Why DIY Electrical Work Is A Bad Idea

When it comes to home improvements, there are several projects you can undertake by yourself to reduce your expenses and boost your pride in your creative skills. However, one aspect of home improvement you should never indulge in as a DIY or do-it-yourself activity is electrical work, unless you have the required experience and training. If you don’t, it’s best to leave your electrical requirements to the professionals.

Laying electrical wires and installing electrical systems requires specialized knowledge and skills to ensure the job is done safely and efficiently. If not, you could face severe consequences. To give you an idea of how bad things could get, Connco Electric has explained why DIY electrical work is a bad idea.

1. Safety hazards

When working with electricity, there are several safety hazards that a DIYer may encounter, like electrocution, shocks, falling off of heights, experiencing an injury from pinch points, and the possible loss of life or limb(s). That doesn’t mean when a professional works with electricals, these same dangers are absent. The only difference is that licensed electricians are trained to minimize the potential risk of injury before it’s too late.

2. Costly mistakes

As electrical contractors usually don’t come cheap, most DIYers are generally eager to save a few bucks, so they decide to repair their electrical issues themselves. But, this can lead to mistakes that are detrimental to the project and their property altogether. Moreover, DIY efforts can cause injury and liability, all of which only adds to their expenses.

Do things right - Hire a professional

Before trying your hand at the skilled trade of an electrician, you should consider the possible challenges that you may face to save yourself more than money. Projects sometimes look easy on the surface, but once you get into the thick of things, you’re likely to face more question marks and head-scratchers than you expected. If you choose to go ahead without caution, you could create a bigger issue, which could take a while for a professional to troubleshoot. As a result, when it comes to electrical work around the house, it’s essential to trust a trained contractor with the job.

How to choose a professional electrical contractor?

For a reliable electrical contractor, you need to consider experts with a valid certification. Every qualified electrician is issued a license allowing them to practice the electrical trade once they complete all four levels of their apprenticeship. Each year, an apprentice spends two months in school learning mostly theory. After this, they work in the field for the remainder of the year. This is repeated four times throughout the apprenticeship, to help professionals gain valuable experience to obtain a “Red Seal” certificate.

Another quality you need to look for when choosing an electrical specialist is their experience. An experienced professional will inspect your electrical issue and premises, provide a written quotation, acquire the necessary license to commence work, produce company insurance, and a genuine skill set to complete the project. That way, you can enjoy peace of mind and an overall feeling of security that everyone seems to be chasing.

When looking for a reliable electrical contractor, you can even ask your family and friends for references or look for the best contractor options available on Google. When you do this, remember to check for feedback or reviews about their services, or go through their Better Business Bureau (BBB) listing. This will shed some light on their capabilities and strengths and determine whether they are good at their trade.

Finally, when choosing an electrical contractor, remember not to make your decision based on their pricing. Hiring cheap services usually means that poor quality efforts and materials will be used to meet your needs. So, in the event of an electrical mishap on your premises, you could get into trouble for using substandard materials and services.

How much should you pay a professional electrical contractor?

Quite often, the price range of electrical work will vary when it comes to residential applications as the spectrum is saturated with experienced, inexperienced, and very inexperienced tradespersons. On the other hand, commercial pricing estimates are more accurate as most reputable companies use sophisticated estimating software nowadays. This software comes with industry-standard labor units, which allows professionals to pinpoint how much labor is needed for each project, enabling us to plan and execute each job with precision.

If you’re looking for trustworthy professional electricians in Winnipeg, MB, reach out to the experts at Connco Electric. Our experienced electricians provide unbeatable electrical services for residential and commercial applications within the expected time and budget. They are also dedicated to offering Winnipeg residents and businesses with professional home and office electrical repair and general electrical maintenance of the highest quality.

To learn more about our services, please click here or get in touch with us by clicking here.