My experience has been commercial.
'Value Engineering' ( cutting corners ) is the boss's favorite gambit -- particularly in a 'Hard Bid' contract.
But even we followed the Code -- mostly.
The craziest stuff always shows up from two sources: retired EE's who know everything -- and handymen/ homeowners who are taking a stab at after flipping a couple of pages at the Big Box.
They move from the books for sale over to the electrical isle and choke on the prices. Now comes value-engineering. Should it be #10,#12,#14,16# or #18? The answer is obvious: the Big Box wouldn't sell #18 in the same section if it wasn't as acceptable as #16. Further, the insulation is the same plastic. In fact, this stuff looks like the lamp wire! We're good to go! Big time cost savings!
Those phone quotes -- I'm beating them by a country mile!
Now, let me see...
I only need to cross 30 feet, some electrical tape to hold it in place ought to do it!
I don't even need wire nuts! I'll use the ones that came with the fixture. ( China ) If I get in a pinch, I'll just twist'em and tape'em.
Why would anyone pay more?
