How to Vet a Phoenix Electrician (Including Us)

Verify the license yourself

Arizona contractors are licensed through the Registrar of Contractors, and you can look up any license number on the ROC website to see whether it is active, what classification it holds, and whether there is a complaint history. Ask for the number, then actually check it. Ours is ROC 361086. Note that classification matters — a license is for specific kinds of work, and residential and commercial are not always the same classification.

Ask for the certificate of insurance

A real contractor can produce a certificate of general liability insurance without drama. Read the coverage limits and the policy dates, not just the logo. B and D Electric carries $1M per occurrence and $2M aggregate, and is bonded through RLI Surety. If a contractor gets cagey about this, that answer is itself the answer.

Insist on the permit

For panel and service work, new circuits, and most remodels, a permit and inspection are required. A contractor who offers to skip the permit to save you money is offering to transfer risk from himself to you: unpermitted work can complicate insurance claims and surface as a problem when you sell. The inspection is a free second opinion on your electrician's work. Take it.

Get it in writing, with a scope

A written estimate should say what is being installed, what is being removed, what is excluded, and what happens if something unexpected is found behind the wall. “Upgrade panel — $X” is not a scope. Vagueness in the estimate reliably becomes a conversation about money later.

Warning signs

• Pressure to decide immediately, or a discount that expires today
• Large cash deposit up front, especially before materials are ordered
• No license number on the truck, the website or the paperwork
• Reluctance to pull permits, or suggesting you pull the permit as a homeowner for their work
• A quote given over the phone for a service upgrade, sight unseen
• No physical business presence and no verifiable local history

Reasonable things to ask us

• Can I see photos of the same job you did for someone else?
• Will you give me references for work like mine?
• Who exactly is coming to my house, and are they employees?
• What is your warranty on labor, and how do I reach you if something fails in a year?

If any contractor — including us — cannot answer those comfortably, keep calling. There are plenty of good electricians in the Valley, and it is worth the extra phone call to find one.