What to Consider when hiring an Electrician to do your home's Service

In the year 2025, we have so much information that sometimes it's hard to make the correct decision. When upgrading your home's electrical service (outside wire, meter can, inside power panel, and home's grounding system), we have some tips for the customer to ask their electrical contractor or potential electrical contractor.

Let's know why. Yes, we are sure you, as the homeowner, reached out to the electrical contractor for an estimate, but do you know why you did? This is when you get your potential new electrical contractor to come into your home and go over your electrical system. Let them explain to you what they see—all the positives and negatives. Look out for words and phrases like, your current home's service is x amount of amps, the panel looks good or bad, I see evidence of water coming into your panel, you have openings throughout your panel, there is no main shut-off to your panel, the grounding for your home's electrical service is outdated and/or does not exist. Your outside cable and meter are compromised from years and years of being in the elements. When R&D Electrical does a service walk through, we will touch on all of these points with the customer and explain in terms the customer can understand all the positives and negatives with the system. We suggest that you explain to your potential electrical contractor why you are thinking of upgrading, but after that, let the electrical contractor do all the talking. Get a feel for if he or she is explaining your system, why things must change, what the standards are for today compared to previous times, and why.

Are we getting this service upgrade inspected? You should always want your electrical contractor to get your service upgrade inspected by a third-party agency. This is important because it will ensure you, as the homeowner, that your electrical contractor is performing work to the National Electrical Code and today's standards.

Do we have to coordinate with the Electrical Delivery Service Contractor?

Your Electrical Contractor should inform you if, when they upgrade your electrical service, they have to coordinate with the service provider for a disconnect/reconnect appointment and how this process works!

How long will you be out of power?

How long your home will be out of power is information your electrical contractor should have a great estimate on. Let the contractor explain how long a typical job like this takes and if there are factors out of the electrical contractor's hands regarding the time frame for power restoration (like the delivery service provider reconnecting power).

The Almighty Price.

In 2025, everything seems to be so expensive. Your electrical contractor should be able to explain the estimated price for the service and what that includes. Things that the price should cover are materials, labor, permit fees, inspection fees, and coordination with the delivery provider.