Driving across town to a job yesterday I glanced out my window and saw this. Which is pretty disturbing to say the least. These cowboys are doing electrical and air conditioning, with ladders on a pitched roof and if you look closely, the ladder feet are resting on the lip of the gutter. How can you carry large, bulky and heavy split system air-cons up and on to the roof working like this ? This company has not a not a care for safety, the health of their workers or standards by encouraging or allowing employees to work like this.
That cheap quote that looks so much better on the bottom line that you are thinking of going with ? Think again.
If people like this care so little for their workers safety, how much do they care about you and your installation ?? Judging by the pictures, not much. There are plenty of dodgy characters out there happy to forget about safety, work ethics and Australian standards just so they can charge you less, and make more money in the process. Don’t be fooled.
If you get a couple of quotes and one of them seems far far cheaper, compared to the other ones. Maybe in the long run it won’t be. Think Barina to a Mercedes Benz for a moment.
- Are the materials used in the job up to Australian Standards ? There are plenty of contractors out there using foreign, cheap substandard electrical components that just might be putting you and your family at risk.
- Are the workers qualified ? Darwin is FULL of backpackers and many of them work in the building trades, whether a roofer, plumber, block layer or an electrician. Many aren’t qualified and a number of local companies are not worried about using unqualified people to do your electrical work. There are steps currently being put in place I understand to put an end to this dangerous situation. If it keeps happening its only going to get worse with large projects like Inpex eating into the local workforce. There is a reason why Darwin electricians do a 4 year apprenticeship, and it’s not about connecting three of five wires. Be careful.
- Are the companies quoting on the same things ? Be sure you haven’t asked one company to quote on something then changed it up a little for the other company. If you only look at the bottom line, rather than the whole thing it could cost you more.
- How do both prospective companies present themselves ?
There’s more to your electrical installation and your family or work place safety than what meets the eye. Make sure you job is done right from the beginning.
By Jon Story