Are you insured — what happens if something gets damaged?

Ask how accidental damage is handled. A good electrician explains their liability cover or clearly states how they will repair or replace damaged items — and is willing to put that responsibility in writing. Red flags: claiming nothing ever goes wrong or refusing to discuss it.

5 Questions to Ask Your Electrician Before Hiring (2026 Guide)

Q: Are you qualified — and can you show references?

A professional names their exact qualification or licence, shows the certificate or registration number and offers two or three recent references with photos or contact details. Red flags: claims that papers are not needed, getting defensive, or references that cannot be verified.

Q: Will I get a written, itemized quote?

Insist on a written quote that separates labour and materials, states what is excluded and defines a payment schedule with the balance due after completion. Red flags: verbal-only flat prices, full cash payment upfront, or a price that changes once work starts.

Q: Which materials will you use — cables, breakers, sockets?

Ask for brand names, standards marks (such as KEBS, SON or SABS and IEC ratings on breakers) and receipts from authorised dealers. Inspect materials before installation. Red flags: unbranded cable, prices far below market level, or refusal to show receipts.

Q: Do you guarantee your work — and for how long?

Professional electricians typically guarantee their workmanship for several months — ask for the exact period in writing on the invoice and what it covers. Materials are covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Red flags: no guarantee at all or verbal promises only.

Electrical work is one of the few trades where a bad job does not just look bad — it can put your family, your equipment and your building at real risk. The good news: you do not need to be an electrician to recognize a professional. You only need to ask the right questions before any work begins.

Here are the five questions that separate reliable electricians from risky ones — whether you are hiring in Lagos, Nairobi, Johannesburg or anywhere else on the continent.

1Are you qualified — and can you show references?

Rules differ across Africa: some countries issue government licences for electrical workers, others rely on trade-test certificates and contractor registration. Ask what applies in your country — then ask the electrician to show exactly that document, not just talk about it.

A qualification tells you the person was trained and tested. References tell you they actually deliver. Ask for two or three recent customers, ideally with photos of the finished work or a number you can call.

A good answer sounds like“Here is my certificate and registration number. And here are three recent jobs — feel free to call the owners.”

Red flags“You don't need papers for a small job.” · Gets defensive when asked · References are only “my cousin can confirm”.

2Are you insured — and what happens if something gets damaged?

Even good professionals have bad days: a drilled water pipe, an inverter damaged by wrong polarity, a scorched wall. What matters is not whether accidents can happen, but how the electrician takes responsibility when they do.

Ask directly: if you damage something, who pays? An established electrician may carry liability cover. A smaller operator may not — and that is not automatically a dealbreaker, as long as they clearly commit to repairing or replacing damage at their cost, ideally noted on the written quote.

A good answer sounds like“If I break it, I fix it — I will put that in writing on the quote.”

Red flags“Nothing ever goes wrong with me.” · Changes the subject · “That's your problem once I leave.”

3Will I get a written, itemized quote?

A verbal flat price is where most disputes start. A professional quote separates labour and materials, states what is excluded, and explains what could change the price — for example hidden wiring faults inside walls that nobody can see before opening them.

Also agree on the payment schedule before work begins. A common, fair pattern is a modest deposit for materials, with the balance paid after completion and your inspection. Be careful with anyone demanding full payment upfront, especially in cash.

A good answer sounds like“You get a written quote: materials here, labour here. If I find something unexpected, I call you before touching it.”

Red flagsVerbal-only pricing · Full cash payment upfront · A price that mysteriously grows once work has started.

4Which materials will you use — cables, breakers, sockets?

Substandard and counterfeit electrical materials are a documented problem in many markets: cables with less copper than the label claims, breakers that fail to trip when they should. The material question is therefore not about brand snobbery — it is about safety.

Ask which brands will be installed and where they will be bought. Look for the standards marks used in your country — for example KEBS in Kenya, SON in Nigeria or SABS in South Africa — and IEC ratings on circuit breakers. A trustworthy electrician buys from authorised dealers, hands over the receipts and lets you inspect materials before they go into your walls.

A good answer sounds like“I use these brands, bought from this dealer — receipts included. Check everything before I install it.”

Red flagsUnbranded cable from a plain spool · Prices far below market level · Refuses to show receipts · “Same same, just cheaper.”

5Do you guarantee your work — and for how long?

A workmanship guarantee is the clearest sign that an electrician stands behind their own hands. Many professionals guarantee their work for several months — commonly in the range of three to twelve — while materials are covered separately by the manufacturer's warranty. Ask for the exact period and have it written on the invoice, including what it covers.

A good answer sounds like“Six months on my workmanship, in writing on the invoice. Materials carry the manufacturer's warranty.”

Red flagsNo guarantee at all · Verbal promises only (“just call me”) · A guarantee that depends on “if I'm still in town”.

How Voltage Africa verifies electricians

Every electrician ranked on Voltage Africa builds their position through documented work: projects with photos, certificates uploaded to their profile and customer reviews that are only counted after completed, confirmed jobs. XP points, anti-cheating checks and manual review keep the ranking honest.

One honest caveat: verification reduces your risk — it does not replace your own judgement. Use the five questions above in every conversation, including with electricians from our platform.

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