Services · Electrical
Hire an electrician
Lights, outlets, switches, faults and new circuits. Describe the job once and local electricians can answer it.
Electrical work is licensed almost everywhere, and for good reason: a mistake does not always show up on the day. That makes the license check the most important part of hiring an electrician, and it only takes a couple of minutes.
If you see sparks, smell burning or an outlet is hot to the touch, switch off the power at the main switch and get help now. Our guide to when to call an electrician explains which problems can wait.
What electricians on Taskovery do
- Lights, fans and fittings
- Outlets, sockets and switches
- Fault finding: tripping breakers, flickering lights, dead circuits
- Switchboards, fuse boxes and panels
- Hardwired smoke alarms
- Electric vehicle chargers and new circuits
What to put in your job post
- What is happening, and when it started
- Photos of the fitting, the outlet or the switchboard
- The age of the home, if you know it
- Whether a breaker keeps tripping, and which one
- Access to the switchboard and the ceiling space
License rules and checks, by country
Electrical work is regulated in all six countries Taskovery covers: licensed in most, and controlled through registration and sign-off in the United Kingdom.
- United States: Electricians are licensed state by state, and many cities add their own license and permit rules. Your state electrical or contractor board runs a lookup.
- Canada: Electrical work is regulated by each province and territory. In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority licenses electrical contractors and publishes a lookup.
- United Kingdom: In England and Wales, notifiable electrical work in a home must be signed off by building control or done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, such as NICEIC or NAPIT.
- Ireland: Electrical contractors register with Safe Electric, which has a search.
- Australia: Electricians are licensed in every state and territory, and the state or territory regulator runs the license search.
- New Zealand: Electricians must be registered and licensed with the Electrical Workers Registration Board, which keeps a public register.
Whatever the rules, look the number up yourself on the regulator’s own site rather than following a link the contractor sends. How to check a license and insurance walks through it.
How pricing works
Electricians usually charge a call-out fee and an hourly rate, plus parts. A defined job, such as fitting a new light or an outlet, can often be quoted as a fixed price from photos. After-hours work costs more.
Ask for the certificate or paperwork your country requires for the work, and keep it with your home’s records. You will want it when you sell or insure the home.
How it works on Taskovery
- Post the job for free. Say what needs doing, where, and when. Photos help more than anything else.
- Explore local advertisements. Compare business profiles and past work. Advertising is paid placement, not a guarantee of skill or quality. Check the licences and insurance needed for your job.
- Choose who does it. Compare replies, profiles and past work, and pick the person you want.
- Agree the work and pay directly. Confirm the scope, price, timing and payment terms with the contractor. Customers pay contractors directly; Taskovery does not hold new-job payments.
Guides that help with this job
Questions
Questions people ask about hiring an electrician
Can a handyman do electrical work?
Not beyond the simplest tasks in most places. Installing or altering wiring, circuits and fixed appliances is regulated electrical work in all six countries Taskovery covers. It is licensed in most of them, and in the United Kingdom notifiable work must be signed off by building control or done by a registered electrician.
What paperwork should I get?
Whatever your country requires for the work: a certificate of compliance, a permit sign-off, or a certificate from a registered scheme. Ask before work starts which one you will get.
Is a sparking outlet an emergency?
Yes. Switch the power off at the main switch, do not use the outlet, and get an electrician as soon as you can. If there is smoke or fire, call your emergency number.
Lights, outlets or a fault to fix?
Posting is free, and you decide who does the work.
Are you an electrician? Advertise with a Normal or Featured Partner placement, a business profile and direct customer contact. See how Taskovery works for contractors.