Seattleman--I know exactly how you feel, as I am in the same boat. I signed our book last fall and since then have only worked for 6 weeks, and that was out of town. I'm still looking for work out of town because it looks like it will turn up before work at home. It's hard, especially when the unemployment runs out, and I'm not sure how the situation is in your area, but I know it's tight all over.
A lot of guys I know do a lot of side work, paid under the table, often w/o a license, and w/o insurance. Also while they're collecting unemployment, so that's illegal as well. The union agreement states that you can't contract your own work, but basically the view is that nobody says anything as long as you're not taking work away from other union contractors. So most residential, small service changes, etc., are fair game.
I've done small jobs for friends before, usually for free or on a barter basis, like swapping favors. Here in PA, there is no state license requirement, and the permit requirements vary from township to township. I'm pretty much staying away from any side work in the city because I have a license in escrow and I don't want to lose it because of unpermitted, uninsured work that I may get caught doing. I don't want to get into conflicts with the unemployment department, the city, or some lawyer after a customer's house catches on fire and they say "well I DID have this guy doing work in my basement" even though it was his own faulty extension cord shorting out----the list goes on. Too much trouble for what it's worth.
Even though your electrical skills may be excellent, without the necessary insurance, license and business experience, you could get in over you head very quickly, as well as lose a friend in the process. Give this a lot of thought. Hope you catch a call soon, brother....
