growler,
I would have to disagree with you, at least in my neck of the woods. The majority of poor quality and code violation work I come across was performed by outfits carrying a license. Here are some recent examples and I'll let you decide if they are poor quality/code violations.
#1)Stone parking lot with 30' pole lights newly installed by a licensed "master electrician". Poles fed with #2 AL URD burried less than 12" below stone. #2 AL URD spliced inside hand hole to #10 THHN using big blue wirenuts. No EGC anywhere.
#2)8' HO fluorescent shop lights installed in a light manufacturing facility suspended from the bar joists with nylon tie straps and fed with orange 16ga extension cord daisy chained from a j-box. Both of these jobs were done by 2 different "licensed master electricians" and inspected by an inspector who doesn't know what he's doing and trusts the "master electrician" does. Both of these jobs cost top dollar(more than I would have charged). Most homeowners and business owners in my area have been scared out of using unlicensed handymen by their insurance carriers. Sadly, around here, a license gets you automatic approval on jobs without an informed inspection.
