DIY or Call an Electrician? When to Leave It to the Experts

  • 31st January 2025
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When it comes to electrical work, safety should always come first. While some tasks are definitely simple enough to tackle yourself, others require the expertise of an experienced and qualified electrician.

Trying to fix a serious or complex issue without the proper skills could lead to serious injury, fire hazards, or expensive repairs down the line. If you run a business, tackling electrics yourself could see you falling short of regulatory requirements.

What Electrical Tasks Are Safe to DIY?

Successfully completing DIY jobs gives you a good feeling. But YouTube vids give you a false sense of security. Electrical work is serious stuff, and botched electrics can be a costly fix or at its very worst cause a fatality.

A recent YouGov survey commissioned by electrical training and certification body NICEIC found that 29% of homeowners will try to DIY their own electrics, despite 89% believing you should call a tradesperson in.

Although businesses will need to comply with regulations, there are some jobs that are simple enough to handle without calling a professional. But with many businesses, it’s often easier and quicker to call a professional anyway.

So, how do you know when it’s safe to DIY and when to call in a pro? Let’s look at some scenarios.

Replacing Light Bulbs

This is one of the simplest of everyday tasks and perfectly safe as long as the fixture is off. Always check the old bulb is cool and the new one is correct wattage to avoid overloading the fixture too.

Resetting a Tripped Circuit Breaker

If the power goes out in one area or all of your home, it’s usually down to one or two things. If it’s not a problem with the national grid, it’s probably a tripped switch on the fuse board whereby an appliance has overloaded the circuit board, causing it to trip. It’s a safety feature to prevent electrical shock or fire.  

Resetting the circuit breaker can usually solve the problem. Make sure your hands are dry and reflip the tripped switch back into place.

If it keeps happening it could be a faulty appliance or the circuit/fuse  board needs to be upgraded to match the demands of a modern home. You’ll need to call a professional for the latter.

Installing or Replacing Light Switch Covers

If you’re confident, changing cosmetic components like light switches or socket covers is generally straightforward. Just ensure the power is off before you start.

Assembling and Plugging in Electrical Appliances

Certain electrical work must include notification of work which can only be done by a qualified electrician. Failure to do so can lead to problems with selling the property on in the future

Plugging in devices, wiring plugs, or assembling items like lamps doesn’t require advanced knowledge. Just make sure cords aren’t damaged and avoid overloading outlets.

And When You Should Call an Electrician

Part P of the UK Building Regulations deals with electrical safety in residential buildings. It sets standards to ensure that electrical installations in homes, gardens, outbuildings, and common areas of blocks of flats are designed and installed safely.

Key Points of Part P:
  • Scope: It applies to new installations, alterations, and additions to electrical systems in homes.
  • Competent Person Requirement: Work must be carried out by a qualified electrician who is registered with a government-approved scheme. If not, the work needs to be inspected and certified.
  • Notification: Certain types of work (e.g., installing new circuits or work in bathrooms) must be notified to the local building control authority before it begins.
  • Testing and Certification: Electrical work must meet the standards of the BS 7671 Wiring Regulations and must be tested to ensure compliance.
  • Documentation: property owners should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate or Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate and a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate for the work.
Notifiable vs. Non-Notifiable Work:
  • Notifiable Work: Includes new consumer units, rewiring, and electrical work in special locations (e.g., bathrooms or near swimming pools).
  • Non-Notifiable Work: Simple tasks like replacing sockets or light fittings, unless in a special location.
Wiring and Rewiring

Installing new wiring or upgrading old wiring is complex and requires professional knowledge. Poorly done wiring is serious and can lead to electrical fires or shocks.

Installing or Replacing Circuit Breakers

As mentioned above, if a breaker needs replacing or your home’s circuit board panel requires an upgrade, this is a job for a qualified electrician. It involves high voltage and detailed knowledge of your home’s electrical system and is not something to tackle without expert knowledge.

Fixing Flickering Lights or Frequent Power Outages

Persistent issues with flickering lights or power surges may indicate wiring problems, circuit overloads, or other hidden issues that only a professional can diagnose safely. Try changing the lightbulb, ensuring the fixture is off. If the problem is not rectified, it could mean a wiring issue.

Installing Electrical Fixtures

Ceiling fans, outdoor lighting, or even EV charging stations require proper wiring and secure installation. A professional will ensure everything meets the right safety standards.

Dealing with Burning Smells or Scorch Marks

If you notice unusual smells near outlets or scorch marks, it’s a red flag. These signs often indicate overheating or faulty wiring, which needs immediate professional attention. Call for an electrician as a matter of urgency and don’t use the outlet.

Installing Commercial Equipment

Whether you’re adding HVAC systems, large kitchen appliances, or high-tech equipment in your business, these installations often demand dedicated circuits and expertise to ensure they run efficiently and safely. Emergency lighting is also essential for compliance with workplace safety regulations. An electrician will ensure the system is properly installed, regularly inspected, and up to the regulatory standard standards.

Routine Electrical Inspections

While it may be beneficial to get your home electrics health-checked, businesses must comply with health and safety regulations, including regular electrical inspections and PAT testing. Only a professional electrician can ensure your systems meet the legal requirements and help avoid costly fines or shutdowns.

Why Certain Tasks Are Best Left to Professionals

Electricians undergo extensive training to work safely with high-voltage systems. They also know local regulations and ensure installations and repairs are up to standard. But their experience means they can spot a potential problem or risk as well as just reacting to them.

 Attempting to handle tasks beyond your expertise can void your home insurance, create safety risks, or lead to costly mistakes.

In a business setting, electrical safety is not just about protecting your equipment—it’s about ensuring the safety of employees and customers while maintaining compliance with local regulations. For businesses, the stakes are higher. While some simple tasks can be handled in-house, most electrical work requires professional expertise to avoid risks and liabilities.

Whether you’re at home or in the workplace, if you do decide to tackle a smaller job, always shut off the power before working on anything electrical and use a circuit breaker wherever possible. Use the right tools and carefully follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

If you feel unsure or overwhelmed, stop and call an electrician. Know your limits. When in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and call in the experts.

Final Thoughts

While you wouldn’t be expected to call an electrician to change a light bulb, there are some things that just need the professional’s touch. And that may be from a safety perspective, but also from a saving time, money and frustration perspective too. Fixing botched work is about a quarter of all electricians’ jobs.

If you’re unsure, leave it to an electrical pro, like the electricians at Able. Call us on 0330 108 4111. Don’t waste time and money, or risk anyone’s safety with a DIY job.

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