Electrical work in Montgomery, read from the state code first
Before an electrician in Montgomery opens a panel or cuts into a wall, it can help to know what Alabama's own statute says about who does this kind of work. The Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors posts the Code of Alabama's Electrical Contractors Act. How any passage of it bears on a particular job is something to ask the electrician about rather than assume.
What section 34-36-13 says
Alabama's Electrical Contractors Act (Code of Alabama § 34-36-13), as posted by the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors, says no person shall engage in the electrical contracting business or perform work as a master or journeyman electrician without a license from the board or from the county or municipality where the electrical contracting work is being performed. The same section exempts, among others, the owner of any premises (or the owner's employee) doing electrical work on those premises, and systems that operate on 25 volts or less.
A statewide license, or a local one
Under Alabama's Electrical Contractors Act, a person holding a valid statewide license from the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors may perform electrical work in any county or municipality if the person has the proper county or municipal building permit and business license. A person holding a county or municipal license or permit instead may do that work only within the boundaries of the county or municipality that issued it (Code of Alabama §§ 34-36-13 and 34-36-16).
Questions those two sections raise
Put these to each electrician you are considering, and write the answers down with the date:
- If you hold a license under the Act, did it come from the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors, or from a county or municipality, and if so, which one?
- What county or municipal building permit and business license, if any, go with this job, and who holds or obtains them?
- Will the person who does the wiring be the person named on those papers, or someone working under them?
If an answer is unclear, ask for it again in writing. A name on the estimate that differs from the name on any license or permit is worth asking about before you sign.
Name the job before anyone prices it
An electrician can quote more easily when the request is specific. "The lights are weird" can mean a loose connection, a failing switch, a dimmer that does not suit the bulbs or a problem at the panel. Before the first call, decide which of these your job is closest to:
- a repair: something that used to work and has stopped;
- a replacement: an old panel, fixture, fan or set of devices swapped for new ones;
- an addition: new circuits, outlets or lighting where there were none;
- a change of use: a room, garage or outbuilding being asked to do something new.
Say which one you think it is, then let the electrician tell you whether the visit points somewhere else.
A car charger, a shop or a new appliance
New loads can raise questions about whether the house has room for them. A charger for an electric car, a welder or table saw in the garage, a second oven, a hot tub or a heat pump each draw power in their own way. Before choosing equipment, ask the electrician to look at the panel and the service, explain what spare capacity exists, and say whether the plan calls for a new circuit, a larger panel or a load-management device. Ask to see the reasoning behind any recommendation to enlarge the service, and ask what the utility's part in that work would be.
Outlets near water and outside the house
Kitchens, bathrooms, laundry areas, garages, porches and yards put electricity close to water and weather. Ask the electrician which kind of protection, if any, the plan includes for outlets in those places, whether any existing outlets should be changed while the crew is there, and whether the work will be inspected, and against which code. For outdoor outlets and lights, ask what covers, boxes and wiring methods will be used outside, and how they will be sealed.
Smoke alarm wiring
If the work touches bedrooms, hallways or a remodel, ask whether hard-wired or interconnected smoke alarms are part of the plan, and whether any inspection for the job looks at them. Ask how old the existing alarms are and whether the electrician suggests replacing any of them while the walls are open.
Faults that should not wait
Turn the affected breaker off, if the panel can be reached safely, and call for a same-day visit when you notice any of these:
- an outlet, switch plate or plug that feels hot;
- a burning or hot-plastic smell with no obvious source;
- scorch marks on a cover plate or the panel;
- buzzing or crackling from a wall or the panel;
- a breaker that trips again right after you reset it.
What to have in writing
Before anyone starts, ask for a written estimate that lists each circuit, device and fixture, the panel work if any, the walls or ceilings to be opened and who patches them, and how long the power will be off. Ask for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation. Keep the estimate, any permit papers, inspection results and the final invoice together, and ask the electrician to update the labels in the panel before leaving.