It’s easy to update the look of a room by changing a ceiling light fixture. It’s not hard to do if you’re replacing a light with a new one of similar size and weight. That’s what we’ll explain how to do here.

If you’re going from a simple dome light to a big, elaborate chandelier, you’ll probably have to add a support bracket to the ceiling, and maybe cut a bigger hole, and that turns into a job for a licensed electrician.

In Oregon, a permit is required to install new electrical lines, and a licensed electrician must do the work. Homeowners are allowed to do their own electrical repairs and projects, of course, but handyman services cannot. In general, big electrical jobs in Oregon should be done by a licensed electrician who has completed an apprenticeship program and passed various training programs and tests that are required by the state.

If you’ve never tried a do-it-yourself lighting project, the thought of working around electricity and wires can be daunting.

But if you follow our safety recommendations, and the manufacturer’s instructions on your new light fixture, plus read up online and in home repair books, you probably won’t have a shocking experience.

Time: About 1-2 hours

Difficulty: Intermediate. Like many things, this project is easier and faster if you have a friend to help.

Cost: Your new light fixture, and minimal expense, assuming you already have most of the supplies below.

Supplies:

Wooden or fiberglass stepladder (Don’t use a metal ladder — it conducts electricity!)

Safety goggles ($5)

Screwdriver

Pliers to twist wires together, or use your fingers

Voltage tester ($15)

Crescent wrench ($15)

Wire stripper ($8)

Wire nuts ($8 for multi-pack)

Step 1: Shut off electricity and then take down the old light fixture.

Before you do anything, turn off the power to the light fixture at your electrical panel/circuit breaker. Turning the wall light switch to “off” is not enough. Stand on a wooden or fiberglass (not metal) stepladder, remove the light fixture cover and light bulbs, and unscrew the existing fixture from the ceiling. Slowly pull it away from the ceiling junction box to expose the wires.

Step 2: Detach wires from the old light fixture.

Twist off the wire nuts (plastic caps) that are holding the old fixture’s spliced wires together, and disconnect the fixture’s wires from the wires coming from the ceiling junction box. If you have a helper, hand the old light fixture to him or her so you don’t fall off your ladder. Important: Use a voltage tester to make sure the power is off. Follow your voltage meter’s instructions, and test to confirm that the black (hot) wire and green (ground) wire have no AC voltage on them.

Step 3: Connect white, black and green wires.

With a wire stripper tool, strip an inch of plastic insulation off the white (neutral), black (hot) and green (ground) wires of the new fixture to expose the copper wire. You’re ready to connect the new fixture’s wires to the ceiling wires. Twist the copper strands of the black wire of the new fixture to the ceiling’s black wires with your fingers or pliers in a clockwise direction, and put a wire nut on the end, twisting it in the same direction until it’s tight. Twist and then cap the white (neutral) wires together the same way. Look for a ground (green) wire from the fixture, and attach it to the junction box ground wire with a wire nut. If you have a ground wire on the junction box, attach it to the lug nut or screw on the box.

Step 4: Attach the new light fixture to the ceiling.

Follow your new light fixture’s instructions to attach it to the junction box. Screw in the appropriate wattage lightbulbs. Now you may turn the power back on to see if your new light fixture works. If it doesn’t, try another lightbulb. If it’s still not working, try not to swear, and “check the wiring to make sure the connections are securely fastened and that the wires are connected black to black, white to white and ground to ground. If you see a problem with the wiring, turn the power off at the circuit breaker again before attempting to fix it. If that doesn’t do the trick, it may be the new fixture is faulty and needs to be exchanged,” according to the book, “Be Thrifty — How to Live Better with Less,” edited by Pia Catton and Califa Suntree (Workman Publishing)

Bend licensed electrician Sean Mesarich (Mesarich Electric, 541-771-0038, www.bendoregonelectric.com) told us he thinks the trickiest part of installing a new light fixture is knowing what fixture goes with what ceiling junction box. “If you have a box rated for 15 pounds, and put in a chandelier that’s 35 pounds, it can pull right through the sheetrock,” he said. Mesarich also told us that older homes might have electrical concerns. “I find some homes are wired incorrectly, and I have to tell the homeowner it’s not wired to code, and needs an upgrade. In some older homes, the insulation on the wires may have burned off, and you can’t see if they’re white or black. If you find that in your home, I suggest you call a licensed electrician, “ Mesarich said.

If you decide that this DIY project is too complicated, Mesarich said he’s changed out ceiling lights for as low as $75, while some jobs took half a day in order to correct wiring problems, and the bill was $300, so that gives you a ballpark idea of what it would cost to call in a pro.

— Reporter: ahighberger@mac.com.

Editor’s note: Check back every other week for do-it-yourself projects.