I am in the early stages of a 'rush' job. I expect this job to drag on and on .... let me explain why. I'm sure the more experienced contractors will recal similar struggles.

The story began about a month ago, when I got a panicked call from the maintenance guy of a property management firm. It seems a double-wide trailer had magically appeared in an RV space, and the installer was having trouble getting 240v out of what proved to be a 120v service.

Indeed, the space itself proved to be illegal .... "Space 55" in a park that the city had limited to 52 spaces. Only because the park was 'tenant metered' had the 'development' been able to progress this far!

Now the heat is on for me to provide power to this illegal (so far) mobile home. The job has been a real education.

The park owner has been telling different folks different things. He certainly tossed around the names of all the city folks who, he assured me, knew all about his operation. He just cannot grasp the idea that being forthcoming and honest is the way to get things done.

My permit application has run into a roadblock - necause the owner has yet to provide the city with plans and documentation for the new trailer spaces ... documentation he was told he needed to have last September!

How can this (presumably) savvy businessman ever imagine that he can cram several trailers into a trailer park, and not involve the city, the utility companies, and several contractors? The trailer itself represents a sizeable expense; would you buy a car witout having a place to park it?

The trailer-setting contractor has already been 'red tagged,' and has yet (a month later) to receive a permit to install the trailer. NO arrangements have been made to connect this trailer to the sewer or water systems.

OK, I've vented. It appears I'm going to have to leave the ditch I dug yesterday open for some time, as the paper churns.

John,
Just a small word of caution here.
I'd be very careful doing a job like this, especially considering that the city has not approved anything yet (and also may not be aware of what is actually going on, if the guy has spun them a line as well).

You really don't want to be tarred with the same brush as this clown, in the eyes of those at city hall.

Just be careful, that is all I can say.

I appreciate your concern. Let's just consider it one of life's "unsolved mysteries" how the city just happened on the scene as the trailer was being set in place, and red-tagged the effort.

When I got the order to 'get moving on this,' my first question was "who's doing the dewer? We ought to do our digging together." I was told plainly that I was just the electrician, and not to worry sbout that 'other stuff.' "Just do the electrical."

Naturally, when I went into city hall, their first question was "where's the site layout, the sewer, etc?" I relayed the customers' instructiobs ... so now my permit application sits in limbo, waiting for the customer to provide the materials he was asked for NINE months ago. Yet, he's in a rush now

I will assemble my expenses to this point, and bill for the work done so far. I've got maybe $500 in this job so far - and that's being kind, as I've had to spend a lot of time in planning this job.

"Customer" is a tough concept in this instance. My "customer" is a very together property management firm ..... it is their customer that actually owns the park. I have a long and cordial relationship with MY customer. I've just had to set things up so that it is clear that the problem is with the actual owner. This owner isn't the first slumlord that the property manager has had to 'manage.'

My asking for a permit has served to focus the City's attention on the property, and thus will prevent the owner from, perhaps, trying to sneak in some hack from out-of-state.

I had thoughts to put this thread in the 'business' section. This story is certainly about the "business" side of the job - and really shows that running a business is a trade all its' own!

John:
FWIW, you not doing anything further until you have the electrical permit 'in-your-hand' would be my first advice. You've been around here long enough to know the pitfalls of getting 'caught'.

Regarding the situation with 'your' customer; I had a similar disaster once. Long standing relationship with prop owner and mgt co of a lot of nice props. Had a 'triple net' bldg that the prop rep neglected to 'check-in on for over 18 months. An issue with HVAC arose, and I sent one of my men to check the power end. Turns out that the 3 phase power source was from a 1 phase panel. Idiot used the Neutral bar for 'c' phase, so....hot always, and no OCP except the feeder main.

Went to correct the mess; permit in hand the next day. Got a $$$$$ fine from the local bldg dept for 'previous unpermitted/uninspected work! The city had no clue who did what, so the guy doing it the right way gets a blast btwn the eyes. All turned out well after finding the right person to talk with. The 'tenant' fessed up and I had a man to man with the hack afterwards. 'My customer' wound up booting out the tenant for a lot of serious issues, and the prop rep went to the unemployement line.

