Seven things worth verifying before you let anyone work on your electrical system, how to check a Colorado licence yourself in two minutes, and our answers to every one of them.
| THE SHORT ANSWER Colorado licenses electricians at the state level, so the first thing to check is that whoever you hire holds a current licence you can verify yourself through the state’s online lookup. After that, confirm they carry liability insurance, that they pull permits for work requiring them, that they provide a written estimate rather than a verbal figure, and that they will tell you what warranty applies to the work. Efficiency-1 LLC is a licensed electrical contractor based in Greeley serving Weld County and Northern Colorado, licence number 122390, and every check listed on this page is one we answer in writing before starting work. |
Searching for the best electrician in Greeley returns a list of companies all describing themselves in more or less the same terms. Everyone is professional, reliable, experienced and highly rated. None of that is checkable, and none of it tells you which one to call.
So rather than adding another claim to the pile, here is what actually separates one electrical contractor from another, in the order a homeowner should check it. Every item is something you can verify independently, about us or about anyone else.
Start with the licence, because in Colorado you can check it yourself
Electricians in Colorado are licensed at the state level, which is genuinely useful to you as a homeowner because it means there is a single public record to check rather than a patchwork of local registrations.
The state maintains an online licence lookup. You can search by name or licence number and see whether a licence is current and in good standing. It takes about two minutes and it is the single most informative thing you can do before hiring anyone.
Ask for the licence number directly. A contractor who gives it without hesitation expects you to check it. One who deflects, offers a business registration number instead, or says the licence is held by someone else who is not on your job, is telling you something worth listening to.
| OUR LICENCE NUMBER IS 122390 Look it up before you call us. We would rather you verified it than took our word for it, and we would rather you checked every contractor you are considering the same way. A homeowner who checks licences is a homeowner who ends up with properly permitted work. |
Seven checks worth making before you hire
CHECK 1 · A current state licence you have verified
Not a claim on a website. The number, looked up on the state system. This confirms the contractor is legally permitted to do the work and that the licence has not lapsed or been acted against.
CHECK 2 · Proof of liability insurance
Ask them to send confirmation rather than describe it. Electrical work carries genuine risk of fire and property damage, and an uninsured contractor working in your home means any resulting loss lands on you. Any legitimate contractor produces this without friction.
CHECK 3 · They pull permits, and say so upfront
Panel upgrades, new circuits, service changes and most substantial electrical work require a permit and inspection. A contractor offering to skip the permit to save you money is offering to create a problem that surfaces during your next home sale or insurance claim. Ask directly whether the permit is included and who files it.
CHECK 4 · A written estimate before work begins
Verbal figures are how disputes start. A written estimate should say what is included, what would constitute additional work, and what happens if something unexpected is found once a wall or panel is opened. Ask what triggers a change and how it gets approved.
CHECK 5 · A clear answer on warranty
Ask what is covered, for how long, and whether it covers labour as well as parts. Manufacturer warranties on equipment are not the same as a workmanship warranty on the installation, and the second one is the one that matters if something was wired incorrectly.
CHECK 6 · Relevant experience with your specific job
Electrical work is broad. A contractor who does mostly service calls is not automatically the right choice for a panel upgrade, an EV charger, or a battery installation, and some equipment requires manufacturer certification to install under warranty. Ask how many jobs like yours they have completed recently.
CHECK 7 · They answer, and they turn up
Unglamorous and genuinely predictive. A contractor who does not return a call before you have paid them anything is unlikely to become more responsive once they hold your deposit. How the first contact goes is usually how the job goes.
| Ask us all seven. We will answer every one in writing. Efficiency-1 LLC is a licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Greeley, serving Weld County and Northern Colorado. Licence 122390. Free estimates, permits handled, and answers you can verify. Call 720-736-5895 · efficiency-1.com |
How Efficiency-1 answers each one
Set against the same seven checks, so you can compare us with anyone else on identical terms.
| The Check | Our Answer |
| Current state licence | Licence number 122390. Verify it on the state lookup before you call us |
| Liability insurance | Licensed and insured. Proof provided on request, in writing |
| Permits | We pull the required permits and coordinate inspections. It is included, not an extra you discover later |
| Written estimate | Free written estimates before work begins, stating what is included and what would count as additional |
| Warranty | Workmanship warranty terms provided in writing with your estimate |
| Relevant experience | Residential and commercial service across Northern Colorado, including panel and service upgrades, EV charging, solar and battery, lighting and safety inspections |
| Responsiveness | Call 720-736-5895 and speak to us. Judge this one yourself before you commit to anything |
That last row is deliberate. Every contractor claims to be responsive, and it is the one item on this list you can test for free before spending anything. Call two or three companies including us, and notice which ones call back.
