DIY vs. Professional: 4 Reasons You Should Always Hire a Licensed Electrician
You might think a Do-It-Yourself electrical project is a good idea, especially if you just opened a large stack of bills and you don’t want to pay for a licensed electrician. But not only would you be wrong, you’d also run a serious risk of being injured by the end of your attempted DIY electrician work. There are just about 625,000 electricians currently working in the U.S., and there’s a reason each and every one of them spent years being trained and licensed to do this type of work.
If you’re experiencing electrical problems at home, then all you need to do is call one of them. Here are a few more excellent reasons why you should be hiring licensed electricians for all of your home and business electrical issues.
1. A Licensed Electrician Is Trained
In most cases, an electrician in Los Angeles working with connections greater than 100 volt amps must be certified by the state of California, and similar regulations apply in most states. This process includes passing a test and either completing an apprenticeship program or completing at least 8,000 hours of work for a certified electrical contractor. This means that they have extensive knowledge and experience working with wires, circuits, and other electrical systems so that they don’t put you or your house at risk.
Licensed electricians have the proper training to carry out any kind of electrical work you might need done around your home. Lighting fixture not working? Faulty outlets making you nervous? If you don’t know what the root of the problem is or how to fix it, you need to call a licensed professional who knows exactly what they’re doing with your home.
Not only will they have prior training, but it’s also very likely that they receive ongoing training, which serves as a consistent refresher. This knowledge and workmanship are not the type that you can replicate simply by watching a DIY tutorial on the Internet!
2. A Licensed Electrician Has Insurance
Do you have the kind of insurance that would keep you and your property safe if you performed DIY electrician services in your home? No? Then you probably shouldn’t attempt to re-wire that light switch.
A full service electrician will have the necessary insurance to perform tasks in your home and provide full coverage for you. So you don’t have to worry about anything going wrong. True, your homeowner’s insurance may cover certain issues, but even that usually requires you hire a licensed professional for any kind of work performed.
3. A Professional Electrician Comes With Referrals
If there’s one thing a licensed electrician can offer, it’s testimonials of their successful work. Asking for references is an important step to take when you’re seeking out any professional, especially one doing work on your home. If you’re doing the work yourself, the only review you have to rely on is your own, and that’s not always the best or most objective source.
You can find most of the reviews online, on their website or specific platforms, but you can also always directly ask for referrals. This is especially important if you’re hiring them for a significant project, such as a house rewire or an entire system upgrade. In this case, it would be good to see how they’ve completed this type of work before.
4. A Licensed Electrician Will Obtain Permits
Very simple fixes may not require a permit from your county or municipality. But if you are undertaking a serious renovation, appliance installation, or new wiring, then you’ll most likely need the proper permits for the work.
Chances are you do not know how to apply for nor how to obtain these types of permits, or maybe not even what type of permit you need for what type of work. If you start without getting the proper approvals, any work you do could lead to serious fines, injuries, and other legal problems.
A licensed professional has dealt with permits and approvals for years and knows exactly if and what permits you’ll need, as well as how to get them quickly and without headache. That’s one less thing for you to worry about.
The Bottom Line
For all these reasons and many more (specifically, electrocution), hiring a licensed professional to handle the electrical work around your home or business could very well be the best decision you ever make. Instead of struggling with issues you don’t know how to fix or muddling your way through DIY electrical repairs, you’ll have a guaranteed solution. You’ll also have the peace of mind of not having put yourself, your family or your home in any danger.
