Hiring an electrician for an electrical project in your home is the best possible option for many reasons. It ensures the safety of your family, it guarantees that the project is done correctly, and it saves you precious time. Many go-getters don’t believe that they need to hire an electrician. They would rather complete the electrical project themselves. Although this may save money, assuming you’ll be able to complete the project safely, properly, and at a lower cost is not always a reasonable assumption to make. Consider the following when deciding whether or not to hire an electrician.
The most obvious reason to hire an electrician rather than doing the work yourself is the knowledge that they possess and the safety that comes with it. Electricians complete courses in the subject and work approximately 600 hours as apprentices. They spend a significant amount of time doing the work they will be completing in homes during this training. Once the apprenticeship is complete, an electrician must obtain a license from the state. Through the licensure process, electricians learn a great deal about power, electrical wiring and electronic components. Electricians have a wealth of information to guide them and ensure that your project is done safely and correctly.
Your lack of knowledge can be dangerous during the process and down the line for you and your family. Electrocution during an electrical project is a real threat if you’re uneducated about electrical work or not careful and can even result in death. In the long term, incorrect electrical work could start fires, endangering you, your family, and others. Even if you’re cautious, handling complex projects by yourself is risky! By hiring an electrician, you avoid endangering yourself in the moment and your family later, giving you peace of mind.
Another significant reason why you should hire an electrician for certain projects is because it would be illegal not to. Larger projects need permits and sometimes legally require a licensed electrician to be the one to complete those projects. Electricians are aware of codes that need to be met and followed while the average person wouldn’t have a clue. Sometimes inspectors are required to approve the work on a project once it is completed. If you complete the project yourself and they disapprove, it will have to be redone until it meets their standards. If an electrician were to do a project incorrectly and it were to be disapproved, the electrician would be required to redo it so that it would be approved the next time.
Let’s face it. We all have to do things we don’t want to do sometimes, but is electrical work really one of those things? By hiring an electrician, you save yourself the time and energy of learning how to do something and doing it. You save yourself a trip or many trips to and from the hardware store. Professional electricians will be able to do the job right and much more quickly than you because this is their profession and they have the tools, knowledge, and experience to do the job correctly and efficiently. Hiring a trained professional is likely the most time efficient and enjoyable option for homeowners. Even if you can find the time to teach yourself how to complete a project and actually go about doing it, you’ll still have to deal with the stress of doing it right and keeping yourself safe, which can be inconvenient and, frankly, not worth the hassle.
Through and through, hiring an electrician is absolutely the best option for you and your family for most projects. Electricians are trained and knowledgeable professionals. They have a wealth of information about many electrical projects. Because of this, they know how to avoid mistakes that could put you or your family in danger. If you were to complete the project yourself, on the other hand, you may be unnecessarily putting yourself in danger. By hiring an electrician, you won’t have to educate yourself on the permits or codes that are needed. Your electrician will already be aware of that information, simplifying the process, and the work will likely be approved by inspectors. Finally, you’re not going to have to deal with the stress of such a project. You can sit back and relax while all the complex and dangerous work is completed by a trained professional. 
Emily Schutz
Home & Yard Magazine
