whoa Mark...5? wow!
I happen to compete in permit-shmermitsville, so i can relate, i've lost bids to the carpenter's helper , who moonlights as an electrician....the state can fine, but rarely will, so it doesn't really pay to drop a dime on them.

The end justifies the means to many, as the stock market's down & real estate ( given the low %) is picking up, people wish to invest in it instead.

Unfortunatly, $$$ comes before electrical integrity, all the (king's horses?) dizzy hens in real estate , pesudo-home inspectors & home depot crash courses outwieght any authority or safety concerns.

Initself, the 'safety community' has shot itself in the foot entangled in it's own inconsistent beuracracy, scare tactics, and buisness dealing, not much help there.....more a 'wag-the-dog' scenario.

So being a good doobie becomes all the harder given the later ,little backup, or validation for good, bad or ugly..
(cue the theme from the same movie...)

[Linked Image from dvdreview.com]
I had to place a 100A service on an individuals barn monday, because the second floor to his house burnt off sunday.

He( the owner) freely admitted that his father had done the wiring years ago, what was left to view was of obvious (lower end)DYI'er caliber.
This was of no consequense to the fire chief, or the insurance man , no one there could have cared less....

As to the DYI'ers, they're here to stay,grin & bear it.

In fact,considering "what's wrong with this Q" how many here have participated in DYI'er forums and tried to field such Q's?

I find it interesting, but repetitive ( the white wire goes on the white screw..) having done so for a spell in effort to practice good communications with my customers.

If you consider that we need sell ourselves as a trade that does a safe installation this is necessary, i'm sure most posters here out in the trenches can relate......

[This message has been edited because i did'nt like my 4th grade english teacher002).]

[This message has been edited by sparky (edited 07-21-2002).]