DIY-ing electrical repairs in the home might seem like a good idea when you have a little knowledge, would like to save some money, and believe the job to be only a small one; but in many cases, attempting to do electrical repairs yourself, rather than using a reputable, fully qualified, licensed and insured contractor or company, can often be a bad idea. 

With increased costs, higher risks, and even the potential to void your home insurance, here are 7 reasons why you should consider hiring a professional: 

1 - You might have to move out of your home for longer. 

It is commonly advised that residents of a household leave the premises before electrical repair projects are performed, not just to remove the safety hazards associated with having kids, pets, and even adults around live/bare/mid-installation wires, but also to give the contractors freedom to do what is necessary. 

If you attempt a DIY project and move your family into a hotel/elsewhere while you complete the task, but then something goes wrong and you then need to research how to put it right, or call in a contractor to resolve the problem, your family will have to stay in alternative accommodation for longer. 

2 - You might face additional costs. 

There are a number of reasons why DIY electrical repair projects are often more costly than hiring a contractor or company. If something goes wrong during the DIY process, not only will you - the homeowner - have to pay out for the original repair project but you’ll also have to pay out for the cost of resolving the new problem. 

Not only that, professional contractors often get parts at a reduced rate, whereas you - the DIY enthusiast - will pay retail prices for them. In such cases, it can actually be cheaper to go through an experienced contractor. 

3 - Incorrect electrical work can cause house fires.

Wires that are overstripped, cut too short, or not installed correctly can lead to sparks, hotspots, and - every homeowner’s worst nightmare - house fires, which put the entire household at high risk. It is easy to overload a circuit when you don't have expert knowledge. 

4 - DIY electrical work can void your home insurance.

Before you undertake any kind of DIY electrical work, plumbing work, or work on other main systems inside your home, make sure that you have a good read of your home insurance policy. It could be the case that, in the event of a fire or a flood, you will not be covered by the insurance if the cause of the devastation was work carried out by an experienced person — ie. you, the property owner. 

5 - You may need to have your electrical work signed off by a professional…

… and in many cases, contractors won't want to sign off on work that they themselves haven't completed. It is their reputation on their line if anything goes wrong, after all. 

6 - You may shock yourself with a DIY job. 

You may also injure yourself, or other members of your household by incorrectly completing electrical repair work around the home. 

Electrical contractors go through years of training before they are allowed to go into businesses or homes and perform electrical work. This is to protect themselves as well as clients and other people. Ovens, tumble dryers and other appliances use high voltages, often reaching 240 volts, which can give you a very nasty shock. 

7 - A simple job can often be quite the opposite. 

What looks like a simple task to you can sometimes look like a much larger, more complex job to someone with a trained eye. Repeating the point: electricians train for a long time to make sure they know how to find problems, provide solutions and complete work quickly, efficiently, and more than anything else, SAFELY. 

If you need to rely on internet search engines to find out what the problem is, there's a chance that you won't know how to find and diagnose other problems along the way. A trained contractor will be able to spot them, however, and can often stop other problems before they start. 

Those electrical jobs might seem simple enough to you, but attempting to complete them without expert knowledge and experience could end up making the job much more costly, much more time-consuming, and much more stressful than hiring an electrician would ever have been.