Electrical Services In Toronto: Why You Need A Professional

If you need electrical services in Toronto, hiring a licensed pro isn’t just a good idea; it’s the best way to ensure that the electrical work is completed in accordance with current regulations.

Did you know that most electrical work requires that you obtain a permit prior to beginning the work, and that an inspector from the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) must come and check over the work once it has been completed?

As homeowner, you have two options. You can obtain a permit and complete the work yourself or you can hire a licensed electrician to provide you with electrical services in Toronto. For most jobs, hiring a licensed electrician is a better choice simply because most homeowners simply don’t possess the skills and training needed for many electrical jobs, such as lighting installation and upgrades and many repairs.

Unfortunately, while there are many electricians serving the Greater Toronto Area, not all of them are licensed. Hiring an unlicensed electrician puts you at great risk. These fraudulent electricians may not have the training needed to complete jobs safely and correctly, and because electrical issues have the potential to cause fires and injuries.

How To Spot A Fraud

1. Check Their Work Vehicle

Does it showcase their ESA license number on the side? It should, if it doesn’t be sure to ask for their ESA license number. If they tell you that an ESA license isn’t a requirement, they are lying to you. All electrical work in Ontario must be completed either by a homeowner or by an ESA licensed electrician. Anytime you contact an electrician and they won’t tell you their license number, hang up and find another electrician.

2. Check Their Paperwork

Most licensed electricians will display their ESA license number on all of their paperwork. Some will even display it on their website, but it should be on all of their vehicles and paperwork. If you glance at the estimate and don’t see the ESA license number anywhere on it, this is a red flag and you definitely should ask.

3. Check Their Level Of Professionalism

Typically, a licensed and quality electrician will have a truck or trucks with their logo, their physical address, phone number and ESA license printed on the side or back. They will wear clothing that displays their company logo and have proper business cards and invoices and estimate sheets imprinted with the company logo.

4. They Ask For Money Upfront

Some licensed professionals providing electrical services in Toronto will ask you for a small deposit, especially for a larger job. However, never hire an electrician that requires you to pay for the entire job upfront. Be especially wary if they want the entire payment in cash.

5. They Handle Many Odd Jobs

Electrical work is a serious endeavor. Completing a project incorrectly can put you, the homeowner, in serious danger. Never hire a person that offers to handle electrical work as well as providing plumbing services, painting, drywall and myriad of other handyman chores. Typically, these jacks of all trades are not licensed and not trained to handle complex electrical issues.

Electrical Services We Provide

At Tesla Electric, we’ve been providing quality residential and commercial electrical services in Toronto for more than 45 years. Our clients include everyone from homeowners to the Toronto Hockey Hall of Fame, the Department of National Defence, GO Transit and many others.

For our residential clients, we can provide knob & tube replacement, electrical panel upgrades, pot light installation and repairs, as well as any other type of electrical repair or upgrade you might need. If you drive an electric car, we also can provide you with electric car charger installation for any make or model of electric car.

As seasoned commercial electricians, we can provide you with any level of lighting repair or installation you might need, including LED installations, lighting retrofit services and much more. We also can help with the maintenance of electrical distribution equipment and provide you with a detailed electrical distribution consumption analysis, helping you find ways to reduce your overall energy usage and costs. We are proud to have earned the Consumer Choice Award in the category of electrical contractor in the Greater Toronto Area for the last six years. This is the only seal of business excellence in Toronto awarded through an independent research survey. No matter what type of electrical services in Toronto you may need, the team at Tesla Electric is here to help.