20+ Sample Electrical Scope of Work

What is an Electrical Work?

By definition, electrical work refers to any kind of work that is performed or carried out on an electrical installation and usually includes the installing, constructing, altering the structure, maintaining, replacement of parts, and adding any part into it. Labor carried out on the electrical apparatus or equipment used on electrical installations can also be referred to as electrical work. Examples of electrical work are installation of low voltage electrical wirings, installing electrical equipment into a coupler, and replacement of a low voltage electrical component of an appliance.

What is an Electrical Scope of Work?

A scope of work is a type of document that clearly states an area in an agreement or in a contract the type of work to be done and the tasks that are listed in order for the work to be accomplished. It is a whole of everything – from the work details, schedules, terms, exclusions, and most importantly, the expected smart goal or outcome of the work or project that is to be performed. A scope of work should also contain deliverables (if applicable), milestones, and reports.

An Electrical Scope of Work refers to the tasks that are to be performed by the qualified electrician or specialist that is hired. It also identifies the kind of project that the electrician is to expect and the equipment or apparatuses that are needed in the task. This document acts as a guide to make the electrician’s work more streamlined and efficient, and this document also provides a timetable to make sure that the tasks listed are completed on time.

What are the Tools That Can be Used in an Electrical Work?

A qualified electrician uses a plethora of tools, depending on his specialization or the work that he/she is assigned to do. In general, here are some of the common tools an electrician uses in his/her duties:

Pliers: These tools are used for twisting, bending or straightening, gripping, and cutting electrical wires. Examples of pliers are linesman pliers, needle nose pliers, and diagonal cutting pliers.Electrical Tape: A material necessary for insulating wires and other components where electricity passes, this prevents electrical current from passing and flowing to other wires by accident and ensures safety. It can be made up of vinyl or fiberglass cloth.Wire strippers: This tool helps strip out and cut the insulation from electrical wires. Wire strippers consist of a series of gauged holes to strip different sized wires. They also have cutting ends used to cut off the ends of the wire.Screwdrivers: They are used by electricians when installing or detaching switches, cover plates, outlets, etc. Some screwdriver types come with insulated handles to increase safety when work involves electrical tasks.Multimeter: This is a handheld instrument that can be used for electrical measurement with multiple functions. These include voltage, resistance, and current.Voltmeter: This tool is used by the electrician to measure the electric potential difference between two contact points in an electric circuit. They can be analog, amplified, or digital.Non-contact voltage tester: Also known as electrical test pens or voltage detectors, these are used to essentially detect the changing electric field around objects that are energized by alternating current. This is one of the most important tools an electrician can use.

What are the Common Household Electrical Problems?

Electricity can cause kill a person when it flows through him/her in high amounts, even if it is for a very short period of time. Even when it doesn’t, it can still give the unfortunate victim a really nasty shock, burnt skin, involuntary muscle contractions, and damages to nerve endings. Overall, it gives the victim a really bad time. Here are some electrical problems that an electrician, or anyone, should be aware of inside a household:

Defective light switches: Dimmer switches or on/off switches that do not work properly or don’t work at all can be blamed on the low quality of work done by the electrician, or by using products of subpar quality. It is recommended that you consult with a properly qualified electrician should you experience problems like these to ensure proper diagnosis.Electrical Surges: These problems can be caused by pretty much anything. From lightning strikes, faulty/damaged power lines, or bad wirings in the household. Surges that happen frequently could damage the components that are installed in your household.Tripping Circuit Breakers: Circuit breakers protect the house from damage due to excess current whenever devices with high power consumption are being used at the same time and from the same source – a current overload. When a circuit breaker trips, it is doing its job.Electrical Shocks: This is a nasty and unpleasant experience, and it usually comes as a surprise. These shocks happen whenever a device is turned on or off. The problem can be traced down to a substandard appliance going bad, or it could just be in the device’s wiring. You can diagnose the problem yourself, but you run a risk of another, possibly more severe electrical shock. Consulting a qualified electrician would be the wisest choice here.Overwired Panel: This problem means that the electrical panel contains more circuits than it is rated to handle. The reason being that too many single-pole breakers have been replaced with tandem breakers in one slot. This presents a minimal risk, but it is a potential issue whenever an inspector checks the panel if the house is due to be sold. It is also a code violation.Aluminum wiring: If the household you’re living in was built in the 60’s/70’s, chances are that some electrical wirings in the house still make use of aluminum, which served as a very cheap substitute for copper wirings. Aluminum wirings are no longer considered to be safe today and pose a very high risk due to the fact that it corrodes during contact with copper and can loosen connections which in turn lead to fires.

