How to Choose an Electrical Contractor: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Hire

Hiring an electrician shouldn’t be a gamble. Most homeowners don’t ask the right questions upfront because they don’t know what to ask — which is fair, you’re not in the trade. This post is the 10-question filter we’d want every Twin Cities homeowner to use when comparing electrical contractors. Real contractors answer these questions confidently. Sketchy ones get evasive or annoyed.

Questions 1-4: Credentials and Insurance

(1) **What’s your Minnesota Electrical Contractor License number?** Every real contractor has one (format: EAxxxxxx for electrical, BCxxxxxx for building combo). You can verify on dli.mn.gov. Hesitation here is a major red flag. Our number is EA761814. (2) **Are you bonded and insured? Can you send me the COI (Certificate of Insurance)?** Real contractors carry liability insurance ($1M minimum) and workers’ comp. The COI takes 2 minutes to email from their carrier. If they can’t produce it, walk. (3) **How long has your business been operating in this name?** Tells you how much skin they have in the game locally. (4) **Are you a member of any trade or business associations?** BBB, local chamber, NECA, etc. Not required, but trust signal.

What good answers look like: prompt, specific, confident, no defensiveness. “My license is EA761814 — feel free to verify at dli.mn.gov. We carry $2M liability with our COI on file with [insurer]; happy to send it. We’ve been in business as [name] for [years]; before that I worked for [previous shop] for [years].” That kind of answer means they’ve done this before.

Questions 5-7: Scope and Permits

(5) **Will you pull a permit for this work?** Required for almost all electrical work in Minnesota. If they say “we don’t need one for this small job” — usually false, and a red flag. (6) **Is the permit fee included in your quote or separate?** Either is fine, but it should be transparent. Hidden permits added to the final bill are a common scam. We list permit fees as a line item on every quote. (7) **Who pulls the permit — you or me as homeowner?** Should be them. Contractor-pulled permits put liability on the contractor; homeowner-pulled permits shift liability to you.

What good answers look like: “Yes we pull the permit, it’s $80 for [city] and broken out as a line item on the quote. The inspection visit happens within 2-5 business days after the work is done; we handle the scheduling.” Vague answers, or “oh just leave the permit off” — walk.

Questions 8-10: Pricing, References, and Communication

(8) **Will you provide a written line-item quote with materials, labor, and permit separated?** “Lump sum” quotes hide markup and make you unable to compare bids fairly. Line items make it auditable. We provide written quotes with materials, labor, and permit broken out, plus tax. (9) **Do you require a deposit, and how much?** For most residential work under $5,000, no deposit is reasonable. For large projects ($10K+), 25-50% deposit is normal. Anyone wanting 100% upfront is a scam. (10) **Can I talk to 2-3 customers from recent jobs?** Real contractors maintain a list of customers who’ve agreed to act as references. Vague answers here mean either the customer pool is thin or the contractor doesn’t ask for references because they know the answers wouldn’t be flattering.

Bonus communication question: **How do you handle changes or surprises mid-project?** Real contractors describe a process — they’ll pause the work, document the issue, give you a written change order with the additional cost before doing the extra work. Sketchy ones say “we’ll just add it to the final bill” — which is how customers get $2,000 surprises at completion. Insist on written change orders before you sign anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many bids should I get?

2-3 is standard. More than that gets diminishing returns and contractors notice if they’re one of seven bids — they assume you’re shopping price not value, and quality contractors stop bidding. Stick to 2-3 with reasonable shops.

Should I always pick the cheapest bid?

No — the cheapest often is cheapest because they skipped the permit, used lower-grade materials, or didn’t include something you need. Compare line items, not bottoms. The middle bid from a real contractor is usually the best value.

What’s a red flag in the quote itself?

(1) Missing permit line item. (2) “Materials and labor — $X,XXX” with no breakdown. (3) Pressure tactics like ‘this price expires in 24 hours.’ (4) Unwillingness to put the warranty in writing. (5) Demanding payment via Cash App, Zelle, or cash only.

How long should an estimate visit take?

20-45 minutes for routine work, 1-2 hours for major projects. Less than 10 minutes usually means they’re not actually looking carefully. More than 2 hours usually means they’re upselling on the visit.

Can I get a quote without an in-person visit?

For simple known jobs (outlet replacement, EV charger install at a known location), yes — phone or email quotes are fine. For anything bigger, in-person visits matter. We do in-home assessments.

Get an Honest Quote

Written line-item quote, permit broken out, BBB member, fully licensed (EA761814). Call 651-418-1476 or book online. Estimates within 3-5 business days. No deposit on jobs under $5K. References available on request.