With how much information is available online, doing your own electrical work can be tempting. You might save a few dollars up front, but the risks are not worth it. Here are four good reasons why.
1. It is illegal
Changing a light globe or plugging in an appliance is fine. Almost everything past that is not. Under Victorian law, electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrician, and unlicensed work can bring serious fines. The rules exist because electricity is unforgiving, and the licence is proof that the person doing the work has been trained to do it safely.
2. It is dangerous
This is the obvious one, but it goes further than most people think. DIY electrical work puts you at risk of shocks and burns while you do it, and it leaves hazards behind for everyone who touches the house after you, including your family and any tradesperson who works on it later. We have opened up walls and found burnt wiring from DIY jobs done years earlier, and those homeowners were lucky the damage was found before it started a fire.
3. It usually costs more in the end
If a DIY job goes wrong, you will need to call an electrician anyway, and there is a fair chance the work will need to be pulled out and started again. Most licensed electricians, including us, will not simply patch up or sign off on unlicensed work. On top of that, if unlicensed electrical work causes a fire or an injury, your insurance is unlikely to cover it. That is not a risk worth taking to save a call-out fee.
4. Experience beats tutorials
No amount of online videos can replace the years an electrician spends training and working under supervision before getting a licence. It is not just knowing which wire goes where. It is knowing the rules for wet areas, earthing, cable sizes and switchboard protection, and spotting the problem next to the one you called about.
DIY electrical work is illegal and dangerous, so why risk your time, money and health? Quay Electrical services homes and businesses across Torquay, the Surf Coast, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula. We are licensed, insured and members of Master Electricians Australia, and we are happy to look at jobs big and small. For anything from a single power point to ongoing maintenance, get in touch with us here.