Can a General Contractor Do Electrical Work? Your Guide to Hiring a Qualified EV Charger Installer

Can a General Contractor Do Electrical Work?

While you can hire a general contractor to complete minor electrical projects, when it comes to EV charging, you’ll need someone with unique skills and understanding.

In fact, even general electricians are often not equipped with the specialized knowledge required to safely install a Level 2 EV charging station as it requires different techniques and the right materials.

Specialized Knowledge

Level 2 EV chargers are widely considered the best option for at-home charging due to their quicker charging speeds and compatibility with residential electrical infrastructures.

Installing a Level 2 charger is very different from most electrical projects since these chargers run on dedicated 240V circuits that handle continuous high-voltage loads. With your EV charger drawing a continuous electrical load between 15 and 80 amps, it’s important that your electrician performs a load calculation prior to beginning any work to fully understand the impact installing an EV charging station will have on other pre-existing circuits.

Additionally, they can also offer recommendations before you buy an EV charger, helping you understand which models will best fit your needs with a deeper understanding of current chargers available on the market, the maximum EV charger amperage your electric vehicle can manage, your charging habits, and the available capacity of your electrical panel.

Traditional electrician education on its own isn’t enough for this complex work, so you’ll need to hire an electrical contractor who is a qualified EV charger installer with an EVITP certification. These professionals have additional training in electrification and other energy transition technologies that ensure a safe and compliant EV charger installation that a general contractor can’t guarantee.

Additionally, an electrical contractor specializing in EV charger installation and other electrification services will have a deeper understanding of the materials needed to withstand the continual, high-powered currents that will run through the EV charger. Using the right type and appropriate material quality for your EV charger installation will mean an EV charging station that can safely power your vehicle for years to come without worries of melting wires, electrical fires, or other hazards resulting from inadequate components.

Safety Considerations

Using a certified and trusted installer ensures your at-home EV charger is installed safely. On the other hand, opting for an underqualified contractor or cutting costs with cheaper materials might help you save money on upfront costs, but can jeopardize both safety and compliance, costing you more in the long run.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) sets specific compliance requirements for at-home EV chargers to reduce the risks of overloading your electrical infrastructure and creating a fire hazard. While it is important to ensure any electrical work is compliant with the latest NEC requirements, the technology is changing even faster than the code, and an electrical contractor with the latest training and education can help overcome any gaps in the code.

In addition to creating potential risks in your home, hiring someone who isn’t properly licensed to install an EV charger or attempting to do it yourself with a DIY EV charger installation can void your home insurance, leaving any damages to your electrical infrastructure, personal property, or even medical injuries resulting from any electrical hazards that arise completely uncovered.