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  • #1

    Finding a sparky

    Anyone got any advice for finding a good electrician?

    And on a scarier note: how about for funding one; given that we already follow the stuff in the 'making money stretch' thread....
    Seshat's self-help guide:
    1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
    2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
    3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
    4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

    "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    If you don't know people who have hired an electrician they have been happy with then

    1) ask people who work for trades that follow the one you are looking for; in this case plumbers, gas fitters/tin whackers, possibly boarders
    2) drive by houses under construction, call the electricians the best generals in your area are using

    Good tradesmen are busy tradesmen, for a very small job, you can offer cash for an employee of the company to come after hours and do by himself, for less money usually, ** this usually means no company guarantee **

    As for how to fund it....sorry I've got nothing.
    Pain and suffering are inevitable...misery is optional.

    Comment

    • #3
      If you could provide some information about the problem it would help toward advising a course of action. There are different kinds of electrician.

      If you are a renter, usually the property owner is responsible for electrical problems with the house.
      Suckiness is reinforced up OR down at every transaction. Accepting BS makes them worse for all of us; firm fairness trains them to suck less.

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      • #4
        We own the house. Well, the bank owns most of it.

        The fuse blows for one of our circuits, even when we have taken off everything but a test item. And yes, we've tried it with different test items. We think it's old wiring....
        Seshat's self-help guide:
        1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
        2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
        3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
        4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

        "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

        Comment

        • #5
          Make sure that you ask to see their trades licence. My dad has to go through all that jazz as he's a carpenter. If they don't show their licence, tell them no and/or that you'll call the police.

          http://www.startlocal.com.au/article...ectrician.html

          Make sure that the licence also covers them to work in their state. A list can be found here:

          Vic: http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/For-Consum...a-tradesperson

          NSW: http://nsw.neca.asn.au/node/17
          The best professors are mad scientists! -Zoom

          Now queen of USSR-Land...

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          • #6
            Recommendations from friends/colleagues has usually worked well for me.

            You can check a license is current at http://www.licensedtrades.com.au
            and I think Aus Dept of Fair Trading or ACCC website will list any complaint made against a license holder.
            Be Nicer To Retail Workers 2K18, also known as: stop being an incredibly shitty human to people just doing their job.

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            • #7
              I'm not sure if the power companies still do it, but some time back my local company would send out an electrician, and then work out a payment plan via your regular power bill. I think the payments could take up to a year with no interest.

              *SEQEB in Brisbane.

              If it's old and faulty wiring, it's a potential fire hazard. Please at least call your local power co and see what they advise, ASAP.

              Comment

              • #8
                That circuit currently has no power running through it. But yes, the whole house' wiring is 40+ years old.

                It turns out that the Federal government (Australia) has thought about this issue in general: pensioners can get an extremely-low-interest federal loan for essential home repairs (safety and health issues, not appearance issues).
                An assessor of the appropriate type comes in, estimates what the work should cost, authorises the loan. We can then pay the electrician with the loan authorisation, and the govt supplies the money and takes it out of our pension (slowly).

                So don't worry about us being in danger of fire: that's about to be taken care of.
                Seshat's self-help guide:
                1. Would you rather be right, or get the result you want?
                2. If you're consistently getting results you don't want, change what you do.
                3. Deal with the situation you have now, however it occurred.
                4. Accept the consequences of your decisions.

                "All I want is a pretty girl, a decent meal, and the right to shoot lightning at fools." - Anders, Dragon Age.

                Comment

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