So, a licensed electrician has already been selected and aspects of your business or home electrical wiring project have been agreed upon. What should your next step be? To get details of the electrician work orders (also known as work agreements) and electrical work cost in writing.
As with any other type new construction or remodeling endeavor, electrical projects should be clearly outlined in a licensed electrician contract. This is especially important for more complex electrician contractor jobs. For instance, electrical work requirements for new construction, or home electrical wiring for an extensive remodeling project. Note: regular electrician work orders usually suffice for simpler, less complicated electrical projects.
An electrician work order or electrician contract should clearly define the scale and scope of the home electrical wiring project, or other electrical work to be performed. Both should include aspects of electrician contractor jobs that have been agreed upon, before any work begins. Including electrical work cost for materials and labor.
Electrician contracts and electrician work orders are meant to protect the interests and rights of the project owner as well as licensed electrical contractors and electricians. A detailed electrician contract signed by both parties offers the best protection against misunderstandings once electrical work begins. And is the best insurance against a home electrical wiring project gone awry.
Is Your Licensed Electrician Up to Snuff?
Before hiring any electricity worker for electrician contractor jobs, make sure electrician credentials check out. This is true whether hiring a home electrical wiring electrician, commercial journeyman electrician, licensed electrical contractors, or any type electrical work provider regardless of work title.
Before discussing electrician contract specifics or signing electrician work orders, make sure that licensed electrical contractors considered for the job meet the following criteria:
- Does the journeyman electrician, electrical contractor, or other electricity work provider meet local, state, and national requirements? Is he or she:
- A licensed electrician or licensed electrical contractor, with a valid license?
- Certified for the type home electrical wiring or other electricity work to be performed?
- Properly insured to meet journeyman electrician insurance requirements?
- Insured for the duration of the home electrical wiring or other electrical projects to be performed?
- Is the licensed electrical contractor able to provide references?
- Do licensed electrical contractor references check out?
- Does the electrical work cost quote sound reasonable?
- Is the electrical work cost quote comparable to what other licensed electricians in the area charge for the same type service? Note: be wary of licensed electrical contractors who charge considerably less then other area electricians for same type service. Never hire a licensed electrician based on electrical work cost alone. Business and home electrical wiring represents a potentially dangerous situation; best left in the hands of the most responsible and skillful electricity professional possible.
- Does the electrical contractor or journeyman electrician guarantee their electrical work in writing?
- Are the licensed electrical contractors knowledgeable about business and home electrical wiring codes, in addition to local, state, and national electricity codes and guidelines?
- Do licensed electrical contractor candidates have a proven track record for adhering to all electricity codes?
- Is the licensed electrician adept at preparing well-detailed electrician contract and electrician work orders?
- Do the licensed electrical contractors perform free pre-worksite inspection services, to provide an electrical work cost bid?
- Has the journeymen electrician or licensed electrical contractor recently performed electrician contractor jobs similar to the type electrical projects he/she will be working on?
Is the licensed electrician bonded for the electrician contractor jobs they perform? Note: a bonded journeyman electrician, though not necessarily a requirement, is a definite plus! Bonded electrician contractor jobs offer a type of insurance policy for the electrical work project owner. Bonding helps to insure that the journeyman electrician or electrical contractor will meet his/her electrical work obligations in an acceptable manner. That all electrician contractor jobs will be completed to the satisfaction of the local wire inspector. And that business and home electrical wiring and other local, state, and national electricity codes and guidelines, will be strictly adhered to.
Finally, check to discover if the licensed electrician you are about to hire has any legitimate unresolved complaints lodged against him/her. Whether for unethical work principles, poor workmanship, or uncompleted electrician contractor jobs?
Connect with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to ensure that candidates being considered for electrician contractor jobs are licensed electrical contractors in good standing. Make certain insurance requirements are met, for the state in which the electrician contractor jobs will be completed. Also check to see whether there exist legitimate or unresolved complaints.
Once you have ascertained these things and selected the journeyman electrician or electrical contractor of choice, you are ready to focus on electrician work orders or electrician contracts. Note: an electrician work order or electrician contract becomes a binding and legal agreement only after it has been signed by the parties involved. In addition to making sure the electrician work order agreement or electrician contract is detailed and complete, be sure it gets signed by both the electrical projects owner and licensed electrician.
