I am wiring a small store front with about 15 cans. I installed them and left the whips hanging at the j box in the dropped ceiling and got my rough so the contractor could close up the ceiling. Job got signed off and today I drive over and see the new lights I installed were working so I go inside and open the ceiling tile to find a new j box made up. The contractor did the connections and turned them on.
How would you guys handle this?
I would very politly flip out if i had pulled the permit or already delt with inspection.What about the final?If you have a good relationship with the inspector he may not look at it very closely so you had better.Anything not up to code would be fixed at the contractors expence including my inspection and any lip or dirty look would result in an instant rat out.I probably wouldn't involve the customer other than inform them that the bill will read completed by others and he would be initaling it to that effect.If the place burns down it's on you so CYA.Regardless i would still pick it apart simply because i like to sleep at night.
cheers
I agree, I want to rip the guy apart. I was thinking of calling the inspector to see what he thinks I should do and to get the guy in hot water. If the place burns down tonight I will be in hot water and he would not care so why not do the same right.
It's only 1 junction box and I can easily cut it off and do it over and will do that but what else has this guy done on a job to someone. I am working for the property owner and will discuss this in the AM with him. I don't want the job stopped because of this but don't want him to think it's OK at the same time. I guess the line has been drawn in the sand and I am going over it.
[This message has been edited by Joey D (edited 03-03-2006).]
The only thing i would watch for is pi$$ing off the owner/manager from a future job prospect point of view.He must already know it's wrong so i would see if he directed the contractor to compete the job.It is possible the contractor is a NO HEAD and was trying to help seeing how it was just one box.I would look at the mentality of both parties before getting the inspector involved.I hate to cause problems for anyones livelihood but i wont burn for them either.Be smooth and polite to both but stand your ground on the issue and make it clear no one does work in your name or there will be serious consequences.If i was the manager and that was happening i would want to know about it.In my area both the owner/manager and contractor would get reamed by the inspector for this.
My dad used to always say you don't have to be nice just polite.
good luck
[This message has been edited by frank (edited 03-03-2006).]
Just one more reason why I sometimes want to grab the nearest nail gun and fill the typical gc's with nails. They all know better than that. But will pretend ignorance of wrongdoing. Worse part is the fact that he is the same guy who hired your company, so if you jump him too hard or too much, forget the next job, cause he will go to someone else. Catch 22.
How was the work?
It certainly didn't take as long to look at it as it would to do it.
You never know, the guy who did it might have been an electrician you want to hire.
You did get paid the same didn't you?
Joey,
I'm a little confused. You roughed in the cans, got the inspection, and left. What happened next? You came back and the work was completed! Were you contracted just for the rough-in or the whole job? What were you paid for?
If my name was on the permit I'd be pretty, um, angry.
Let us know what happened (including your conversation with the GC!).
I am going over now to see what the owner says. I work for the owner not the GC.
My main concern is what if I left something undun somewhere where it's not clear to anyone but me and this guy connected it up and the store burnt down.
I did nothing wrong but would be footing the bill for this or at least 40 grand in a lawyers hands to prove I didn't.
I will post up the outcome.
I too would be angry. I have had similar things happen during a theater install, once had a know-it-all who powered up and unfinished projection console and fried the lamp power supply. One $3,000 power supply and a repair bill from me for $900 and he got booted from the jobsite.
Nothing worse that someone who's "just trying to help" mucking about in your work.
I would also be worried about what else that person's "helped out" with.
In CT, like in MA (and everywhere else, I'm sure) it is illegal to do electrical work unless you are a licensed electrician. In CT we have a Department of Consumer Protection to watch over this. I would either write a letter to the DCP to explain/complain what happened, naming names, dates, places etc. or I would have a heart-to-heart with the GC, explaining the facts of life about responsibilities and legalities, or both (depending on his response). You gotta cover your butt, but, fisticuffs or shouting matches never solve anything in a civilized society. The letter to the DCP dated prior to any disaster would give the courts a reason to assign blame away from you.
Payback is a female dog. In my younger days, there was a GC who insisted on turning the lights on every morning, by energizing every CB in the panel. The lights were controlled solely by the CBs. We warned him to stop, as not all branch circuits were completed. He only laughed. One fine morning he was startled by a loud explosion when he energized the branch circuits, and we promised to backcharge him for all the damage. He was very pale.
What we did was to insert #12 solids until they barely touched in a "cherry bomb" fire cracker laying in the bottom part of the panel cabinet and connect the other ends to a CB and the neutral. Loud noise and smoke, but no real damage.
The same guy was later fired for having a laborer jack hammer through red concrete, and the 4800 volt service feeder. No one was hurt, but the job was delayed for a week.
Ryan - this was the South Jordan HS, not too far from Draper.
I had something like that happen, only it was between a good friend of mine and an "electrician" he knew... Friend had this guy do some work because he thought I was too busy and all, this "electrician" completely chewed up a reversing motor starter I put together, as well as mucking with some other wiring, screwing up phase rotation in the shop and causing nothing but problems.......
I had a good chat with my friend and told him my thoughts on the situation. Told him flat out I was livid, and if he wants "hack N slash" to keep doing work, thats fine, he wont be seeing me around there any more... OR I come in, fix the screw ups, and not allow "hack n slash" touch a thing in there ever again..
Fortunatly, the correct choice was made.
A.D
Joey D ---
I guess you have drilled holes in joists and studs before without asking permission.
Around my job sites in any building that requires engineering you get charged for the cost of engineering your holes and repairing them as necessary.
Don't get hung up on the fact that you have a permit and someone else did some work.
[quote}Joey D ---
I guess you have drilled holes in joists and studs before without asking permission.
Around my job sites in any building that requires engineering you get charged for the cost of engineering your holes and repairing them as necessary.
Don't get hung up on the fact that you have a permit and someone else did some work.[/quote]
Since when did it require engineering to drill holes thru studs and floor joist?. ( Exception- engineered lumber floor joists aside.). I never had to have anyone repair a single hole I ever drilled in a stud or a joist before, have you? I would get real hung up on somebody messing with my installed work. Specially carpenters. Don't care how often they have watched hgtv, they still don't know what the hell they are doing since the tv guy's dont either where wiring is concerned.
It's illegal in some places to have anyone but an electrician do electrial work and both the owner and contractor would get fined.Inspection could even demand a licensed electrician inspect the building within 15 days or they can shut your down.
[This message has been edited by frank (edited 03-05-2006).]
Hey Joey,
I had a owner do wiring on a Sun in a new 6000sq ft resi. he decided he would make some changes and didn t want to pay for them. He was cheap. He was also an EE. Had a doctoriate. Anyway, I refused to work untill he talked to general and genreal said o well. Had my attorny write up a paper that said if they didn't take responsiblityby date x they would be responcable for the entire electrical project. They never signed and I finished with no worries. If it burned it was there fault, whether it was or not. O by the way he was adding recpts and lights with no knowledge of the loads i intended and the drywall was hung. He busted holes and shoved 12-2 up the walls. He told me it took him all day.LOL
Phil
My advice....don't listen to George.