Electric work, even when done well carries a degree of risk—both to the electrician, and your property. Despite this, many homeowners know very little about the person they let into their home to begin poking around their attics, basements, and walls. Qualifications are important. Strong Google reviews are great. However, unless the person you hire is licensed and insured, you could wind up with a big mess on your hands.
Electrical Work is Very Dangerous
Electricians assume a degree of personal risk every time they take a new job. There’s the obvious danger posed by live wires. Even a basic home panel repair involves enough electricity to kill someone.
Electricians also risk falling off ladders or coming into dangerous chemicals present in your home construction materials. Is there asbestos lurking in the walls? Is that lead paint on your ceiling?
You can’t let just anyone into your walls. True electricians know how to navigate the job’s risks safely. When accidents do occur their insurance takes care of the medical expenses and property damages.
In Texas, if an uninsured worker is injured on your property, the courts will most likely hold you accountable. You’ll be seen—somewhat appropriately—as their employer. The ensuing legal battle would likely end with you being held accountable for “homeowner negligence.”
In other words, you failed to provide safe working conditions for your employee. Now, you are expected to pay for it.
Licensed and Insured Electricians are Professionals
Your handyman might tell you that he can fix the flickering light fixture in your dining room. Why not? You trust him in your home. He’s done good work in the past. His rate of $30 an hour isn’t going to be beat and he can do the work right now.
But he’s not an electrician. Without appropriate licensing and insurance, you’re letting an amateur into your walls. Do-it-yourself projects are fine when the worst-case scenario is that you’ll blow $90 at Home Depot and still wind up calling in a professional.
Poorly done electric work can leave your walls and ceilings in tatters. It can cause thousands of dollars in damage and put your home at risk of fire.
Certainly, it can be risky for the person doing it. And if your handyman gets injured without liability insurance, who do you think is on the hook for it?
Licensed and insured electricians are true professionals. They’ve been trained. They are running a legitimate business. They didn’t look up how to fix your problem on YouTube before coming over.
Electric work doesn’t have an amateur hour. Serious jobs require serious professionals.
Licensed and Insured Electricians Conform to Standards and Regulations
There’s getting a job done and getting it done right. Your handyman may be able to jerry-rig an electric problem in a way that satisfies your immediate concerns. Let’s say they even do it without causing injury or small fires.
Great, right? Time will tell. You may find as you go to sell your house, or apply for renovation permits, that the work wasn’t done up to code. Now, instead of moving forward on your new home, or closing the deal on that kitchen renovation you’ve been dreaming up for years, you’re spending thousands fixing the mistakes your amateur electrician made.
Licensed and insured electricians understand and conform to your community’s standards and regulations. They may even be able to help you get appropriate permits and inspections before a major job begins.
Licensed and Insured Electricians Save You Time and Money
Let’s say you need to do some rewiring in your home. Almost certainly, the job will require intrusion into your ceilings and walls. Depending on how the cuts are made, repairing the damage could cost more than the electric work. Sometimes, significantly more.
Handyman Joe doesn’t seem worried about that. Though you didn’t realize this going in, Joe is saw-happy. Several miscuts later, you’ve got holes all over your family room. Joe still hasn’t fixed the problem. He smiles sheepishly and tells you not to worry about paying him as he packs up, and pulls away in his truck.
Good electric work can be expensive. Bad electric work can cost you a fortune. The same job done by a licensed and insured electrician probably won’t be cheap. It will be done right. They’ll explain where and why they are cutting. They’ll be cautious with the saw and as minimally intrusive as possible. They may even be able to refer you to someone who can fix the damages affordably.
Don’t let sticker price shock frighten you in the direction of an amateur. Good electric work is worth every penny.
Certified and Insured Electricians Have Been Properly Trained
In Texas, certified electricians have more than 8000 hours of experience before they even begin working. This represents a combination of classroom learning and field experience. You can’t replicate those qualifications with a few Googles—no matter how on-point your search terms are.
It’s true that certified and insured electricians don’t come cheap. They have a lot more overhead than your handyman. Their trucks are expensive. Insurance sure isn’t cheap. However, it all contributes to the quality and expertise that they provide.
You don’t want poorly installed wires humming away within your walls. You don’t want to make your house unsellable or unsafe because of sloppy electric work that isn’t up to code.
Bottom line? Hiring a licensed and insured electrician is the only way to protect you from financial and legal liability. It’s also the most dependable way to ensure that the work being done in your home is safe for you and your family.
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