Electrician Contracts and Electrician Work Orders
Various electrician contract forms and electrician work order samples are available over the Internet; free or reasonably priced. Conduct an online search using the phrases “free electrician contract forms†“electrician work orderâ€, “sample electrician work ordersâ€, or “electrician contracts†for multiple options.
For less complicated electrical projects such as a home electrical wiring outlet update, lengthy electrician contract forms are not necessary. Signed electrician work orders usually suffice. But if business or home electrical wiring needs are complex or extensive, and for construction purposes, a detailed electrician contract form is best.
Licensed electrician contracts should:
- Clearly and precisely outline business or home electrical wiring job requirements.
- Include electrical work cost for labor.
- Include a detailed electrical work materials list.
- Include electrical work cost for materials.
- Include a projected timeline for significant completion dates, in addition to the date when all electrician contractor jobs will be completed.
Both parties should carefully read electrician contracts before adding their signature. Verbal agreements or promises not clearly outlined within the contract are not legally binding. Vague references are open to interpretation and are worthless for contract purposes. And remember, even detailed electrician contract forms are not binding unless signed by both the electrical work project owner and licensed electrician.
Only then do they offer viable legal protection.
Developing Good Journeyman Electrician Contract Forms
Laying good groundwork for electrician work orders and contracts is an important part of formulating good electrician contracts that do their job. Detailed electrician contract forms reduce the risk of either the homeowner or licensed electrician misunderstanding what the project agreement is, or what electrical work is required. Detailed electrician work orders helps to protect the rights and financial investments of all parties involved.
Journeyman electrician contracts developed for electrician contractor jobs should be information specific. A good electrician contract will include:
- Full names, addresses, and contact information of both the electrical projects owner and the licensed electrician. If the service provider is an electrical contractor working for a company, include the full name, address, and contact information for the company.
- Physical address where the electrical work will be done.
- The electrical projects start date and expected completion date. Include acceptable reasons for delay. (Weather, material availability/shipping delays, unexpected electrical work complications, etc.)
- Expected achievement-point completion dates, for various stages of electrical work being undertaken.
- Detailed plans for electrical projects to be completed.
- Detailed specifications on electricity fixtures and electrical work materials required.
- Details of electrical work cost; electrical work cost for labor as well as itemized material costs. Include when payment is due.
- Assurance that the journeyman electrician will stay in full compliance with business or home electrical wiring codes, and all local, state, and national electricity codes.
- Aspects of the electricity project contracted out to a third party. Include third party information in licensed electrician contracts.
- Specification of required home electrical wiring and other permits. Include who is responsible for obtaining and paying for each; the journeyman electrician or electrical work project owner.
- Proof the electricity service provider is a licensed electrician.
- Proof the journeyman electrician or other service provider is adequately insured. Include insurance coverage information.
- Complete product warranty information.
- Electrical work warranty information.
- Specification of who is responsible for cleaning up debris from work site at the end of each day.
- A release of liens that protects the electrical projects owner from charges, debts, or liens that might get filed against the licensed electrical contractor.
Create your own electrician work orders or electrician contracts, or use printable electrician contract forms readily available online.
How to Use Preprinted Electrician Contracts and Electrician Work Orders
As mentioned above, samples and templates for standard electrician contract forms and work orders are available over the Internet; free, or for a reasonable price. If preprinted electrician work orders or electrician contracts are used:
- Make sure every blank is completely filled in. Leave no empty spaces on the form.
- If aspects of the licensed electrician contract forms or electrician work orders do not apply, fill it in with “N/A†(does not apply).
- Strike out clauses you don't agree with or that are not relevant to the electrician contractor jobs being performed.
- Write-in new clauses.
Remember; never sign a preprinted electrician contract or electrician work order that is not completely filled in. Alterations to preprinted contracts and work orders must be made before adding signatures.
Project amendments (i.e. electrical work specifications or electrical work cost) should be dated and signed by both the journeyman electrician or licensed electrical contractor, and the electrical projects owner. And then signed copies of the electrician work orders or licensed electrician contract forms should be provided to both parties.
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