What Are Some Types of Electricians Based on Specialization?

Here are some examples of the specializations of electricians, all of which require specific training in order to be considered qualified in that field:

Step by Step Guide in Writing an Effective Electrical Scope of Work

Here are some steps you can follow in order to create an effective electrical scope of work:

1. Write the overview and basic information of the project.

To begin creating the electrical scope of work, first, you should write a simple and comprehensible overview of the project or simply, constructing a scope statement that outlines the entire project. In this step, you can also start to write the basic information about the process such as the building or structure that needs electrical works to be installed or maintained, the equipment needed and its inspection process, how many personnel are needed, the safety precautions to be observed, and the location of the establishment.

2. Write the project objectives and goals.

In this step, write what are the objectives and intended goals of the project. This highly depends on the method of electrical works that are to be used. You can start with the reason why the structure needs electrical work, then follow with the goals. If the wirings are to be maintained, ensure that the goal that should be reached is to successfully keep the electrical wirings and their components in good working order. If electrical troubleshooting is involved, the goal that should be reached is to diagnose the electrical problem, trace it down to its source, and apply the appropriate fixes to get it back to work again.

3. Write the scope.

In this part, you need to write and outline the steps that need to be done in order to accomplish the objectives or goals that are listed in the previous step. This can be done as a bullet list or a simple questionnaire style. Afterwards, you can break down the scope in a separate paragraph into more specific tasks. This can also be written and broken down into phases.  This is done to ensure that you or every person in the electrician team is in sync with the whole process.

4. Write the timelines and milestones.

Indicating the timeline chart of the project is necessary to ensure that the major phases of the electrical project’s schedule are properly delineated. The timeline is more than just the start and end dates. This is also a part where you can outline when, where, how, and who will do the tasks in the project. Since an electrical project can be so complex and tedious whether it involves maintenance, installation, or repair, milestones can also be added. Having a milestone in the scope of work is a way of monitoring the progress and ensures that it is still on schedule.

5. Have spaces for written reports.

It is also necessary to leave spaces for reports in creating an effective scope of work since this is a task that is performed frequently throughout the project. Types of reports can include status reports, progress reports, and many more. Reports serve as a formal record of the progress of your work, and they also let you know if the project is still on schedule or not.

6. Include exclusions when necessary.

Even though what is not written in the scope of work is already outside the scope of work and should not be done, exclusion clauses can still be written in the scope. An exclusion is defined as a description of tasks, items, and actions that are specifically “excluded” in the project scope.

FAQs

What are the types of electrician certifications?

There are three types of certifications, which are the following:

  1. Apprentices – An apprenticing license is required in order to be an apprentice electrician. Once it is obtained, he/she is now eligible and is to be supervised by the senior electricians.
  2. Journeyman – This certification enables the holder to work on larger and more complex projects without the need for any kind of supervision. They can also train apprentices who are aiming for journeyman certification.
  3. Primary Electrician – The highest form of certification for an electrician. Having this certificate enables them to work on commercial jobs, as well as manage electricians who are still apprentices or journeymen. Furthermore, they are also responsible for planning electrical projects and assigning tasks to other workers.

How do you differentiate Scope of Work from Statement of Work?

In simple terms, a scope of work is basically written inside the statement of work as it presents the clear and concise process in the accomplishment of the specific goals of the project. In comparison, a statement of work generally contains more comprehensive details about the major goals and objectives of a certain project.

What are some types of electrical installations?

  • Residential installations – focuses on electrical work catering to houses
  • Commercial installations – mainly deals with more extensive projects, such as malls, industrial establishments, offices, and big corporation buildings
  • Vehicular installations – talks about electrical services for cars, boats, buses, etc. focusing on their respective navigation or air conditioning systems.

When writing a scope of work, how long should it be?

The length of a scope of work depends on the project that is to be undertaken. When writing a scope of work, it is important to keep in mind all the necessary details of the tasks in the project. However, it is also important that you should not write too much and go overboard with too many unnecessary factors. A very long scope of work will surely take time for the contractor to read and verify, and will inevitably lead to delays in working the project.

Working as an electrician can prove to be very difficult, stressful, and above all, it involves varying levels and danger and should be approached with proper caution. It also requires periods of training in order for the task to be carried out properly. In line with this, having a scope of work needed for the specific task to be done enables them to focus on their job and helps them avoid getting sidetracked. It also ensures that they do not go beyond their area of the task in order to avoid unnecessary accumulations of work. In this article, examples of an effective electrical scope of work are provided for reference, as well as for personal use.