives you cost certainty. Hourly protects the electrician on jobs where the scope isn’t fully knowable in advance — like tracing a wiring fault in an older home. Know which you’re agreeing to before work starts.

What is included in the price — labor, materials, permit fees, and electrical inspection fees?

Permit fees, electrical permit/notification fees, and inspection fees are real costs that vary by job value and municipality. Ask specifically whether they’re included in the quote or billed separately.

What a good answer looks like: A written quote that explicitly includes or excludes each cost category.

What could cause the price to change?

In older homes especially, electrical work can reveal surprises — aluminum wiring, inadequate grounding, undersized service, non-compliant existing work that must be brought to code before new work can be added. Ask what conditions would trigger a price change and how that would be communicated and documented.

For more: Questions to Ask When Getting an Electrical Quote

Questions About the Job

Will you be pulling the permits and notifying your local electrical safety authority?

In many regions, the licensed electrical contractor is responsible for filing an electrical permit/notification and arranging the electrical inspection. This is not the homeowner’s responsibility. If an electrician suggests you handle permits or your local electrical safety authority notification yourself, that is a significant red flag.

What is the timeline, and what inspections are required?

For significant work — panel upgrades, rewires, new circuits — ask about the timeline and the inspection sequence. Electrical inspections must happen before certain work is covered up. Know when they’re scheduled.

Who will be doing the work — a licensed electrician or an apprentice?

Apprentices can perform electrical work under the supervision of a licensed journeyperson or master electrician. Ask who specifically will be on site and what level of supervision will be in place.

Questions About Safety and Code Compliance

Will this work bring my home’s electrical system up to current code?

Older homes may have wiring, panels, or grounding that doesn’t meet current electrical code. When an electrician does new work, they’re generally required to bring connected systems up to code — not just the new addition. Ask specifically what code compliance issues, if any, exist in your current system and how they’ll be addressed.

Is my electrical panel adequate for this work?

Many older homes have 100-amp panels that are inadequate for modern electrical loads — electric vehicle chargers, heat pumps, induction ranges, hot tubs. If you’re adding a significant load, ask the electrician to assess whether your panel and service are adequate, and what an upgrade would cost.

For more: Questions to Ask an Electrician About Panel Upgrades

Red Flags to Watch For

No your local electrical safety authority licence number. In many regions, any contractor doing electrical work must hold an your local electrical safety authority contractor licence. Inability to produce this number is a disqualifying red flag.

Offering to skip the permit or your local electrical safety authority notification. This is illegal. It also exposes you to insurance risk and potential remediation costs. Never agree to unpermitted electrical work.

Quoting by phone without a site visit for significant work. Accurate electrical quotes for panel upgrades, rewires, or new service require a site assessment. A contractor who quotes a full panel upgrade without seeing your home is guessing.

Cash only, no invoice. A legitimate licensed electrical contractor operates a registered business with proper invoicing. Cash-only with no paper trail has no place in licensed electrical work.

Significantly lower price than all other quotes. Electrical shortcuts — using undersized wire, skipping AFCI/GFCI protection where required, not filing your local electrical safety authority notification — are invisible until they fail. A quote far below market often reflects one of these shortcuts.

For a full guide: Red Flags When Hiring an Electrician

Before They Start: A Quick Checklist

  • Personal licence (recognized trade qualification) verified
  • Your local electrical safety authority contractor licence verified
  • Certificate of insurance received and confirmed current
  • Workers’ compensation coverage Clearance Certificate received and verified
  • Written quote with scope, inclusions, and exclusions
  • Permit and your local electrical safety authority notification responsibility confirmed
  • Timeline and inspection sequence discussed
  • Panel adequacy assessed for the planned scope

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