Hiring an unlicenced electrician or doing electrical work yourself can be risky business with the potential hazards far outweighing the benefit of saving money. Not only is it illegal to hire an unlicenced electrician but it can also cause serious harm to them, you and your family and any guests you may have to your property. That is why we recommend hiring a competent licenced electrician to undertake work at your home and business.
Here are some more reasons why you should use a licenced electrician.
Quality of Work
Having a licence to work as an electrician requires evaluation of the electrician’s work to ensure that it is of a high standard and meets safety specifications. As there are ongoing improvements in safety each year it is important to use a licensed electrician whose work can be inspected by the supply authority.
If you hire an unlicensed electrician, you cannot be sure they are up to date on current safety standards or adhere to them which in turn will put you and the people accessing your property at risk.
Installation Materials
A licensed electrician will source their materials and components through reputable wholesalers which is extremely important because these materials and components must meet Australian standards.
This is not something that can be guaranteed when using an unlicensed tradesman.
Peace of Mind
While it may cost more to hire a licenced electrician, having the peace of mind knowing that they are licenced, insured and have used the correct materials and components is worth the extra money.
Benefit from Your Electrician's Experience
There are many DIY projects around your home and business that you can do yourself, but electrical work is not one of them. A licensed electrician will be able to rectify any issues or install new equipment without creating inefficiencies or problems with overloading circuits.
They will also be able to select the right equipment, identify any potential hazards and help prevent tripping circuits which will save you money in the long run.
Ensure You Are Protected by Insurance
As part of their licence requirements, a qualified electrician must have insurance which provides you with additional benefits. Their insurance protects you, your property and anyone who uses the electrical systems and equipment on your property.
Also, any insurance policies you have for your home or office usually requires that electrical work that is carried out be done by a licenced professional. In that case, any damage caused by electrical work completed by an unlicenced person will void your insurance and leave you out of pocket for the repairs and liable if anyone were injured as a result.
How to Check if Your Electrician is Licensed
You can check that the electrician you have working on your property is insured by going to Electrical Licence Holder Search. Here you will be shown examples of what a licence may look like as well as be able to search licence numbers to make sure that they are legitimate and current. If you would like to speak with one of our licenced electricians about work you need done around your home or office, get in touch with us today!