I feel your pain.
Many legitimate businesses like mine, also utilize Craigslist as another advertising medium.
The home or building owner that uses those lowbrow operators you speak of do so because they can, and are only taking one thing into account, “how much is this going to cost me”. Unfortunately, the real answer to that question sometimes comes much later on as a visit from the local fire department and their insurance adjuster.
Many homeowners in my state also don’t realize that if they hire a so called “contractor” without verifying that he has the proper liability insurance for the types of work he is performing and that person gets injured while working on their property, they are the ones who’s are liable for his injuries and any damages.
In addition, no insurance company I know of will issue commercial liability insurance for any type of electrical work without that person being duly licensed by the state.
That includes the Class-D, low-voltage installers license, in MA, which is not adequate for anything but fire and burglar alarm wiring.
I mention this because some handymen are presenting the Class-D as credentials that they are a licensed electrician in their Craigslist ads and on their websites.
I my opinion, and from my personal experience, the real problems in the electrical industry starts at the state and local government levels with the lack of uniform regulation, licensing and enforcement, and ends at the manufactures and supplier level.
I can’t say that I blame them, but manufacturers and suppliers are and have been very happy and willing to cash in on the huge DIY market and hence have flooded the field with cheap readily available electrical supplies for one and all. This easy access makes it almost impossible for an honest contractor to research suitability, spec, price, purchase, supply and install materials at anything above cost. At least in the residential and light commercial markets.
That leaves the labor rate as the only variable. Since overhead determines your labor rate, you can only work for so little before you are working for nothing.
This is where the fleabags flourish because no schooling, experience, licenses, proper insurances, inventory, ethics, etc, makes for some awesomely low overhead.
The problem of dangerous DIY’ers, handyhacks and unlicensed, uninsured, no-permit, slip-shod fly-by nighters exist in every trade. If they are unable to get materials, they are out of business. Even licensed lowball, cut throat bidders and high priced gougers would put themselves out of business because there would be no room for them with every one else competing and operating within an average median priced playing field.
I detest government regulation and wish we could all just rely on our own honesty and integrity, but you as you can see, you can’t do it alone. You need the uniform backing of state and local government, manufactures and suppliers.
JMHO
