Berkeys / Berkeys Blog

June 05, 2016

Dallas Electrical Contractors, How Are They Different From Dallas Electricians

At Times Dallas electrical contractor and electrician seem interchangeable but, as we will see there are some critical differences in the roles the two professions play in providing electricity and repairing electrically homes, business, and factories.

At one point an electrical contractor was thought to simply be an individual who is licensed as a master electrician or who employs a master electrician and is registered as a contractor. As this article shows there is much more to the role of an electrical contractor.

Electrical Contractors have had an evolving and increasingly more important role in construction of homes, businesses, and ever bigger projects according to this video.

Dallas Electrical Contractors Would Perform The Design, Installation Planning, And Maintenance Of Electrical Systems, Where Dallas Electricians Would Perform the Electrical Work 

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) clarifies the major differences and some similarities of electrical contractors and electricians in the learn section of their associations website.

What is an electrical contractor?

An electrical contractor is a business person or firm that performs specialized construction work related to the design, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems. Whether high-voltage power transmission or low-voltage lighting, electrical contractors ensure these systems work in a safe, effective, and environmentally-sound manner.

Electrical contractors are generally classified by the type of electrical work they do.

• “Outside” or “line” contractors are responsible for high-voltage power transmission and distribution lines. Line contractors see that the electricity generated at a power plant is carefully carried through a series of high-voltage lines and substations before it is used to power any facilities, buildings, or homes.
• “Inside” electrical contractors provide electricity to any structure within a property’s boundary lines, including outdoor lighting or substations. These electrical contractors can serve as prime contractors for all electrical and cabling design, installation, and maintenance for commercial, institutional, and residential buildings.
• “Integrated building systems” (IBS) or “Voice/Data/Video” (VDV) electrical contractors work primarily with low-voltage installations , such as back-up power, climate controls, wireless networks, energy-efficient lighting, telecommunications, fiber optics, and security systems. Low-voltage contractors ensure that these system controls work together for maximum energy efficiency and building performance.

What is an electrician?

An electrician is a person trained (and usually licensed) to perform electrical work. An electrician may be employed by an electrical contractor or may be self-employed as an electrical contractor. In most states, there are separate licensing requirements for electricians and electrical contractors.

Electricians may be further classified as apprentices (enrolled in an apprenticeship training program), journeymen (completed an apprenticeship program), or master electrician (a journeyman who has completed additional training and testing).

An Electric Repair Company Would Typically Employ Electricians Who Provide Electrical Repair in Dallas

While they may have similar roles in electrical repair or providing wiring and other electricity components to power a plant, business, or a home, in general there is a difference in these two professionals. An electrical contractor is different from an electrician; an electrician is an individual tradesman and an electrical contractor is a business person or company that employs electricians.