Fitting Electric Socket & Switch Plates

gizmo0205

Hi everyone,

I am planning on redecorating my living room over the next few months and need to replace the socket and switch plates as they are paint splattered and very grubby. This may sound a silly question but can anyone tell me how you fit them as I cannot find any info online and wondered whether I would need to switch the mains power off or get an electrician in.

Thanks!

phill99

If you are asking a basic question like 'should I turn the mains power off', I think you would be better off getting someone in.

wallbash

as I cannot find any info online and wondered whether I would need to switch the mains power off or get an electrician in.

Will try to be kind. If you need to ask that sort of question , you need some help .
Not a trained ( expensive ) electrician,just a good friend , who can show you the correct way , watch how you tackle the task .
Its a very simple project , but safer with a competent friend .

Barneysmom

Yes you do have to turn the mains off by the way........

gizmo0205

Lol, thanks guys and not offended in any way, as I said in OP it was a silly question but am a single girl with no clue about DIY and wanted to make sure I wasn't overcomplicating things as I normally tend to do. I promise not to go near any electrics and leave it to somebody who know's what they are doing.

Barneysmom

If you are determined to DIY, turn the power off, unscrew the cover and take photos of where the wires go.

My hubby decided to change our stairs/hall socket a few years ago. OMG. Luckily I'm an elec/mechanical engineer....but I told him if he ever did it again.......

wallbash

I promise not to go near any electrics and leave it to somebody who know's what they are doing.

Thats NOT what we said . Too many people get in 'experts' to do simple jobs.
We are raising a generation that won't try , kids that cant change a plug, youngsters
who are scared of doing something wrong.
There must be someone you know who would help .

To be really sexist .... if you can bake a cake , thats a lot harder than what you want to do .

redecorating my living room

Wallpapering and painting will take you longer to learn.

Barneysmom

gizmo0205 wrote: »

Lol, thanks guys and not offended in any way, as I said in OP it was a silly question but am a single girl with no clue about DIY and wanted to make sure I wasn't overcomplicating things as I normally tend to do. I promise not to go near any electrics and leave it to somebody who know's what they are doing.

Go and do a course?
I'm the only female in the country who does my job, all the rest are men.........

mikey72

Barneysmom wrote: »

Go and do a course?
I'm the only female in the country who does my job, all the rest are men.........

There's only one female elec/mechanical engineer in the country?

DVardysShadow

mikey72 wrote: »

There's only one female elec/mechanical engineer in the country?

No, Barneysmom is the only female in the country who does her job, And, if I understood it correctly, all the rest get men to do their work.

mikey72

I just thought it must have been the recession