Electrical inspection: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering electrical inspection

Electrical inspection is a documentation job, and the report is the product the customer keeps. Electricians who win this work write clear, photo-backed reports, mark the safety items first, and explain each defect in plain terms.

What customers ask

  • Is this house safe to buy, or is there a big problem?
  • What is the most important thing to fix first?
  • Do I need the whole house rewired, or just a few things fixed?
  • Will the report be accepted by the lender or the insurer?
  • How long does the report take to get to me?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask why the customer wants the inspection, what they have seen, and what the house is and how old. That sets the scope of the work.
  • Bring a non-contact voltage tester, a receptacle tester, a GFCI tester, a meter and a camera for the photos, and use all of them on every visit.
  • Write the report with each defect listed by location, with photos, and mark each one as a safety issue or an upgrade.
  • Explain the top three safety items in person at the end of the visit, so the customer knows what to fix first.
  • Quote any repair work separately, and make clear the inspection fee does not depend on the repairs the customer buys.
  • Offer a follow-up review of repairs, and say what the review checks before the customer books it.

What to put on your profile

  • A sample inspection report with photos, showing how each defect is written up
  • Photos of common defects you find in homes of different ages, such as ungrounded outlets or open splices
  • The types of inspection you offer, such as sale, safety and insurance review

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a repair review after the customer completes the fixes, with the results written up
  • Suggest a panel and grounding check if the inspection finds a connection problem
  • Offer a review of the outlets in the rest of the house if one room has defects

Licenses and permits

Electrical inspections are commonly performed under an electrical contractor license, and reports used in a sale or insurance review may carry extra requirements. Check with your state or local licensing agency and any agency that governs home inspections for the rules that apply to your reports.

Questions

Should I do the repairs I find, or only report them?

Many electricians offer both, but separate the two. The report should stand on its own, so the buyer or the customer can get other bids. Make the repair quote a separate document.

What if I find a hazard that needs immediate action?

Tell the customer that day, in person and in writing. Explain what the hazard is, why it is dangerous, and what must happen before the power is restored or the room is used.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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