Choosing an electrical contractor for commercial work isn’t just about the lowest price. The right contractor keeps your program on track, hands over the right paperwork, and doesn’t leave you with problems to chase after the job is finished. The wrong one can hold up other trades, fail inspections, or leave defects that turn up months later. Here’s what we’d look for if we were on the other side of the table.
Check the licence
In Queensland, anyone doing electrical work for others must hold an electrical contractor licence, and the workers doing the job must hold the appropriate electrical work licence. You can check a contractor licence on the Electrical Safety Office website at electricalsafety.qld.gov.au. In NSW, licences are issued by NSW Fair Trading, which also has an online check.
If the work crosses the border, make sure the contractor is properly licensed for the state where the work is being done. We explain this further in our article on electrical licensing across the QLD and NSW border. Our own details are on our licences and insurance page.
Check insurance
A commercial electrical contractor should hold public liability insurance and workers’ compensation cover for their employees. Ask for current certificates of currency before work starts, and check that the cover amount meets what your contract or your client requires. Many builders and facility managers keep these on file and ask for updated copies each year.
Look at relevant experience
Commercial electrical work is broad. A contractor who is strong on office fit-outs may not have the setup for industrial plant, and one who specialises in maintenance may not be geared up for a large construction program. Ask about the type of work they do most, the size of jobs they usually take on, and how they would staff yours.
Also ask who will actually be on site. Some businesses win the work with a senior person and then send whoever is available. At Monty Electrical, Stefan is on the tools and runs the jobs, so the person who quoted the work is the person who knows it.
Read the quote closely
A good commercial quote tells you exactly what is included and what isn’t. Look for:
- A clear scope, referencing the drawings or specification it’s based on
- Inclusions and exclusions, such as after-hours work, supply authority fees, data cabling or builder’s works
- Assumptions, such as existing switchboard capacity or ceiling access
- How variations will be priced and approved
- Payment terms and any retention
If two quotes are far apart, the difference is usually in the scope, not the rates. Comparing line by line often shows that one contractor has allowed for something the other hasn’t. We give upfront written quotes and flag anything we can’t confirm until the work starts.
Safety systems and site documentation
For commercial and construction work, the contractor should be able to provide a SWMS for high risk work, evidence of their safety procedures, and records of training and licences for their workers. They should follow the site’s induction and permit requirements and work with the principal contractor’s safety system.
On larger jobs, ask how they handle quality. Working to an ITP, recording hold points and providing test results as they go all make handover smoother.
Communication and coordination
Most problems on commercial jobs come from poor communication. You want a contractor who turns up to site meetings, answers the phone, raises issues early and tells you when something will affect the program. Ask how they report progress and who your contact will be.
Coordination with other trades matters too. Electrical work interacts with mechanical, fire, ceilings, joinery, data and security. A contractor who understands how those trades fit together helps keep the job moving. On fit-outs and construction projects, that coordination is a big part of what you’re paying for.
Paperwork at handover
At the end of the job, you should receive a certificate of testing and compliance for the electrical work, updated switchboard schedules, as-built drawings and any test results for emergency lighting and data cabling. If a contractor is vague about what they’ll hand over, ask for it in writing before you sign.
Missing paperwork causes real headaches. Landlords may not approve occupation, certifiers may not sign off, and future contractors won’t know what’s been installed.
Ongoing support
For many businesses, the relationship doesn’t end at handover. Test and tag, emergency lighting testing, thermal scans and repairs all need doing on a schedule. A contractor who can look after these under a maintenance contract saves you managing several providers and gives you one point of contact who knows the site.
Size and availability
Ask how the contractor will resource your job alongside their other work. A smaller, owner-led business can give you direct access to the person running the job and a consistent crew. A larger one may have more people available at short notice. Neither is automatically better. What matters is that their capacity matches your program and that they’re honest about it when they quote.
Warning signs
A few things should make you cautious:
- A quote with no scope or exclusions, just a single number
- Reluctance to provide a licence number or insurance certificates
- Pressure to start before the paperwork is sorted
- No mention of compliance certificates or testing
- Very low prices with vague assumptions that are likely to turn into variations
Talk to us about your project
We work with builders, project managers, facility managers and business owners across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW. If you have a project coming up, get in touch through our contact page and we’ll talk through the scope, program and paperwork before we quote.
Safety note: electrical work in Queensland and NSW must be done by a licensed electrician. This article is general information, not advice for your specific property. If something looks or smells wrong, switch off at the main switch if it’s safe to do so and call an electrician.