Pretty good chance that my neck of the woods will soon be getting a permit-inspection process implemented.

The 2 counties where we do the most work are planning on this sometime in the next year or 2.

My question is,does this spell more work for legitimate EC's or will the hacks simply find other ways to undercut?

Another thing is, some of us have been asked for input by the County planning comission,as to what some of the regulations should be,as far as allowing homeowners to do their own wiring,who can pull permits etc. The State seems to allow local Govts a great deal of leeway in these matters.

We've worked in inspected areas before,but I don't have a clue as to what to tell them.

Suggestions anyone? Any input will be appreciated.


Russell

Russ,

Near me some towns have the requirement that an Electrical Permit can only be taken out by a Licensed EC or the owner of the property. If it's the owner, they must pass some type of a competancy exam.

Bill

Russell,
As you know I work just a little south of you in areas that all require permits. If you get your license, I think this should be very good for you. It will mean that any permitted job will have to have a licensed EC do the work with the only exception being a homeowner wiring their own job. The homeowner will need a permit and their work will get inspected also. Some areas require that the homeowner live in the house for a year after they do the work also.

You're always going to have "handy"men and painters/electricians, but if they don't have a license, they really are only competing for the really small jobs.

Good Luck.

[This message has been edited by Electric Eagle (edited 09-29-2004).]

56,
I am in GA too and here's my two cent's worth. Request them to have a sign off sheet for before the job starts and when it ends. This will protect you to some degree from unlicensed competition.

Have a clear understanding of what code they're going to inforce, will it be the NEC with the Georgia code adoptions, will they be pulling from the IBC, SBCCI, and Life Safety Code. In some places they pull a bit from several codes. It can get confusing.

Also request that they leave a detailed inspection sheet if they find anything they want changed. That way when the GC calls he can read it instead of going "the inspector turned you down, he said something about a receptacle and a breaker ain't right". This will make you life a lot easier.

I Hope that you get a good inspector that knows the code and doesn't make up a bunch a good ideas. We have three one hat inspectors in my county and one of them is full of good ideas. So naturally when he turns me down with one of his good ideas I require a code reference. And of course I have my book open first and come out on top.

In Oregon,permits are required for all new wiring.
We have minor label permits which are good for up to one new circuit up to 20 amps,or up to 30 amp for water heater or ac circuits. We buy them in blocks of 10.One out of ten is inspected."Any wiring added or extended.
Anything else ,more than 1 circuit or like a new service is a full permit.
Permits can only be purchased by a licenced electrical contractor with a licensed general supervising electrician.
A supervising electrician must sign all permits.
Home owners can get there own permits for there own electrical work at there own property. It must be inspected .
There are very stiff fines for non licensed electricians doing electrical work as well as electrical work done with out a permit.
Permits are to be posted before any work starts.

Also they have just started enforcing picture ID licenses to be worn at all times doing electrical work.



[This message has been edited by OreElect (edited 09-29-2004).]

All good ideas so far, thanks. I'm still depending on my partner for our license,but hopefully that'll change soon.

I think what they'll have initially,is 1 or 2 multi-hat inspectors to take care of all of it.If we get one as good as Ryan,it'll be good I think.

Russell

ABout 15 years ago here in Mass. they required liabilty insurance before you could fill out an application in any town. At first most of us were outraged. But later on is was found out to work for us not against us. The only way you can get insured is to be licensed electrician. This eliminated all non licensed people from performing. In the long run it mad our jobs more valuable. For many years there was a waiver if the homeowner felt he could sign to aquire full responsibilty. This was a loop hole for non licenses to accomodate. Last Apreil they have removed this contigency. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. My first thought was more illegal wiring done, some of it could be shoddy. What's in mind? Fires, safety. And insurance hikes. But, that's just my insight.
~Andy

Homeowners ARE going to do their own wiring until it becomes illegal to buy electrical supplies without a license. I think if you make it relatively easy for a homeowner to obtain a permit, you will end up with a lot more permitted, inspected - hopefully safer - owner installs.

My dad did his own wiring as a H.O.

Taught me about the Code as well.

I think H.O.'s should be allowed to pull permits, but that they should be included in inspections as well.

What is your current EC licensure process (if any)?

Thank you Russell, that is very kind of you to say....that is, if you were talking about me

hi,
i think a good suggestion would be the honor system. let the contractor inspect himself. then have them inspect a percentage of all permits just to keep an eye on things. this saves everybody time and money. i have seen where a permit was required all the way across the county. so for their $30 they are paying an inspector, providing transportation and communications just to go out and inspect an outlet..

i think self regulation is the way of the future..

i also would recommend that they PUBLISH a pamplet that lays out what the city requirements are...that way there is little confusion on what they like to see...i hate the places that make crap up as they go..

-regards

mustang

Fine as the idea of inspection seems to be, it is diluted by the trend toward "all-in-one," school-educated inspectors- who have mastered no trade.
Inspections/permits seem to be only the start of zoning, land use regulation, urban planning, fee structures, etc. They seem to do little beyond making things harder for the honest guy.

I'm not sure what the solutions is, but the 'traditional' approach of inspections, permits, etc., seems to be lacking.

Well of course I was talking about you RyanJ.

Thanks for the input folks.


Russell

Here in NJ the homeowner (HO) can do their own work or a lic. electrical contractor (EC). However many times the HO will say that he did the work and his "Brother, cousin, nephew, etc" helped him. Now as an AHJ the state says that I am not allowed to question him to see if he really did the work or if someone else did it. Most of the time you can tell when an EC did the work or an HO.