One of the most common questions we get on estimates is: can you do the electrical while you're here? Usually the answer is: for small things, yes. For the things that matter most, no — and the distinction is worth understanding before you book.
Tennessee's contractor licensing law draws the line at work that requires a licensed trade: electrical, plumbing, HVAC, gas, and structural work all require their respective licensed contractors. The unlicensed handyman exception covers general repair and maintenance work under $25,000 in contract value that doesn't cross into those licensed trades.
What we can do
Replacing a light switch or outlet on an existing circuit, within the scope of the existing wiring and panel capacity — that is maintenance work within our scope. Installing a ceiling fan on an existing ceiling box, swapping a bathroom exhaust fan, replacing a light fixture: same. These are assembly-and-fastening tasks on an already-permitted, already-inspected electrical system.
What we will not do
Any work on the electrical panel — breaker replacement, sub-panel installation, new circuit runs from the panel — requires a licensed electrician, full stop. In Tennessee, the fine for unlicensed electrical work is real, and more importantly, unpermitted electrical work is the top cause of homeowner insurance claim denials after a fire.
Gas line work is the other absolute line: new runs, appliance connections, and anything involving shutoff valves at the gas supply. Gas is forgiving until it isn't. We have never done gas work and never will.
Structural work — removing or modifying load-bearing walls, modifying roof structure, adding structural openings — requires a structural engineer's sign-off in Tennessee and a licensed general contractor for the work itself.
Why we say no clearly rather than finding a workaround
We get asked occasionally to 'just do it quick.' We don't, for two reasons. First, the permit and inspection system exists because unpermitted work has a way of creating bigger problems than the one being solved — electrical especially. Second, if something fails and your homeowner's insurance investigates, an unlicensed repair is the clearest possible reason for a denial.
When we identify a licensed-trade item on your list, we say so in the estimate, mark it clearly, and can recommend licensed contractors we have worked alongside. The item gets flagged, not ignored.