The Real Dangers of DIY Electrics (And What We’ve Seen in Exeter Homes)

DIY can be great — we love a bit of hands-on effort as much as the next person. But when it comes to electrical work? We’ve seen first-hand how things can go badly wrong.

In fact, we’ve been called out to plenty of homes across Exeter where a well-meaning bit of DIY ended up causing more harm than good — and usually costing more to put right than if it had been done properly in the first place.

So in this article, let’s walk through the real dangers of DIY electrics, what’s legally allowed, and a few of the things we’ve uncovered behind the scenes.

What’s the Risk with DIY Electrical Work?

Unlike painting a wall or building a shelf, electrical work comes with very real risks — not just to your home, but to your safety.

Here’s what we’ve seen locally:

1. Fire Hazards

Loose connections, wrong cable sizes, overloaded circuits — all of these can lead to overheating. We’ve been into homes where junction boxes were scorched, or sockets literally melted. It’s scary, and entirely avoidable.

2. Electric Shocks

It only takes one wrong connection or exposed live wire. Some of the worst setups we’ve seen involved people using incorrect connectors or twisting wires together with tape.

3. Insurance Claims Denied

If your electrics cause a fire or injury and the work wasn’t carried out by someone qualified — insurers might refuse to pay out. We’ve had customers come to us after a scare, only to realise they’ve unintentionally invalidated their policy.

4. It May Be Illegal

Under UK law (Part P of the Building Regs), certain types of electrical work — especially in kitchens, bathrooms, or around fuse boxes — must be carried out by a qualified person and notified to building control.

“But I Just Want to Change a Socket…”

You can legally carry out very limited DIY electrical work in your own home, like:

Changing light bulbs
Replacing existing sockets or switches (if you know what you’re doing)
Installing battery-powered smoke alarms

But anything beyond that — like adding new circuits, replacing consumer units, or installing lighting in a bathroom — requires a qualified electrician.

And honestly? Even small jobs can go sideways if the wiring behind the scenes isn’t what you expect.

Real Examples We’ve Seen in Exeter Homes

Let’s be real — we’re not here to shame anyone. But we think it helps to share what we’ve encountered locally:

Speaker cable used as lighting cable 😬
Wires twisted and taped, then buried in walls
Earth wires cut off completely “because they looked messy”
Live cables exposed under floorboards
Circuit breakers removed and bypassed

We’ve even walked into a few homes where the fuse box had been replaced by someone unqualified, and the pipework or cabling around it was clearly rushed and unsafe — as if a DIYer had guessed their way through it.

The Bottom Line?

If you’re not qualified, don’t guess with electrics. It’s not worth the risk — to you, your family, or your property.

Whether it’s a new socket, an EV charger, or a full consumer unit upgrade, get someone who knows the regs, knows the risks, and will stand behind their work.

That’s exactly what we do at EPM:

No cutting corners
No guesswork
Full certification and peace of mind

Thinking of Having Work Done?

We’re always happy to take a look — no pressure, no pushy sales. Just clear advice on what’s safe, what’s legal, and what’s the best way forward for your home.

Got a question? Call us or request a callback and we’ll talk it through with you.

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