So I need to take the plate off and pull it out to see how many wires I have back there?

Translation:

Look at the back of the existing switch.

If there two black wires and two white wires.
Replace it with the new switch and wire it exactly the same as the old switch.

If there are only two black wires, it probably won't work.

This green color was here in the main area but we painted a bathroom and 2 bedrooms before we moved into this house.

Painting I can do!

You can, but I doubt that there's a common wire lurking back there.

Huh. And if I don't have that I can't do this?

My neighbor says he has his garage lights outside on a timer switch....We have the almost exact same house too.

Yeah but that's only if you grab two legs at the same time ,I'm not stepud.

If it's not there you'd have to run one from the electrical panel to it, so you can, but it won't be simple. Is your neighbor is using the same switch in the same location?

I think so. Think it's exact same switch but his house came with it installed.

House is built in 2003 if that matters here. I took face plate off and there's definitely more than 2 wires going to each switch. I can see white and black wires. Tons of wires back there from what I can see without taking the switch out.

You need a common(white) wire to make the switch work.
To power the electronics of the switch itself.

You should be fine then.

Make sure you flip the breaker to this circuit before putting screwdriver to terminal.
Test with a meter. When in doubt kill the main to the whole house and make your wife hold a flashlight for you.

Yea, I might work on this some other day. I got a far as taking the plate off to look but it's night here and I don't want to go any farther.

I think I'll order the switch. Pretty sure it will work without taking the whole thing out right now.

Don't flip the breaker. Have the wife use the screwdriver on the wires. Take a shot and hold the flashlight.

That's mean!


Switch ordered. Should arrive Wednesday. Thanks. This could be life changing.

FYI... Injury from shock often comes from the reaction, not the actual shock.

When you elbow your flashlight holder in the face because you poked the wrong wire. Expect to get hit with that flashlight. It won't hurt bad enough to make you forget about being shocked, but it damn sure won't feel good.