What Does An Electrical Contractor Do?

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The terms “electrical contractor” and “electrician” are usually the same to a layperson. However, there are some differences in the usage of these terms. This article will discuss these differences and what an electrical contractor does. For more on that, go to bates-electric.com/locations/st-louis-mo.

What Is An Electrical Contractor?

An electrical contractor is a term used to refer to a person or firm that specializes in carrying out electrical construction work. Among the tasks involved in electrical construction work are designing, installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical infrastructure like poles. The work performed matters, not the type of electrical system worked upon. The term “electrical contractor” refers to a licensed company that offers such services or the personnel performing the electrical maintenance work on the ground. Ensuring that electrical systems are environmentally-friendly and work as they should is the responsibility of electrical contractors. Without electrical contractors, most things people take for granted would become huge inconveniences. Street lights and other public amenities requiring proper electrical supply are some of the many systems electrical contractors are tasked with maintaining.

What Does An Electrical Contractor Do?

With several specialties under this niche, electrical contractors perform numerous tasks depending on their area of focus. When an electrical project is presented before an electrical contractor, they’ll assess its feasibility by examining the technical aspects of its design and offer recommendations for any necessary improvements or changes. The electrical contractor can only begin work once the plan’s budget, permits, design, and critical issues like insurance have been addressed.

An electrical contractor software is almost a given in every maintenance and installation work these professionals perform. Such software helps the electrical contractor track the overall budget and the project’s general direction, ensuring that project delays and cost overruns are avoided.

Depending on the nature of the project, an electrical contractor’s job may be more theoretical or practical. If, for example, the electrical contractor is hired to critique and review the plans for installing an electrical system in a building yet to be constructed, their work will mainly involve discussing the project with construction contractors, the project managers, and other higher-ups. If they’re brought in to perform maintenance on an existing building, they’ll be more hands-on, inspecting the electrical system and ensuring it is working at optimum levels. Proficiency with the electrical contractor software is crucial to ensure that work is kept on schedule to avoid delays.

Electrical Contractor vs. Electrician

The difference between these two terms can seem like clever wordplay in common usage. An electrician is an individual that has received formal training to perform the tasks needed for electrical maintenance. After licensure, an electrician can decide to work for themselves or a company. An electrical contractor can mean a company that offers electrical systems maintenance services or the individuals within that company who perform the maintenance work itself. When a trained electrician chooses to work for a company specializing in electrical systems maintenance, they become electrical contractors. Usually, most electricians do an apprenticeship before going into business for themselves.

Specialization within this field also determines the kind of work the electrician will do. Some may focus on maintaining and installing outdoor electrical systems like power grids. This means they have no business working on indoor electrical systems.

Jobs And Duties Of Electrical Contractors And Electricians

Depending on job requirements and position within the company, an electrical contractor’s job and duties will differ. Management duties and assigning tasks, for example, are duties for an electrical project manager. In summary, the manager:

i)Plans Projects: They’re responsible for the big picture of a project. From inception to completion, electrical project managers ensure that things run smoothly. They try to stay on top of things like getting the right permits and ensuring that all the other electrical contractors do their jobs right.

ii) Manages relationships: They ensure a cordial working relationship between the contractors and major stakeholders, like customers or developers.

iii) Allocates Resources: Different parts of an electrical installation project may have different requirements. An electrical project manager ensures that the right resources are allocated for each job phase.

As an electrical contractor, the electrical project manager directs other contractors to do their jobs while ensuring tasks run on schedule. An electrician working for the electrical contractor may have different tasks, including installing electrical lines or the wiring of a building.

What electrical contractors do is crucial to ensuring that the power supply is adequate for most daily activities.

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