We often come across home handyman electrical work and it’s always hazardous to some degree and never complies with the regulations that are designed to ensure electrical safety.
The situation we encountered recently at one client’s house was extremely dangerous. The client had removed a faulty outside light and attempted to install a new light. He managed to connect power to the earth wiring and livened up the whole plumbing system in his home.
Every metal sink and tap in his home was connected direct to 240 volts and anyone touching one of these items would have received a potentially fatal electric shock.
Luckily he called us straight away (because he couldn’t get the light to work) and we discovered the problem before anyone was hurt. It’s a great example of how a seemingly simple job can have disastrous consequences if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Another potential consequence of DIY electrical work, besides the death of yourself or a member of your family, is loss of insurance cover. No insurance company is going to pay out if it is found your house was half burned down because of your dodgy home handyman electrical work.
It’s definitely not worth the risk, so make sure you use a licenced contractor, even for those seemingly small and easy jobs you think you could do yourself.
