Permit - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

mcclary's electrical · 10-25-2010, 04:03 PM

Got a call from an unlicensed electrician that wired an unpermitted addition for a friend and got caught. Now he's asking me to look the job over and pull a permit. Would you guys do it?

**480sparky** · 10-25-2010, 04:06 PM

Forget it. If my name is on the permit, my name is on the job, especially for legal purposes.

If he screwed up and burns the house down, my insurance pays.

If you really want to do something, tell him you will need to charge him for the time it takes you to look the job over thoroughly, including megging everything. Verify the ENTIRE job is done you YOUR standards and YOUR specifications. It will probably take as much time as it took him to do the job.

Jlarson · 10-25-2010, 04:10 PM

No

Like 480 said it's your rear on the line then if something goes wrong.

jwjrw · 10-25-2010, 04:21 PM

I would look the job over and if it looks like he did a decent job I might. We did it for a policeman who had his brother wire his house. He was an electrician for about 10 years. We had a few issues to correct but not too many. Tough call but I might do it if I felt like the work looked ok.

mcclary's electrical · 10-25-2010, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwjrw

I would look the job over and if it looks like he did a decent job I might. We did it for a policeman who had his brother wire his house. He was an electrician for about 10 years. We had a few issues to correct but not too many. Tough call but I might do it if I felt like the work looked ok.

The only reason I'm SLIGHTLY comsidering it, is because everything is still exposed to examine. He may have done a good job, I'm not sure

Quote:

Originally Posted by 480sparky

Forget it. If my name is on the permit, my name is on the job, especially for legal purposes.

If he screwed up and burns the house down, my insurance pays.

If you really want to do something, tell him you will need to charge him for the time it takes you to look the job over thoroughly, including megging everything. Verify the ENTIRE job is done you YOUR standards and YOUR specifications. It will probably take as much time as it took him to do the job.

That's a good point. A part of me would like to tell the city who did it so they will go after him

I_get_shocked · 10-25-2010, 04:38 PM

how did he get caught? Id look everything over and charge good money, and dust off the megger

Toronto Sparky · 10-25-2010, 04:38 PM

Like the Inspectors ever catch shoddy work.. As long as they get paid what do they care?

Murphy · 10-25-2010, 04:42 PM

it depends on who the guy is.. If he is a friend then you should help him out. If it's someone you don't know well then you should look at the job and charge a large fee because you will have to look at everything plus saving his ass.

mcclary's electrical · 10-25-2010, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I_get_shocked

how did he get caught? Id look everything over and charge good money, and dust off the megger

Neighbors turned them in. THe city made the homeowner pull permit. In city limits they won't allow a homeowners permit. He needs a license number for the wiring.

mcclary's electrical · 10-25-2010, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toronto Sparky

Like the Inspectors ever catch shoddy work.. As long as they get paid what do they care?

Not sure what you mean by this.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murphy

it depends on who the guy is.. If he is a friend then you should help him out. If it's someone you don't know well then you should look at the job and charge a large fee because you will have to look at everything plus saving his ass.

Don't konw him. He found me through advertising. I'm thinking it's easy money, but on the other hand, putting my butt on the line.

Murphy · 10-25-2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclary's electrical

Not sure what you mean by this.....

Don't konw him. He found me through advertising. I'm thinking it's easy money, but on the other hand, putting my butt on the line.

i see...ya that makes it tuff, you have no idea what he may have done, you can only look at so much without making it a waste of you time.. I would ask him questions when looking at the work, make sure he answers them without hesitation and use your best judgement on the overall job. You can always say no thanks, they may be desperate enough to let you do the job correctly.

TxElectrician · 10-25-2010, 04:56 PM

If I was to pull the permit, and thats a big if, along with throughly checking the rough I would include in my price and get payment up front to include doing the work on the trim.

hardworkingstiff · 10-25-2010, 05:04 PM

I'd call the AHJ and discuss it with him/her. If they are upbeat, then I'd do it for a nice fee and understanding/blessing of the AHJ.

jwjrw · 10-25-2010, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclary's electrical

The only reason I'm SLIGHTLY comsidering it, is because everything is still exposed to examine. He may have done a good job, I'm not sure

If I could see everything I would have no problem doing it. BUT I would make sure I had on my invoice that the work was already done and I am just devicing out. IDK if it would help but it couldn't hurt.

**480sparky** · 10-25-2010, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclary's electrical

........ I'm thinking it's easy money,

It is easy money. Inspect every splice, and meg every cable. You can rack up a lot of labor. You also need to make sure it's roughed in correctly.... make sure the circuits required (SABCs, bath, etc) are there, make sure 3-ways are fed right, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclary's electrical

, but on the other hand, putting my butt on the line.

And that's why you would inspect every splice, and meg every cable. CYA.

mcclary's electrical · 10-25-2010, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwjrw

If I could see everything I would have no problem doing it. BUT I would make sure I had on my invoice that the work was already done and I am just devicing out. IDK if it would help but it couldn't hurt.

Good idea. I'll do that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardworkingstiff

I'd call the AHJ and discuss it with him/her. If they are upbeat, then I'd do it for a nice fee and understanding/blessing of the AHJ.

That's the rub. He works for another licensed outfit. He doesn't want to get in trouble for doing the work. If I take the job, I have to pretend I did the work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TxElectrician

If I was to pull the permit, and thats a big if, along with throughly checking the rough I would include in my price and get payment up front to include doing the work on the trim.

Good idea, hadn't thought of that

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murphy

i see...ya that makes it tuff, you have no idea what he may have done, you can only look at so much without making it a waste of you time.. I would ask him questions when looking at the work, make sure he answers them without hesitation and use your best judgement on the overall job. You can always say no thanks, they may be desperate enough to let you do the job correctly.

That's my plan. If he seems like an idiot, I might throw him to the wolves

fondini · 10-25-2010, 05:20 PM

480 got it right,its no different then someone calling your shop for the work to be done. I would just treat as a normal job{ as in inspect, megger,and correct} and charge accordingly. There is NO SUCH THING as easy money.

Toronto Sparky · 10-25-2010, 05:21 PM

Most resy reno work is done without permits.. In Toronto an Electrician has to own the house to get a permit.. Otherwise you require an electrical contractors licence to get a permit.

Ima Hack · 10-25-2010, 05:47 PM

Like everyone says check it out completly. Usually you can tell right away if the the guys is a hack with no clue.

I would make them pay dearly though, it's your nutsack on line.

macmikeman · 10-25-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ima Hack

Like everyone says check it out completly. Usually you can tell right away if the the guys is a hack with no clue.

I would make them pay dearly though, it's your nutsack on line.

All the above and six grand. Then take your wife on a cruise boat. Cure him of this no license behavior.