It’s convenient having a parent that works in the trades.
- My dad has been an electrician for the last 35 years.
Before that he was a commercial lighting salesman and a part time carpenter. Even though there was a lot of money in building equipment sales, he preferred working with his hands everyday. As long as he’s happier, there’s no reason to compromise peace of mind for more money in the bank. Realistically, my dad has done well for himself as a professional electrician. He started with residential projects, helping his team finish houses for developers that hired his union and its employees as subcontractors. As his skills improved, his responsibilities grew and he was quickly working on large commercial projects. When private development took a huge hit following the 2008 financial crisis, he made a decisive choice to get trained in fiber optic installation. Everything from computer networks to security systems are created using fiber optic cables. Since he’s such a proficient electrician, I turn to him for help around my house quite a bit. When I wanted to install ductless mini splits throughout my house recently, I assumed I would need an HVAC team to do it. I bought some of the equipment without further research because it advertised how anyone could install one without professional help. What they don’t tell you is that the ductless mini split air conditioners need to be hardwired to your home’s electrical network. If you can’t safely work on an electrical box or add dedicated circuit breakers for the ACs, you need help from an electrician like my dad. Thankfully, he was happy to help me get all of the mini splits hooked up and safely installed.