Track down the right tradesperson for your project with Tim Doherty’s in-depth guide

Choosing the best electrician for your project is all about ensuring they have the right skills and qualifications for your job. Electrical work is more strictly regulated than many other areas of construction - and while that largely rules out taking on anything more than superficial changes on a DIY basis, it does mean that modern installations are exceptionally safe.

Seeking recommendations from friends, neighbours and other trades is a good place to start, but there are other options. The websites of the major electrical trade bodies are well worth a visit: they’ll have ‘find a trade’ searches that allow you track down local pros in your area. Whoever you invite to quote, it’s wise to investigate a little further before you sign on the dotted line. Ideally, visit a live site so you can see how neat their work is: or if not, at least speak to former clients about their experience with that trade.

Check their qualifications, too, and go through your requirements in detail to translate your basic electrical plans into a fully developed, fully-priced specification. Here’s what you need to know to find the best person for the job.

What’s involved in electrical training?

Studying to become an electrician involves some pretty stringent learning to gain a full understanding of electrical engineering. These trades need to be familiar with and competent in a large chunk of the Building Regulations, most significantly in Part P (see below).