Residential Electrician

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. How do you shop for a car? Clothes? Computer?

Do the same for electricians. Shop around and compare prices. Some charge an hourly rate, while others charge a flat fee for each device installed.

Do yourself and loved ones a favor. Ask for proof of insurance. They can have all the credentials in the world, but if God forbid something should happen and they can't cover you for it, you lose. BIG. A quicky horror story, back when I worked for Verizon, a technician grounded the system to a metal pipe. All fine and dandy, but he did not distinguish between the water pipe and gas pipe. A short circuit occured and the house was vaporized. Thankfully Verizon has millions of dollars in liability insurance. The family was well taken care of, but can the same be said for you? Ask for proof of insurance.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. As a customer I would love to know why it costs so much to have a licensed electrician work on my home?

It requires substantial investment like any business. More importantly, our lives are at risk. This is electricity we are talking about here. One Ampere can kill. A malfuctioning circuit breaker can cost us our life or that of a coworker. It may not be rocket science, but it sure is dangerous. It's also an industry of great demand and there are not alot of electricians to fill the need.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. It is not my goal to get rich from each job. I charge a reasonable fee for quality work. Customers are charged for the original cost of items (plus shipping fee if any), my hourly rate and a fuel surcharge of 40 cents a mile if you live more than 30 miles from Scranton. The fuel surcharge may seem excessive, but the total bill will probably be still cheaper than my competitors. Fuel surcharge is waived on jobs $800 or more.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. I love beginning new business relationships and sustaining them with quality craftsmenship. I am in this job to make sure the lights stay on and provide a comfortable living for my family. I am married with one child who just turned two years old this February past. My angel is very intelligent and I bet she will want to attend a great college. Which is my responsibility to pay, not yours. But with references and a growing fan base I can increase income without increasing prices. Help me advertise freely with your good word and avoid raising prices to pay for billboards and commercials. Do you really want to see another commercial on TV?

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. There are a variety of options. Contact your local electrical workers union and make arrangements to join. You will have to jump through some hoops and take a test. But once your in, your set for life. If you were not accepted due to limited positions, go to school. Many vocational schools offer electrician programs for residential, commercial and industrial applications. There is big money in commercial and industrial jobs which I intend to study for this fall. Last but not least, is contacting all the electricians in your area and asking if they would take you on as a helper. It may not pay as much as the union, but you will learn the trade.