The search for a commercial electrician can be a stressful one. If it’s your responsibility to choose an electrical contractor for a commercial project, the decision can often mean the difference between success and failure. Nobody wants to face electrical failures on their commercial properties because the consequences can hurt more than just your bank account.
Luckily, there is a trusted commercial electrician Denver business owners can trust, qualified to provide expertise and outstanding customer service — at competitive rates. ABC2 Electric is a new business but founder Allan Blake has almost fifty years of commercial electrical experience. Allen has built a reputation as a knowledgeable, skilled, and reliable electrician.
What Is a Commercial Electrician?
A commercial electrician is someone who performs electrical services for any type of business, government entity, health care facility, apartment complex, etc. These jobs are typically more extensive and more complex than residential electric jobs. These can include projects like: wiring data centers, setting up medical facilities, installing commercial breaker systems, and even repairing large sports facilities.
The licensing requirements to become a commercial electrician are similar to a residential electrician, though to gain certification one must accumulate a certain amount of hours on commercial projects.
How Do Commercial Electrical Services Differ From Residential?
There is usually higher voltage involved and often a specific commercial license is required before accepting a commercial bid. Typical residential electricians work with installations, repairs, and maintenance involving voltages of electricity between 120 volts and 240 volts. Commercial electric jobs often require a voltage greater than 240 volts.
Residential electricians are often required to install, service and maintain electrical appliances, outlets, breakers, and fixtures. Commercial electricians are primarily used during the construction phase of a project.
Electrical systems for residential and commercial projects are often wired differently. Commercial wiring schematics are more complex and require a specific background in reading those blueprints.
How Are Commercial Electricians Trained and Certified?
Commercial electricians are either trained through a technical school that offers an associate’s degree or through an apprenticeship with a licensed electrician. Once they complete either of these programs they are then required to acquire an electrician’s license in the state they plan to work.
Even after a student completes a training program, it is best practice to learn under an experienced electrician before taking on projects of their own. This gives an electrician time to understand how to safely work in a commercial building during an installation or repair, and ensures that their work is done correctly for your businesses.
To be granted a commercial electrical license, the electrician must have a specific amount of hours working on commercial projects as an apprentice. With the extra regulations and safety precautions required for larger commercial projects, it is typically more difficult to be granted a commercial electrical license.
What Are the Three Main Types of Electricians?
There are generally three different levels of expertise when it comes to being an electrician.
Apprentice
The best and most common way to become a professional electrician is by being an apprentice. The requirements for becoming an apprentice are usually a high school diploma and at least some classroom hours in training. An apprentice electrician may be qualified to do simple installations and repairs of basic systems like lighting and sockets. They would be able to setup wiring for appliances, install outlets, service breakers, and rig lighting. They are usually not qualified for most commercial electrician work without close supervision.
Some technical schools offer associate’s degrees to become electricians. Having this certification could make it easier to get an apprenticeship under a licensed electrician.
Journeyman
After a successful apprenticeship, you may apply and test to become a journeyman electrician. This will give you the ability to become licensed in your area and work without supervision. You will also be able to train apprentices of your own. A journeyman electrician should have the knowledge necessary to provide installations and repair systems on time and on budget. A journeyman electrician can do much more than just service panels and rig sockets.They should understand a wide range of common problems and know how to restore connections to a large variety of buildings.
Master Electrician
When you have reached approximately 4,000 hours of electrical work as a journeyman, you can be qualified to take a licensing exam to become a master electrician. This is the highest level of electrical certification. The exam to become a master electrician is understandably a difficult one which requires you to display detailed knowledge of the National Electrical Code.
But having the title of a master electrician will elevate your status and give you an advantage when bidding on commercial and industrial projects. Customers and clients will be more likely to trust a large-scale project to someone carrying the title of a master electrician.
What To Consider When Choosing a Commercial Electrical Contractor
When the time comes for your business or the company you work for to choose a commercial electrician in Denver for a project, there are a couple of things to consider.
Ask Around
This is the easiest way to find qualified professionals with a good track record. If you know someone in Denver from a similar industry or has had the same type of work done in the past they could give you a recommendation based on past experiences.
Hardware and electrical supply stores are also good sources for finding contractors. They may even have a list of qualified commercial electrical contractors for the area.
A company’s reputation is vital to its success. Ask around the Denver area and you will find no more reputable commercial electrical contractor than ABC2 Electrical.
Verify Their License
Once you’ve narrowed your list down to a few commercial electrical contractors with good recommendations, the next step is to verify that they are currently licensed and bonded. An electrician may have all the experience in the world, but if their license and bonding information isn’t up to date, the risk of any incident on the job falls on you.
If you choose ABC2 Electric you’ll have that peace of mind knowing the contractor you’ve selected is fully licensed and bonded in Colorado.
Why Are Our Electricians Bonded and Insured?
The commercial electricians from Denver working at ABC2 Electric are bonded and insured to provide peace of mind to each of our customers during installations and repairs. Before each license is granted, a bond is secured which ensures that we will comply with all state requirements.
When you choose ABC2 Electric, you’ll know that our electricians are all bonded and insured. While we stand by our work and professionalism, this gives our clients the knowledge and assurance that the work will be done safely. We can provide energy to your commercial property safely.
Why Should You Choose ABC2 Electric?
Choosing a commercial electrical contractor is an important decision. You want experience and customer service you can trust.
Founder Allan Blake not only runs the daily operations at ABC2 Electric, but he has been in the industry for 49 years. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers for six years before getting his electrical contractor license in California.
At 25 years old, Allan started Blake Electric. In 2022, Allan decided to start ABC2 Electric to serve the Denver metropolitan area.
With Allan at the helm, his clients can rest assured knowing that only the best electrical contractors will be performing the work by ABC2 Electric. Get in touch today!