I am a person willing to tackle small home improvement jobs around the house as long as it involves no tools beyond a hammer or a paintbrush. My Number One Rule: I definitely draw the line at taking on anything electrical out of what I consider a not-unreasonable fear of electrocution or electrocuting anyone else.
Dave Mott is a producer with HomeSquare specializing in electrical services. He has racked up decades of experience providing superior service to clients. Dave and his team provide general electrical services including new fixture installation, electrical panel upgrades, installation of generators and electrical vehicle charging stations, wiring of new homes or additions, and general troubleshooting.
In addition, Dave’s team specializes in cool stuff like chandelier installations, art lighting, home theater installations, pool and spa wiring, landscape and outdoor lighting, plus security camera and thermostat installation. He can mount your TV and has extensive experience installing smart home products made by Lutron, Amazon, Apple, Ring and Google Home.
Given the rough weather conditions many homeowners have been experiencing, an important facet of Dave and the team’s work is generator maintenance. The $500 annual maintenance plan includes two visits a year that cover an oil and filter change, checking and replacing spark plugs, checking valve gaps and frequency output, checking gas pressure and 24-hour access to a trained technician.
Keep in mind that the 2021 hurricane season started in May, earlier than usual. And it was the third most active season on record. So planning ahead is really important. Generators are back-ordered by 17–48 weeks, depending on the product type. Estimated time frames are changeable based on various factors related to supply chain, production and market conditions.
For business owners, commercial electrical services are also available, such as: electric sign installation, electrical systems wiring, generator installation and maintenance, and security camera surveillance.
We sat down with Dave for a Q & A about what he’s currently working on.
Q: What kind of electrical installations are you working on now? What special challenges are you encountering and how are they resolved?
A: We’re currently working on the usual service calls along with renovations, additions, and new construction. We are installing lots of generators which are generally simple to install, just labor intensive.
Our biggest challenges typically are homeowners who attempt to general contract their own jobs. They’re inexperienced and often don’t understand a lot of electrical work is a much more difficult job than people realize. When a job is done wrong it takes a lot longer for us to complete and can easily end up costing the homeowner more money.
Q: As homes become “smarter” how does that affect your business?
A: Or, we can answer something like this: We get requests from both new home owners and existing clients wanting to upgrade to smarter homes. We can install complete security systems including electrical components and security cameras. Plus we install automatic window shades, smart thermostats, and upgrading or replacing smart bulbs throughout the interior or exterior of your house.
Q: Do you have any “coming to the rescue” stories after the homeowner tried to do electric work themselves?
A: The one I see too often is the homeowner who handled the back feed of their generator through their dryer plug. While this does work, if they forget to shut off the main breaker they can back feed the grid and potentially get an electrical lineman killed or destroy their own generator when power is restored.
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Watch enough DIY tv shows and you might start to think you’ve got the know-how to tackle some electrical jobs around the house yourself. And there’s no lack of videos on YouTube offering tutorials to homeowners looking to test their skills and save a buck. But TV shows frequently leave out some all-important details including building codes, safety precautions and what’s legal in your town. And while many on-line tutorials do make it seem easy to fix a loose outlet, what they rarely include is how easy it is to be electrocuted or start a fire. Not to mention, you may not have the proper tools or training to complete the job safely.
Be careful who you hire. Your brother-in-law may be handy. But unless he’s a licensed electrician with insurance to protect not just himself but you in case something goes wrong, you might be better off asking him to help you with installing some drywall. Leave the electrical stuff to a professional.
Remember my Number One Rule about not trying to do electrical work myself? The next time you have a chandelier to install or you’re thinking of installing a security camera, or you have finally caved and decided it’s time to gift yourself with a generator, contact the pros at HomeSquare to get it done right.
Eve Marx
Eve Marx is a national journalist and book author. Follow her reflections on home design and interior style on Instagram at the hashtag #funkybeachhouseseasideror.