Stay safe

Thank you for your concerns.

Perhaps I have been understating things .... trust me when I say that the city and PoCo have been intimately involved from the first day I was called in.

Just today I had a chat with the (absentee) owner, explaining the state of affairs. In some ways, it has become a game of "hot potato," with my using the city bounce the pressure right back to the owner. I would have more sympathy for the owner, if I did not have in my posession copies of the correspondence he had with the city none months ago.

Here's the short version: I believe I know what he will need, as a minimum, to achieve his true goals. By co-ordinating with everyone, he will have a safe, adequate installation - despite his various 'brilliant ideas' to cobble together something else. With the authorities hovering at my shoulder, he can't even suggest I do something improper.

The final "check" on this will be the PoCo. They're not about to supply power until after the permit is signed off - and the city's not about to issue the C of O without the plumbing being taken care of. In the meantime, I'm happily sinking my posts and building my part of the job.

Thanks for update with more infomation what is going on John and please do keep us posted with the progress.

Merci,Marc

Where is this park exactly again?


What are you doing digging? If you do it its a matter of time before they expect me to as well!!!

"Trenching by others..."

Chico, I'll be happy to write the address on the back of the shovel ... you can find it by picking it up!

I find it funny that it becomes OUR problem when the property management and tenants have disagreements!

Hey John
what became of this ??

The job has been completed - twice. My original feed was too small, so I got to do it over That's the very first time my conservative approach has not been conservative enough!

I managed to get introduced to another, entirely new (to me) governemnt bureaucracy. Would you believe that a licensed electrical contractor is not considered qualified to so much as change a light bulb in a trailer?

As far as I know, all inspections have been completed. Monday I get to chat with someone at the PoCo, who apparrently came late to this party, and doesn't understand some of the things being done.

This PoCo guy wants me to "secure the service feed at the disconnect end." I'm not quite sure what he means; I'll call him Monday.

The park owner is continuing to "be clever," and the entire city bureaucracy is lined up to stop him. We (meaning I) jumped through all manner of hoops to get hime ONE mobile home placed; that park of his needs LOTS of things done before any more work can be done. The last word I have from the owner is that "the City is sticking its' nose where it doesn't belong." Thankfully, I will be far away when this pissing contest goes into overtime!

For some reason park owners think they are immune form codes and laws.
When my kids wanted to set their mobile I went ahead and got an EC my wife knows to pull the permit and I collected the parts. The park owner was livid. He said he didn't want any inspectors in there. When I got a good look I saw why. They had to rebuild the whole service board the drop fed (4 services when we added ours) because the plywood everything was screwed to was rotted out. The meter bases were really just hanging on the pipe.
We managed to sneak in another piece of wood (that I painted well before putting in) without really breaking anything but the PoCo had to reseal all the meter bases. I ended up eating that bill from the EC but I did a lot of the grunt work myself.
The park owner was still mad at us.
It was good for him that the inspector walked through there with blinders on and didn't look around. The place was a disaster.

Funny you should mention the meter board ....

I suppose, once I get settled, that I ought to dedicate a thread just on the topic of trailer park feeds. One of the things I have never liked about meter boards is the way the plywood always delaminates. While it is surprising just how sound old plywood can be, it sure looks like hell.

For this job, that is the reason I made the meter board out of solid lumber. 2x6 tongue & groove to be exact, well sealed with spar varnish. The lumber gives the lag bolts something to bite into, and the T&G construction will ensure that the entire panel warps as one piece.

Later on, the PoCo linesman was a bit too forthcoming to the park maintenance guy .... next thing I knew, I was being quizzed as to why I had done some things that were not required by code. Well, my goodnesss, I got caught exceeding the barest of minimums! He may fret over a few hundred $$$$ extra he spent, but I can sleep better at night. For example, the lumber I used cost about double what the cost of plywood would have been, and there's no code requiring the board to be painted.

I can also see another business thread coming from this; My job = My rules .... and 'flat rate' means you don't get to question my design.