Hoping someone can clear this up.
I have been hearing two conflicting viewpoints on this, regarding residential wiring of receptacles. One person says that it meets code here in Mass. for the homeowner to do wiring of new breakers and receptacles. Another person has told me that any plumbing or electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician to meet code.
Can anyone clarify which answer is correct? Any links to websites?
Thanks,
Scott
Contact your local building department. They should be able to set you straight.
In MA, anyone can do electrical work, but only licensed electricians can charge for it. Anything more than minor repairs (like replacing outlets or light fixtures) probably requires a permit. A homeowner *can* pull his or her own permit - but be prepared for extra hard scrutiny by the town inspector. Note, too, it is illegal for an electrician to connect up work performed by an unlicensed person.
For more info:
MA Electrical Code:
Only a licensed plumber can do plumbing legally in MA.
says: "Only a master or journeyman plumber examined and licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, with the proper permits issued by the local plumbing inspector, can perform plumbing work at your home or business."
MA Plumbing Code:
Scot, Here's what I found. This seems to be the concensus online for MA. You should check with your city/town building inspector. Some towns allow it but require you to obtain a temp permit for that work. Good luck, Michelle New Bedford, MA
Q: Can I do my own electrical work? The local electrical inspector has the discretion to make that decision. If the property is an owner-occupied, single-family, freestanding dwelling, it is possible to obtain a homeowner's electrical permit.
Thanks everyone for their help/tips.
I called my town's building inspector and they said only licensed electrcians are allowed to do the work. They also told me that it is at the town/city discretion as whether to require that or not.
I lived in Massachusetts for years and they didn't allow a homeowner to do any plumbing or electrical. Of course, every Saturday you'd see lines of homeowners at Home Depot and the local hardware stores buying plumbing and electrical. I've heard of electricians that look at the date codes on Romex and for HD stickers on outlets and then report the homeowner. Rural Tennessee is a homeowners dream. No permits, no inspections unless you request one and if you do want an inspection, there is no ball busting. I've met with the building inspector and gotten lots of tips on how to do the job right without fear of having something rejected over nonsense crap that wouldn't be required of a licensed pro. It's not about the money thing here like it is in the Northeast. My town is here to help me. Taxachusetts isn't like that. Worse yet, if the licensed guy you hire is a screw-up you can't even legally straighten out his bad work yourself. His bad work is protected by the Board of Registration in Boston.
Bob
Been there explicitly. Even involved my town attorney and Selectmen.
MA permits a home owner to do ANY wiring, including service entrances in a single family dwelling unless the locality has a specific, stricter by-law. Some towns and cities do have such by-laws.
All plumbing, including fixing a leaky faucet washer, must be performed by licensed plumbers. So Wallmart and Home Depot only sell to licensed plumbers ;-)
gerry
Wrong on electrical - see my other post.
gerry
You are correct, I should have clarified that by saying "The town in which I lived in Massachusetts". Getting a permit and inspection in Massachusetts will be much more of a hassle for an individual than for a licensed person regardless of the quality of the work done. It helps to have a friend who is licensed to sign off the job before the inspection. The inspector will barely look at the job if a licensed person signs it, but if the homeowner gets the inspection, they'll bust his balls over every nit-picking thing. One time the Roto-Rooter man I hired to clean a sewer drain reported me for having installed a sink in my darkroom. I knew what he was up to and completely disassembled the darkroom and removed the sink. When the inspector arrived, I had no idea what this Roto-Rooter man was talking about. I didn't even have a darkroom. The inspector left thinking the Roto-Rooter man was nuts. Next day the sink was back in and that's the last time Roto-Rooter ever cleaned the sewer pipe. I bought a snake and did it myself from then on. When I sold the house, I again removed the darkroom and sink. Games, games.
Bob
Just curious, how did the RR guy know it was not done with a permit?
Glad you got the last laugh even though you had to go through some extra efforts. Ed
When the Roto-Rooter guy came in he began a conversation about the darkroom and said he was interested in photography. In the course of the conversation I mentioned I had built it myself. Right then and there his attitude changed and he said it was an illegal installation and probably not done right. What he meant by "not done right" was that I hadn't hired his plumber friends to do it. There are no Massachusetts permits for a homeowner to do his own plumbing so he knew I couldn't have had a permit. As he left he said, "we'll have to see about this....." I understood what that meant.
Bob
Of course, that's why I ended up getting selectmen involved! My permit request was declined, I called a selectman, (selectperson?) who called the town attorney. The town attorney called the inspector and said to stop the BS.
The inspector gave me no grief after that!
gerry
That is obscene. I'm going to install my own soft water system. It doesn't take a supergenious (or a licensed anything) to do this and do it well, meeting all codes. Why on earth does it have to be performed by a licensed plumber? Plus, it's way easier to hurt or kill someone with electricity than it is with plumbing. If anything, it should be the other way around (licensed electrician necessary).
Plumbers have a stronger Union.
Bob
It's not a safety thing, it's a trade restriction thing, masquerading as a safety thing.
In article , Bob in CT wrote: SNIP...
I agree that it's much easier to hurt someone with electricity than plumbing. However, the person hurt with electricity is usually the person who is working with it. But if you do something stupid with plumbing (such as omitting a required siphon break), you can harm or kill people in other houses. So from the state's point of view, plumbing is a public health issue and your actions can affect more people than just yourself or your family. But, just because I can see a reason for the state's actions, I believe that prohibiting you from doing your own plumbing is excessive.
Plus, the vast majority of people aren't going to do what I do -- they're going to do replacement faucets and the like. That's the most my parents have ever done, for instance. I'm the only one crazy enough to plumb in a soft water system.
"So Wallmart and Home Depot only sell to licensed plumbers ;-)"
They do have home depot contractor outlets where they actually do check your licence to buy anything (it's a discount thing not a legal issue here)
Just like cell phone jammers and radar detectors (in some states). You can buy one or sell one but you can't legally use one.
I would expect that there is a distinction between repair of existing equipment and installation of new fixtures. You should be able to rip out your bathroom sink and put in a replacement but apparently you cannot install your own darkroom sink. HD cannot know if the pipe you bought is to repair your sprinkler system or install a bathroom in your garage conversion.
Now we know to treat contractors like cops. Don't let them in your home without probable cause and don't show them anything they don't need to see.
Ahh...the Guild system is alive and well in Mass. I'm sure New Hampshire (the give me liberty of give me death state) will provide any and all materials needed to their oppressed southern neighbors.
RB
Seth Goodman wrote:
With the way the 12 inch utility sink upset him, it's probably just as well I didn't mention the installation of the gas hot water heater.
Bob
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