Rum my own small electrical business Licensed, insured etc. Am 53. Work sometimes alone and sometimes with help. There is a possible opening for an Inspectors job here. Just wondering who might be inspectors out there, or not, what they thought of that kind of a change. Running your own business which I'm used too - physical part getting harder though, or take an inspectors Job. Easier physically maybe, but working for someone else again. I have to decide.
I would guess pay would be around $50,000 + benifits, only a guess though. Anyone an inspector an like it?

I had the same thoughts/situation 5+ years ago. Took an Insp position P/T to 'test the waters'.

Decided after a while to 'go F/T'; for the bennies. Was costing about 15K for BCBS (Health) for me and wife; that was the biggie.

Basically, the majority of the AHJ's here were/are contractors who decided to make the move.

As to 'working for someone'; it took a bit, but it was not bad. That's why I gave it a shot as P/T first.

John

Benefits are a big plus, I sent out a resume.
Guess its worth checking out anyway.

I was a contractor inspector for the State of Florida for 8 years. No bennies. It was good money tho.
I looked at a muni inspector job for a minute but I didn't like the workload. The pay was mid 30s to 50s but you might leave the office with 30 or more a day, spread out over a 60-100 mile driving day (in town).
I actually drove more with the state but it was mostly rural miles and I didn't have many inspections to do so I could take my time on them.
Like any job, working for someone else, it really comes down to how your upper management treats you. The good news is government benefits are pretty good ... for now.
The other question is do they license inspectors were you are and how hard is that to do? Most Munis can get you a provisional license in places where they license but the clock will be ticking. Do you like taking tests?

Don't think there is an actual inspec license, but might be a test, which would be ok. Its just not being able to set my own hours etc.

"Its just not being able to set my own hours etc"


Ya, I agree, who would want to work a 7 or 8 hour day, after working 10 to 12 hrs. a day in your own business, and those weekends off, must really be a hard thing, to adjust to, and I really would miss trying to pay that medical coverage every month, plus what would I do with all the holidays off, where would I go, that inspectors job sounds really nasty, something I would have to think about for a long time, like 5 seconds.



[This message has been edited by LK (edited 02-26-2007).]

Workload is heavy in Two I work in, usually 15 a day, anything from burg alarm, furn, HVAC, to new SFD, comm, ind, etc. Twp. car & gas.

Also, office paperwork; plan review, filing, etc. 8 hour day.

But as LK said.....bennies? thought process was quick. Also, vacation, sick days, personal days, and, YES there are things called "Holidays", other that Thanksgiving Day, Christmas & New Years.

BTW, here in NJ, license is mandatory. Most muni's are now looking for multi-trade inspectors; Elec & Bldg, Elec & Fire, Bldg & Plumb, etc.

John

You can also take smaller projects for the weekend if you want.
Say.. a panel upgrade in a weekend $2000.00 in addition to your city pay. Why Not.

Edward

Could you also pass your own job inspection?

"You can also take smaller projects for the weekend if you want.
Say.. a panel upgrade in a weekend $2000.00 in addition to your city pay. Why Not."

Why Not, might be paying all the overhead to do a few jobs, will cost more then the income it produces, $2000 is the selling price, after you take out the overhead and operating expenses, take out the material cost, there is not much left.

[This message has been edited by LK (edited 02-26-2007).]

In NJ, as a muni AHJ, you cannot work within that muni, nor any adjoining muni that 'touches' your muni of employement.

As to being a weekend warrior....don't forget the REQUIRED insurance costs.

John

Electric work, like any trade, is in some ways a young mans' game. Lets face it- at 50 you're not racing up ladders, wriggling through attics, or swinging that shovel with anything near the enthusiasm you had when you were 20.

Think back to when you were 20 ... what did you expect from an inspector? After all those years in the trade, and running your own business, you are likely just now meeting the qualifications you just felt, back then, an inspector ought to have.

Age. Experience. Judgment. Knowledge of jobs, and customers. People skills.

Now for the hard part: ethics. If you continue to work the trade, you risk losing the respect of your public. "Conflict of Interest" and "Competition" come to mind.

So, where do old electricians go? Some just might retire to a tropical isle ... but I suspect that most make a move to a 'related' area. Industrial electrician. Preparing bids / quotes. Project management. Inspections.

renosteinke,
well said.. will continue too check out this elec inspec job.

I am 44 yrs old and have been a county electrical inspector for 9yrs now. I do so much crawling around on my knees in crawl spaces and climbing ladders that I really feel for the older inspectors out there.
I grew up in a family owned electrical business, and know what the long hours of contracting is, and the pain of not having someone pay.
I'll take the inspection job, and benefits. My body still gets tired,but nothing like it was when I was in the feild. So I still salute you all that are still in the feild working.

Reno:
Well said....we don't die...we move on to other things.

John

I'm an Inspector here in NZ and unless it is any better than it is here, don't bother.
There will be no real extra money and more responsibility.
Maybe I'm just jaded.

This was an actual question from the bank of questions in the Inspectors Exam here in 2001, I swear I am not making this up, it goes like this(changed for International differences):
Little Johnny has a tree-house, he asks his father if he can put a light in it, his father says OK, Johnny staples Romex to the tree and staples the Romex to the ground to a socket-outlet provided for a caravan (16A 1phase +Neutral and Earth), Dad says it looks OK and turns the power on.
Later on that night the tree catches fire.
Who is to blame?.
Is it:

• A- Little Johnny for wiring the thing up wrong?.
• B- Johnny's Father for not supervising him as the wiring was done?.
• C- The wire for carrying too much current for what Johnny had in mind?.
• D- The tree for being there in the first place.
• E- The inspector that was never called?.

Work the right answer out for yourselves.

Trumpy:
"staples the Romex to the ground to a socket-outlet provided for a caravan (16A 1phase +Neutral and Earth), Dad says it looks OK and turns the power on.
Later on that night the tree catches fire.
Who is to blame?."

If I translate he connected the new branch circuit to an existing recreational (caravan) vehicle power source?? sound good?

Based on the translation....I take "A" & "B"

John

Well, didn't get the inspec job for now, but the Chief inspector said I had plenty years of experience, but wanted either some previous inspector exp or to be ICC certified, said I was almost there. So I just need to check on the test to get certified, and I'd have a chance at it. Anyone know about getting it? I'll check the web site.

http://www.iccsafe.org/certification/