FAQs That May Have Crossed Your Mind
Q: “How long have you been in business?”
A: We’ve been in business since January 2003. We incorporated in September of 2005 and are still doing business as Advanced Electrical Services. We incorporated under A.E.S. of the Midwest, Inc.
Q: “What kind of electrical work do you do?”
A: Our experienced and professional technicians do a wide range of electrical services so we can take care of all your home and office electrical needs. We can also do all you high voltage needs from 120 Volts to 600 Volts. This would include everything from adding a simple outlet in your living room to wiring a new whole building for your business. We also do a variety of low voltage work that includes cable outlets, phone jacks, speaker and intercom systems, home theater, and security/fire alarm systems.
Q: “Can you give me a ballpark price over the phone?”
A: We prefer not to try and give an estimate sight-unseen even though a lot of companies do. The reason is simple. Other companies give you a low ballpark price over the phone just to get in the door and then raise the price once they arrive to do the job. We will not price-hike our customer. We at Advanced Electrical Services will not put our customer in that spot. We will never give you to get an unrealistic price just to get the business. Until we can evaluate your specific problem or needs we really don’t know what it will cost. This gives you, the customer, the most accurate, honest price for the job. We wouldn’t be doing our job honestly or fairly if we didn’t assess your specific needs and then build a fair price that assured we did the job to code and correctly.
Q: “Can you come out and give me a free estimate?”
A: We do, on occasion, come out and give a free estimate on some specific jobs. We do come out for major remodel jobs such as finishing the basement, home or office additions, fuse panel replacements, generators, and all larger commercial remodels. WE DO NOT COME OUT FOR ANY DIAGNOSTIC OR TROUBLESHOOTING WITHOUT A TRAVEL FEE.We want to make sure that our clients receive the highest quality services at the best possible price. Sending an estimator to troubleshoot your problem will not only waste time and money, it makes it impossible to fix the problem at a competitive rate. We will send a trained technician in a fully stocked truck to take care of the problem quickly and at the best possible investment.
Q: “Why do I have to pay a travel and dispatch fee? I know what’s wrong already.”
A: To save you time, money, and frustration, we charge this small fee to have a highly trained technician in a fully stocked trcuk ready to take care of your electrical needs. We are skilled professionals that can make you aware of all options available to you that may save you money. We realize that it might seem like a simple problem but after further evaluation most small problems have something else going on somewhere that is causing that problem to occur.
Q: “How much do you charge by the hour?”
A: We don’t charge by the hour; we use a flat-rate book that is similar to an auto mechanic’s. We charge for a specific task based on average time and material. This allows you to know the price before we start so you don’t have to worry about how long it’s going to take and watch the fees add up. Electricians don’t work at the same speed and it would only benefit our company to send the slowest technician on a time and material basis. We recognize this and now charge a flat rate to protect you as the customer.
Q: “If you charge a flat rate, why can’t you give us a price over the phone?”
A: There are many jurisdictions and different codes; only our trained technicians will know what codes apply to your situation. The only way we can do this is by him visiting your job and looking at your whole electrical system.
Q: “Do you install materials that I have purchased already, such as breakers, light fixtures, fittings, and wire?”
A: Yes, we do as long as they are UL listed and are in working condition. We will not warranty anything that was not supplied by our company, though.
