DIYers who go too far
Home Design October 12th, 2009
Give them an inch and they take a mile. It’s an old saying but it’s the perfect way to sum up DIYers who cross the line into dangerous territory.
A competent DIYer can make plenty of savings without crossing into territory reserved for licensed professionals.
Last week I had coffee with an interior designer friend who was telling me about a kitchen renovation she is overseeing for a relative. My friend has selected and advised on the whitegoods, appliances, fittings and finishes – all of which is okay and well within her jurisdiction as a designer. To keep the cost down, another relative – an avid DIYer – has volunteered to pull out the old kitchen, install the new flat-pack model, Gyprock the walls and do the tiling and the painting – again, all okay. Well it will be okay if he stops there. Now, it seems, the DIY cousin is so enthusiastic about the project he wants to take on the electrical installations too. Is he a qualified electrician? No. Is he a registered electrical contractor? No. So, in other words, this part of the proceedings is not okay. Not okay at all.
So why is it you give some people a set of tools and instead of being content with doing a great job within the scope of their legal limitations, they think they can do it all? What part of AGAINST THE LAW don’t they understand? What part of ELECTRICITY CAN KILL is a grey area?
Despite the fact that messing around with live wires is illegal in all parts of Australia, research by state governments shows there are plenty of DIYers who just can’t resist the urge. How is this known? Because every year people get killed or seriously injured attempting their own electrical installation and maintenance work. When people get caught they say things like they didn’t realise what they were doing was dangerous; they didn’t realise it was illegal; they couldn’t afford an electrician. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?
If you're not licensed or registered, working with live wires is strictly out of bounds.
The simple fact is tinkering with live wires is extremely dangerous, not only for you but also for others if something goes wrong because you made a mistake. The result of your poor wiring could be a fatality, electric shock or a major house fire. Imagine having any of those on your conscience.
So, for the record: No matter where you live in Australia, if you are not a registered electrical contractor or a licensed electrician, electrical safety regulations prohibit you from doing any kind of electrical installation. It really can’t be any clearer, can it?
My advice to anyone is, instead of risking life and property in the name of saving a few hundred bucks, read the article DIY Kitchen Design which outlines the best approach to take when embarking on a kitchen renovation. I also suggest you check your contractors are industry qualified, licensed and insured.
