A hallway light switch looks like a small job, and that is why it often gets done wrong. Dad wants the light where his nighttime route runs, and you want it there too. The decision is whether the work is a homeowner task or a licensed electrician task. The answer depends on what is inside the wall, not on how handy you are.
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Signs the job belongs to an electrician
Stop and hire out if you see any of these: cloth-covered wire, aluminum wire, scorch marks or browning at the box, a switch that feels warm, a box with no visible ground wire, a breaker that trips when the light comes on, or a switch that seems to control an outlet you cannot identify. Any of these means the wiring needs a qualified person to look at it before anyone changes the switch.
What the do-it-yourself version actually requires
A homeowner swap is reasonable only if you can shut off the correct breaker, confirm the circuit is dead with a non-contact tester, identify each wire, and match the new switch to the wire count. You also need to know whether the box is deep enough and whether the new switch needs a neutral wire that the old box may not have. If any of those steps is a guess, stop and call someone.
Permit and insurance questions
Ask the city or county permit office whether a switch change, or a new switch location, needs a permit at this address. Rules differ by jurisdiction, so get the answer from the office that covers the house. Then ask Dad's home insurer whether unpermitted electrical work could affect a claim. That question is far easier to answer before a problem than after one.
What to compare in electrician quotes
Ask each electrician for a written scope that names the switch location, the wire work, whether the box is replaced, who pulls the permit, whether the old switch is removed and the wall patched, whether the circuit is tested afterward, and how long the work is warranted. Compare the scopes line by line, not the totals. A low total with no permit line usually means the permit is not included.
Your next move
This week, read the labels on the breaker panel door without removing the cover, so you know which breaker serves the hallway. Then call the permit office and ask whether a switch change needs a permit at this address. Request two written scopes using the list above. If you need help finding a licensed electrician in the area, start with the list on Local Help in St. Louis.