Greg:
The assembly line type work as about the same up here, one lead guy who does a ‘mark out’. Box guys, hole drillers, nm pullers and strip/splice guy(s). THere is another crew that does the trim out finish. That is the way the McMansions are roughed, and the EC does a walk thru check before inspection. All the decent guys work like this.
Yes, an EC with the license & business permit with his employees; the resi guys don’t really care about a ‘title’; call them what you want. The skill levels, and workmanship for the most part are quality.
Yes, in some cases it is a shame that a guy with ‘job skills’ can’t pass the tests to get a Lic. & BP. It’s been a long time since I took the EC tests and honestly, I have no clue of the depth of the tests here now. NJ does have a ‘journeyman’ card available from the State, but I don’t know the qualifications required, or if it’s a ‘test’ or based on time in the trade.
The issue with what is laid it in the EC&M article in the opinions expressed by myself and sparky reflect how we feel about handing out licenses without any qualifications.
Another issue, and maybe another thread, is how about the guys with the required Licence and BP signing for jobs that they don’t have a clue about. I call them ‘paperhangers’ if you get what I mean. We are chasing a few of them as I speak.
A licence and BP (required here) are something that is earned, and should be respected and not abused.
