There are a lot of benefits to owning your own home. For one, you get the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have a special place to live and to raise your family. No doubt you spent a lot of time looking for just the right home, so you probably also live in a neighborhood that you like or love.

You don’t have to deal with the hassle of having a landlord, and worrying that when your lease is up they might raise your rent or even choose someone else as their new tenant.

Another great plus to home ownership is that you can make whatever changes you want to the house or  property. You are free to dream up some great projects, from designing the perfect backyard entertainment area to remodeling the kitchen or upgrading to a spa-like master suite.

One of the things you also find, though, is that there are a lot of repairs you have to take care of. Most of them you can handle with a do-it-yourself approach, but when it comes to electrical issues there’s an element of danger so you should leave those to a professional.

Find Out If Your Electrician Is Licensed With the State

If you are doing electrical upgrades or major electrical work on your home, it’s critical that you select a trusted local electrician to do the work. Electrical repairs and upgrades have to be done right, or you could endanger both the people who live in the home and the safety of your house and property.

You’ll want to look for an electrician who has been in business for at least 15 years. Verify when they were licensed, and that their license is in good standing by contacting your state’s contractorboard. In each state, you’ll find the board might have a different name. For instance, in New Jersey it’s part of the Division of Consumer Affairs.

Electrician

Read the Online Reviews

If you do your online research, you’ll find a couple of sites that offer online reviews for electricians in your area. You’ll want to look for a local company that has a lot of four- and five-star reviews, and is highly thought of by their customers.

As you look through the reviews, be sure to pay attention to what customers had to say about the company, their staff and their professionalism. If you invest a little bit of time, you’ll come away with all the knowledge you’ll need to make a good choice.

See If the Company Stands Behind Its Work

Another reason for choosing a great local firm that’s been in business for a while is that you’ll have peace of mind knowing they will be there if you need them in the future. You’ll want to ask whether they truly stand behind their work, and offer a 100% Customer Satisfaction guarantee.

It’s also important to see if they provide a Lifetime Warranty on Labor. When they are willing to do that, it’s a good sign that they intend to do the job right, the first time.