How to select an electrician

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charlie b

charlie b

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Location
Lockport, IL
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Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
We want to replace the overhead light in our laundry room. We'll buy the fixture, but there is no way I would try to install it. An internet search for electricians near Lockport IL gave me a very lost list of companies and individuals. How should I go about finding a good candidate?
 
You probably can get a "flat rate" electrician quick but you will pay a premium. You might check at a supply house and see if there is an electrician that does small jobs, or is semi-retired (like me) to do it. I don't know how it is in IL, but around here, most are tied up in new construction.
 
That should be a one-hour job. Ask for their one-hour minimum price.

Go by "close to me" and you'll probably find someone like me nearby.
 
charlie b said:
How should I go about finding a good candidate?
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Check for licensing, insurance, WC, then pricing, then go get the handyman to install it for $25.

At least that is what most around here would do for the small project like that. Most don't want to pay for the guy who would know that tapping into the nearby SABC to run into laundry would not be to code, or grabbing one leg from the dryer circuit for the light. Seen both. Or the guy that "it's a light" so takes some lamp cord to run in the wall from a switch to a fixture. (seen it)
 
ramsy said:
Tried that in my area, and got referred to the license board.

City of Anaheim says the're not allowed to recommend contractors.
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Correct, they would not be permitted to recommend a contractor, but they should be able to provide a list of contractors that have the proper license to do work in their city.
 
If you know any real estate agents, ask them. Most of them know people that'll do small jobs, since they often need to be done to get a house ready for sale.
 
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