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I think it all gets back to money. Contractors hire the cheapest labor they can get away with and inspectors carry too much workload to look at everything. We are a cost conscious society and we will sacrifice some quality for a cheaper price.
When I was inspecting I got a little push back about the time I spent on the jobs but travel time was still much higher than actua inspection time most of the time. I just told them they paid for 2+ hours of travel, don't they want more than a 2 minute peek at the job?
At the time municipal inspectors were leaving the shop with 30 or 40 inspection cards every day. How much could they be looking at?
I worked for the state with a much smaller workload but it spanned 6 counties.

Look at the bright side: At least they didn't the GEC (ground the service) to the plastic pipe!
Now, just to play devils' advocate:
I see concrete walls, suggesting this toilet in the basement. Many older homes have a simple toilet and sink placed openly in the basement - without any privacy walls whatever. These toilets are a carryover from the times where guys would return home from horribly dirty work and change out of their work clothes before ever entering the house.
Without defining walls, can you fairly claim the entire basement is a "bathroom?" That seems absurd.

Cute . Poking fun at an HI is no challenge at all. Sort of like laughing when a fish tries to ride a bicycle.
Yet the point remains: We've all seen horrible work routinely performed on even the most expensive new homes. We've been on sites where it's clear many of the workers have never seen a hammer before.
Old timers here will remember the days when I posted quite a few photos of shoddy work. What I never mentioned back then were the times when my taking pictures led to the immediate and complete evacuation of the site by ALL workers, who feared I was "La Migra." (Does ICE wear tool belts and arrive in a contractor truck?)
Searching the classifieds, it's no challenge finding job postings that read something like: "Contractor looking for licensed guy to put his name on the paperwork ONLY. Contractor will hire and run the job. License holder not welcome on site nor is his input wanted." These ads suggest that either there are sham contractors, or that bored bureaucrats are running entrapment operations. Twice in my career I have witnessed legitimate, established contractors suddenly have to replace their "qualifying employee."

I suspect AI is going to be big in the electrical plan drawing business.

You lost me at "Home Inspector".

Most only had a faint familiarity with code compliance when I saw them.

I've seen some internet content posted by home inspectors that has been quite critical of the electrical work performed in new homes. Then, today, I see a News Nation report that Texas builders warn that the current immigration enforcement activities are having a bad effect on building.
Are the builders openly admitting to using unqualified help?
If so . . . I wonder if the shoddy electrical work is being performed by unqualified people working for unlicensed contractors. If so, I have to ask: Where's the AHJ?
I mean, why should I bother keeping current with code when I'm only going to be pushed aside by phantoms - and the AHJ won't get any closer to the job than the local donut shop?

Hi everyone,

I’m an electrical engineer from Italy, and I’m currently trying to better understand how AI is developing specifically in the electrical engineering sector around the world.

In Italy I’ve already run some tests and experiments, but I’ve come to an honest conclusion:
either the tools are not ready yet… or I still haven’t fully understood how AI can truly help electrical engineers in their daily work.

Before building anything further, I want to listen.

I’ve prepared a very short form (5 minutes max) to collect real opinions from professionals:
Form From italy
Your input would help me refine my research and it would also support my participation in the upcoming IEC Assembly, where I’d love to bring real insights from engineers worldwide.

If you have a few minutes, I would truly appreciate your contribution.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to share their thoughts.
It really means a lot.

Gabriele

FPL will give me hourly usage and that is probably more accurate than any load calc.

It may be getting better here but 40 years ago what you describe was the norm. The other problem was a guy would show up, talk a good game, quote me a price and tell me how bad he wanted the work. Then he got in his truck and drove away, never to be seen again.
I decided it was easier to just do it myself.
Things were better when my wife was building houses and had dependable trades but I really just used her mason/concrete people.
I have trust issues with the electricians who you get. I also use better materials than the stuff I see installed.

Just to remind us that there's more to life than the NEC:
An Arizona home inspector has discovered there are local codes relating to the placement of light switches. I'm not going to open THAT debate here, but it is a reminder that you need to know more than just the NEC.
I'd say, at a minimum, your personal library should contain:
-- The NEC
-- Your power company standards (look to their web site)
-- "CodeCheck" from Tauton Press
-- The CFR section containing the ADA.
-- Any LOCAL codes.

Is it that time already?
Well, I'm glad for the change. I was just beginning to wonder if I needed a service change

Time for a rude awakening . . .
Short version: You're screwed. While a lawyer might be able to come up with some clever arguments, pursuing the matter in court will cost you far more than just doing things over -- and you're unlikely to collect anyway. Hard reality, but there it is.
Let this be a warning: Ultimately, YOU are responsible. You decide who to hire and for what work. Folks move to the countryside and embrace the lack of "big government" until something goes wrong.
I feel your pain. I live in an area of little or no code enforcement and virtually no trade regulation. Finding a hack contractor is hard, and finding a "proper" one is nearly impossible. To add to my woes, there is a local pride in ignorance, a contempt for learning, and way too much hubris behind statements like "figure it out" and "it works, doesn't it?"

I can't help you "yesterday," but I can help you "tomorrow."
You need to KNOW what you want, and make those details clear to anyone you hire. Get it in writing. Likewise, get a DETAILED quote from them of what they will do - along with contact and licensing information from them. If they hesitate, avoid them.
Be realistic. A few years ago I did a service change (with a satellite panel) and my materials cost be $2000. There were some additional tooling expenses (an investment / capital expense for me). For an ordinary customer, this job would have cost an additional $1000-$1500 in labor. Frankly, your job probably should have involved similar costs. Or, did you just give Bubba $500 and call it good? Things cost what they cost, so don't be fooled into believing there's a short-cut out there.
One warning sign: They call a service change a "panel swap."
Warning sign #2: They tell you no permit is needed.
Warning sign #3: What they describe is different from what you describe.

My house was built when Eisenhower was president. I live an hour's drive from any real shopping. Believe me, I went through years of frustration before I was able to find contractors to replace my HVAC replace my fence, or instal custom doors -- and even then, I had to do much of the work myself.
Welcome to the country life!

230 V 3-phase used to be fairly common across the continent, although usually in a TN-S or TT configuration rather than the Norwegian IT. The 127 V were essentially a by-product and - at least post-WWII - not used for anything that I know of. They're related to the 220 V by the factor of sqrt(3) that exists in all 3-phase systems. I believe the Soviet Union or possibly even pre-revolution Russia also began electrification using IT supplies like Norway did, assuming that they were safer than TN or TT supplies in mainly timber houses (I only have one questionable source for that though).

My point still stands though. Each and every single voltage I've come across in the world is a multiple of either 50, 55 or 60 V or related to one of them by sqrt(3). I find it hard to believe that this is purely coincidence.

Thanks for the pictures as well. You made my day.

Stay Safe out there during this Winter Storm!