If you have a project that's going to require electrical work, then you are definitely going to require the services of a licensed Calgary electrician. The electrical part of any project is just too important, and potentially dangerous, to leave in the hands of anyone other than an experienced pro. Here at Handy Canadian we have put together a directory of Calgary electricians and general contractors who provide electrical design and services to help you start your selection process.

In each listing you'll find a description of services, license information, area of Calgary served, contact information, a link to their site and any reviews that former Calgary customers saw fit to leave behind. The directory is a great place to peruse the professionals available and develop a short list of prospective electricians for your project.

But building the short list is just the start.

Evaluating electricians

Cost is always a concern with any project but it's not the most important element when it comes to electrical projects and renovations. Your primary concern should be:

• Is the electrician or general contractor fully licensed and authorized to do business in Calgary?
• Does the contractor have adequate liability insurance and can he or she prove it.
• If the electrician is hurt on the job is he or she covered by workman's compensation insurance or are they going to be looking to your homeowner's policy for payment?
• And of course can they do what they say they can do. Reference checking is an absolute must.

Don't sway from these basics. In fact if the low bidder is much lower than most he or she probably has taken a shortcut in licensing or insurance...two places that you can't afford a shortcut.

Licenses required of electricians in Calgary

Any electrician or general contractor operating as a business in Calgary is required to get a city Business License. In addition, the electrical trade requires that electricians obtain a Certificate of Certification (C of Q) to obtain a 'ticket' of journeyperson. This is no small feat. The C of Q is issued only after a person has been through a 9,000 hour apprentice program under the supervision of a journeyman electrician or a Master electrician.

Electricians who work projects that require them to apply for electrical permits must be rated as a Master Electrician. Master Electricians usually have more advanced knowledge of electrical systems and may in fact hold degrees in Engineering.

General Contractors may have a raft of licenses because they typically employ workers in a variety of trades. Just make sure they have the appropriate licenses for the electrical end of your project.

Reference checking

Nobody likes to do it but do it you must. The references that the contractor gives you will probably be singing the praises of the contractor from atop the Calgary Tower. Go ahead and call them though to see if time passing has created any buyer remorse. Check the Calgary Better Business Bureau and even run the contractor's name through the search engines to see what you come up with. Reputation is really the only way you can get a feel for how honest, talented and professional your contractor is before you sign a contract.

Once you've made a selection and the project is underway you have two options. You can stay at the project and offer your unprofessional advice to the professionals or you can grab the family and head to the Calgary Zoo or a relaxing day enjoying Banff National Park.

If you've done your homework you may as well enjoy a day away from the noise and mess that attends many projects.

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