PLE’s Partnerships Part 1 – Cameron Burr of Burr Electric
In the very first episode of PLE’s Partnership series, we interview Cameron Burr of Burr Electric. PLE and Burr electric are long-standing partners and have worked on many different projects together and we are thrilled to feature him!
About Burr Electric:
Burr Electric specializes in residential and commercial installations – new construction and renovation services. They promise their clients exceptional value through a high standard of workmanship and superior service quality at a competitive price.
How did you first start as an electrician?
Cameron: When I initially got into electrical, I was always interested in construction and right out of high school I always worked for a company and I was doing more labour work for them. I was there as a framer on the job at the time. And the foreman said you need to make sure you get a trade and get your ticket in something. I took that and I was lucky enough that at the time, I had a girlfriend who was building a laneway house and I brought it up to the contractor.
One of his best friends was an electrical contractor and so I ended up meeting with him and I basically worked for him for nine years. And after that, I finished my whole ticket through BCIT and then moved on from that company to another company and then eventually to working for myself.
What Do You Like Best About Your Job?
Cameron: I love the interaction with people. I love dealing with the clients and showing them the whole project from start to finish. You get to see the rough beginning stage, but you also see when the whole job comes together and you show it to the client and see how happy they are with the final product. It is such a great feeling.
I also love being out in the field and communicating with everyone. It’s great to be part of a bigger team with the different trades and to meet all the clients and giving them a good product.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face on a job site?
Cameron: Organization is a big one. Being organized is a huge key to success on any project. The number of changes that can happen sometimes can also be challenging. Sometimes you end up doing things over. We have a process where we box out a house first and we’ve always walked through with the homeowner and really get them to give us the approval prior to actually wiring everything.
But other challenges are figuring out stuff with BC Hydro, making sure that we’re following their protocols. Some things are never easy when it comes to different job sites and the way the main power is brought in and keeping all the clearances.
What is something that people don’t know about your trade?
Cameron: A lot of people think it’s very simple to just add some lights and plugs wherever they want. They don’t really realize the amount of work that goes into getting a wire from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’. And so when you explain everything, for example, this drywall needs to be opened and somebody’s going to have to fix that afterward, it can be really eye-opening. Then a painter is going to have to come in and finish that to cover the drywall so it looks clean and polished afterwards.
Some homeowners think that it’s a lot easier than it really is. And I think that’s definitely something that more people just don’t really have the knowledge or the understanding to see how everything is actually behind the walls.
What do you like best about working with PLE?
Cameron: The best thing with PLE is how organized they are. PLE is a clean, efficient company to work with because they always put their stuff in a certain area of the house, not like with some other painters.
Sometimes we go into a job site and a painting company is not a hundred percent done their job. That is never the case with PLE. They take really good care to ensure they do a great job of everything. They are very detailed oriented, ensuring they mask and tape everything off which is key. It allows me to still proceed in finishing what we need to get done without getting in their way and without any holdups.
How does working with PLE make your job easier?
Cameron: Communication is always key. They let us know when things are completed and where we can follow in behind. They are also easy to deal with which is great. When you can get along with the other trades on a job site, it just makes things so much smoother and they definitely have that skill for sure.