A.M., Wairarapa.

Make sure that you only DIY within your capabilities! I am an industrial electrician, mother, strict budgeter and long-timer oily-ragger, however, I get nervous when I see people cutting corners, risking their future financial stability and well-being to save a few bob in the short term! I’ve seen some lethal situations waiting to happen. The house we moved into had had a number of ‘basic repairs’ done by the home owner – metal light fittings not earthed, terminals not tightened properly, a ceiling waiting to catch on fire from absent heat shielding. There’s a reason it costs good money to hire an electrician – it takes years to become one and they assume a lot of legal liability. Do it wrong, and you can void your home’s insurance, face prosecution or at worst it can be fatal. The best bet is to save your tradesperson time, and if not urgent (or dangerous), have the small jobs saved up:
– Clear the way to the switchboard, under the house, the attic or the appliance being serviced and know where your access hatches are. They may need room to open a ladder and there’s no point paying a specialist an hourly rate to do your spring clean.
– Make sure any fittings you have in mind can be fitted first. There’s no point ordering fancy light fittings from China and hiring a tradesperson only to find out that you don’t have existing earths or that the gear is unsuitable or non-compliant. A good tradesperson would rather advise you first than waste their time – and your money – later on.
– If the work will involve going indoors and out a lot (such as to an inside switchboard) consider throwing down old towels or drop-sheets in the work area to save time taking boots on and off.
– Record details of any faults and under what circumstances they happen, as complex appliances with intermittent faults may be time-consuming to fix.
– Consider travel time – it’s probably worth getting someone local.
– Ask to see your electrician’s practising licence – don’t pay a premium rate for a cowboy.
– Make sure you get a copy of your Certificate of Compliance and/or Electrical Safety Certificate within 20 working days and store these in a safe place – it is your assurance that the work was completed safely and legally and it will help to have these if something should go wrong.