It Might Be Handy... But Is It Safe?
When a Comox couple hired a local handyman to do electrical work in their home the price was right but they had no idea what kind of risks were involved.
After the handyman’s attempt at wiring their new home office, Cathy and Roy Feness noticed wires hanging from their ceiling that “looked suspicious.” This prompted them to seek a second opinion, which is when they discovered the dangers of shoddy electrical work.
According to Cathy, “When the BC Safety Authority safety officer saw the wiring, he was appalled. It was immediately deemed a fire hazard. He said it was completely unsafe. At that point my husband and I were in shock.” A compliance order was served against the Feness’ handyman restricting him from performing further electrical work in other homes.
“When our children heard our home was a fire hazard, they were terrified to go to sleep in their beds at night for fear our house might burn down. It was an awful feeling,” says the couple. “Our recommendation to any homeowner thinking about renovations is to pay the money and hire a qualified professional. Also, never pay money up front to any workman entering your home – someone who is qualified will show you their licence and invoice you upon completion.”
A qualified, Safety Authority-licensed contractor has now refinished all of the electrical work to a high standard in the Feness’ home.
“We feel safe again,” says Cathy. “The job did end up costing us more money but in the end it was the right thing to do for the feeling of safety in our home. We should have gone this route in the first place and saved ourselves a lot of time and money.”
The BC Safety Authority advises the public that just because someone tells you they are qualified to do electrical work, it does not mean they are certified, licensed or permitted to complete the work safely and to code.
For your convenience, the Safety Authority maintains an online list of licensed contractors. The list include residential, commercial and industrial contractors.
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