Installation Resources

Louie Lighting does not endorse any Installer, Contractor, Electrician, or Service of any kind and accepts no liability in regards to installation in any way. For your reference we provide the following information for your consideration.

If you've decided to forgo any attempts at doing-it-yourself and want to hire an installation contractor instead, there are many important things to consider before signing on the dotted line. The following pointers should help you find a contractor that will work closely with you to achieve the desired results:

1. Begin by collecting a list of more than one contractor. Free Referral Services such as those we have listed below; have proven to be an invaluable resource often shortening research time due to their built-in participant pre-qualification and filtering methods. In addition you can get personal recommendations from people you know by asking around. Call up any friends who have had electrical, installation or contractor work done and ask for companies they recommend. Once you've found a few prospects, view examples of their work to determine whether or not the finished product is up to your standards. Search the databases of these Free Contractor Referral Services to reduce your research time and add a layer of pre-qualification to your search.
2. Gather rough estimates from each contractor on your list. This is an important step because price will help you narrow done potential contractors and find out which ones are honest about price.
3. If your job is a major one, obtain more than one bid (at least 3 bids is a good idea). Read each bid carefully and don't make a selection based solely on price - if a particular contractor outbids the others, ensure they have the appropriate experience and knowledge to pull off the job.
4. Another factor to look into: how long has the contractor been in business? Usually the rule of thumb is the longer they've been in business, the better. Also find out what bank finances the company and ask them about the contractor's general solvency. If a contractor goes bankrupt in the middle of your project, that could mean trouble.
5. Does your contractor have any complaints against them? Contact your Local Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn how long a contractor has been in business and if the firm has been responsive to any complaints filed with the BBB.
6. Does the contractor carry insurance? If so, make sure it covers property damage, liability, and workers' compensation. Contractors that have no insurance put you at risk, making you liable for fees if an accident occurs.
7. Is the contractor properly licensed? Select a state to learn about different contractor license requirements and to look up a contractor's license information.

   Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Iowa Illinois Indiana Kansas

   Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina

   North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

8. To learn more about Home Improvement issues, contact the following:
   • Federal Trade Commission at 877.FTC.HELP (877.382.4357)
   • National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) 703.575.1100
   • National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelors council 202.822.0216
   • National Association of Realtors 202.383.1000

As long as you do your homework ahead of time and put a good effort into the selection process, you'll be able to find a good contractor for a reasonable price.