ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion Canadian Electrical Code Topics Home Owners

Luckily this is a brand new standard and I dont think it has been adopted yet, so no need to rush out to buy a copy, though I see enough reno work to get one for myself.

But I agree, where CSA comes up with the pricing is anyones guess. I do quite a bit of fire alarm work, and had to get ULC S524,536 and 537 all at about 145.00 each, and they are only about 50-70 pages each!

They cost so much because CSA is not Funded to give them away. NFPA Standards are much cheaper.

I have read this standard and if home inspectors were actually competent to do what is required in the standard then a homeowner might actually get a valuable and reliable assessment of their electrical systems.

It is one of the few standards written for an electrical contractor to use.

That standard may be a good thing for these 'Licensed (NJ) Home Inspectors' to use as a required guideline.

From reading this threa, it sounds like you have some of the same issues with Home Inspectors as we do down here!

mikesh: Help me out, please. I'm wondering if this is a worthwhile standard for me. I don't do many home inspections and I'm a very poor inspector, so I could dearly use a guide. My concern is that I don't need a book of old code rules and obvious suggestions. What do you think?

I would have thought that an inspection pertaining to a permit for electrical work, would have to be done by an electrical inspector or am I wrong?

Trumpy, that is correct that permit inspections are done by electrical inspectors.

In Canada home buyers can make an offer subject to a home inspection. Sometimes they hire a "Home Inspector", or they might hire tradesmen if they suspect problems and want a quoted price for repairs.

For a permitted inspection, in my province, the inspectors are employed by the power company which provides training. Then, they can inspect to the standard to which they are trained.

For a home inspection, if a home inspector finds any electrical problems, he is really doing more than we would expect of an untrained person. However, if an electrician misses any problems, he is doing less than might be expected and could end up paying for repairs.

If I have a national standard that doesn't say that I should open every plug box and look for ground tied to neutral, then I can skip that and say that I inspected to the "standard". Then, if the buyer finds a problem, I have a defense to a potential law suit.

For a person that does this a lot it is a practical application so I think this is a good standard for an electrical contractor. It is written so that it could be used with or as a checklist. Obviously a well developed checklist based on the standard would do. One thing I notice with the development of Standards.
They start out as voluntary, The customers for this survey are likely Insurance companies and realtors (customers of realtors). After a few years the standard becomes the defacto evaluation document. Since it caries a regulatory weight it will become compulsory after a few years if the industry takes notice and places faith in the document.
Probably the first edition will get some substantial rework in the first years following adoption as additional input and work is done under the standard.

Yes Work under permit is done by an Electrical Inspector.
This survey is not that work. I as a municipal employee would not go to a house and do this kind of an inspection as it could attach liability to the city.
These inspections are done by contractors and in my mind I'd never do one for fear of liability. They are intended to be a complete and detailed evaluation of the entire electrical system. Anyone doing this is always in danger that any shortcut they took could result in liabilities especially if they are in any way naive or trusting short cutting employees.
I don't see permits involved unless the contractor also fixes what they find. The challenge is to keep this work to qualified persons. I have read enough general home inspection reports to know the variability in their competencies. Major faults being missed and petty things over emphasized. An electrical contractor is the right person for electrical surveys.

Anybody want to guess how many hours would be involved in doing an inspection according to this standard . lets say a 3 bedroom house built in the 70;s 2 story 3 bedroom with ceiling fans in bedrooms, and maybe a couple other locations that were diy installed, light fixtures rated for 90c cable only basement finished on weekends with handy andy doing the electrical. decora on aluminum conductors . opening up each opening looking for damaged wiring .
Thanks

Mikesh:

"The challenge is to keep this work to qualified persons. I have read enough general home inspection reports to know the variability in their competencies. Major faults being missed and petty things over emphasized. An electrical contractor is the right person for electrical surveys."

I agree with you 100%!! Over here (NJ) the 'Home Inspectors' are licensed by the State, and I have no idea what the qualifications are, other than working with an already Lic. Home Inspector.

Reading some of the reports, brings laughter to me, and my office! Four typed sentences for a broken bulb in a keyless lampholder? Ya gotta laugh!

BTW, I thought we (NJ) had the market cornered.