What we do
- Residential electrical. Panel and service upgrades, new circuits, troubleshooting, rewiring, lighting, and safety inspections for homes across Greeley and Weld County.
- EV charger installation. Home charging installation, including the load assessment that determines whether your panel supports it before you buy equipment.
- Solar and battery storage. Installation and interconnection, including for homeowners looking at backup power for outages.
- Commercial electrical. Service, repairs, lighting and code compliance work for businesses across Northern Colorado.
- Electrical safety inspections. A full assessment of an existing system, common before buying a home or after inheriting unknown work from a previous owner.
Where we work
Efficiency-1 is based in Greeley and serves Weld County and Northern Colorado, including Evans, Windsor, Loveland, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Milliken, Eaton and LaSalle.
Being local matters more in this trade than in most. A contractor based in the area knows the permitting process here, has worked in the housing stock here, and can get back to you if something needs attention after the job is finished. A crew driving up from a metro area for one job has none of those advantages, and no reason to return.
What homeowners here call us about most
A few patterns come up repeatedly in Greeley and Weld County, and they reflect the local housing stock.
- Panels at capacity. Many established homes here were built when 100 amp service was standard and gas appliances handled the heavy work. Finished basements, central air, hot tubs and EVs have since been added to systems planned around a very different household.
- Breakers tripping repeatedly. The most common single call. Usually an overloaded circuit, sometimes a fault, occasionally a panel that has reached its limit.
- EV charger installations. Frequently the point where a homeowner discovers their panel needs attention first.
- Improvised previous work. Homes that have changed hands several times often contain several generations of additions, some done properly and some not.
- Pre purchase inspections. Buyers wanting a system assessed before closing, and sellers wanting problems resolved before an inspection finds them.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an electrician is licensed in Colorado?
Colorado licenses electricians at the state level, and the state maintains an online licence lookup where you can search by name or licence number to confirm a licence is current and in good standing. Ask any contractor for their licence number directly and check it before hiring. A contractor who hesitates to provide it, or offers a business registration number instead, is worth approaching cautiously.
What should I ask an electrician before hiring them?
Ask for the licence number so you can verify it yourself, proof of liability insurance in writing, whether permits are included and who files them, a written estimate stating what is included and what would count as additional work, what warranty applies to labour as well as parts, and how many jobs like yours they have completed recently. Get the answers in writing rather than verbally.
Do I need a permit for electrical work in Colorado?
Most substantial electrical work, including panel upgrades, service changes and new circuits, requires a permit and inspection. Requirements are administered locally, so confirm what applies in your jurisdiction. A contractor offering to skip the permit is creating a problem that typically surfaces during a home sale or an insurance claim, which is a far more expensive problem than the permit.
Is it better to hire a local electrician?
For most residential work, yes. A local contractor knows the permitting process in your jurisdiction, has worked in similar housing stock, and has a practical reason to respond if something needs attention after the job. A crew travelling in from another region for a single job has none of those advantages and little incentive to return.
How do I know if an electrician is any good?
Verify the licence, confirm insurance, check that permits are included, and read the written estimate carefully. Beyond that, the most reliable early signal is how they handle your first contact: whether they return calls, answer the questions above directly, and put things in writing without being pushed. Contractors rarely become more responsive after they hold your deposit.
What areas does Efficiency-1 serve?
Efficiency-1 LLC is based in Greeley and provides residential and commercial electrical services across Weld County and Northern Colorado, including Evans, Windsor, Loveland, Fort Collins, Johnstown, Milliken, Eaton and LaSalle. Call 720-736-5895 to confirm coverage for your address.
| Verify the licence. Then call us. Efficiency-1 LLC, licensed and insured electrical contractor, licence 122390, based in Greeley and serving Weld County and Northern Colorado. Free written estimates, permits handled, and every question on this page answered before we start. Call 720-736-5895 · efficiency-1.com |