Proposed Project Check

You know, it's just possible that you didn't see your licensed electrician slip that $100 in your inspector's pocket after doing sub standard work on your house.

Reply to
RBM
Loading thread data ...

Where is "around here"? Why should I believe your sometimes wild ideas are actually what is required "around here"? Why should I even care what is required "around here"?

What is the NEC problem with what RBM said?

And from a different post: > Not since when constructed or last modified they were > required to be provided with separate 200 amp services...

Why do you think 200A services were "required"? What determines how large a service is "required" under the NEC?

Reply to
bud--

In Houston, yes (there's an oil well in our largest city park). Several others are scattered about. I know of at least one salt mine in the city limits. Other cities, however, DO have zoning regulations.

Of course.

Back when our legislature met for 90 days every two years, the editor of the local paper opined that it should be the reverse.

Well, er, don't they go together?

Reply to
HeyBub

My electric company has different rates for different times of the years with an escalating scale for summer use when peak loads are determined. So you might want to check that and see if the extra meter could be used to keep you off the higher summer rates.

Reply to
Mr. Austerity

How many times do I have to tell you: I don't HAVE a zoning board! This is MY property and my city allows me to do with it pretty much whatever I want. I could convert it into a Stop-And-Rob, a hotel, or a parking lot and the city does not want to be bothered.

I agree I live in a laissez-faire environment. But population density is irrelevant here as well. Houston is the nation's 4th largest (population) city and we seem to be muddling along acceptably well. Except for the football team of course.

I have no direct experience with persnickety regulations and zoning in other cities, but it is my distinct impression that the need for safety pales in comparison to the need for graft, corruption, and political favortism.

Reply to
HeyBub

You're nuts. There ARE NO statistics that show higher accident rates in states that have *never* had safety inspections.

There you go, again.

Reply to
krw

When I remodeled my bathroom (15yo house, at the time) I found a vanity light that had no box behind it. The sheetrock was notched out over a stud and the wire run across the channel because it was in the wrong cavity. *That's* the sort of crap you get from Evan's wonderful state licensees.

Reply to
krw

That's pretty much my point. The difference is that if it's my house, I'm going to do it right. In fact, cost be damned. I'll do it better than it needs to be.

Why should inspectors be any different than other government employees?

Reply to
krw

Pretty funny. The first service I had was put in by a family of electricians whose license had been pulled by the city of Chicago for not paying off inspectors. The old man of the family was currently wearing a wire for the feds. Many inspectors went down that year. Of Chicago's 51 electrical inspectors 29 were indicted. And 25 convicted. Chicago inspectors never learn, they are still being caught and sent to the big house, mostly for shaking down electricians, AKA extortion. The FBI loves this shit.

The second service I had put in was in Morton Grove, IL. As far as a $100 bribe, I think I'll put my faith in people I hire doing the job right over your paranoia. One of my daughters just married an electrical contractor. I'm thinking about hiring him put in some new circuits here. I'll ask him if he bribes inspectors and does sub-standard work. Just for laughs.

You didn't answer the question. Which had nothing to do with my judgement of who I hire. If you don't like the licensing/permit/inspection system, just say so. And give me your alternative. Heybub says no permits works where he is. Is that your preference? Gfretwell is or was an actual local government electrical inspector. He might have insights into this. Me, I haven't found permits/inspections to be a problem, but what do I know. I do feel safer with that process, since I know squat about electricity, and figure licensing, permitting and inspection gives a better chance of quality work than a crap shoot. For plumbing, I just roll my own when it's stuff I know about.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

I have no paranoia. I live in the real world. I'm merely saying that it's naive to believe that you're protected because a guy has a license, or an inspector says something is OK. People should be their own advocates. I believe that most electricians are in business to make a living, and it's to their advantage to do the job correctly and honestly, and to make every customer happy. Doing so will get you more customers with less effort. I think that most electricians would do quite well without an inspector, and I think that the real criminals in the business will and have always found ways around whatever regulations are imposed. I think it's important as a customer, to judge people's characters if you know little about the work that they're going to do. And I'll bet gfretwell does have some stories to tell.

Reply to
RBM

I never said inspectors invaded my life, and I never said I've been invaded by Feds. I am however a little ticked off that the county wants me to pay several hundred dollars a year for training to cut holes in sheetrock because it may have lead paint on it.

Reply to
RBM

Panel 2 is a sub because the feed through lugs are on the load side of the service disconnect (connected to the breaker rails) This is legally a "feeder tap". Panels listed for feed through lugs will have threaded holes on the rails. Otherwise you can add a 2 pole breaker and go that way, feeding the

200a main in the other panel.

You will use the insulated neutral bus (remove the jumper/green screw) and add a grounding bus or two for the grounding wires. Move them over. Run a 4 wire feeder.

Reply to
gfretwell

I agree. Florida did away with vehicle inspections 30 years ago and the statistics actually got better, having nothing to do with inspections either way. If you are not in the biggest urban areas we don't even have emission inspection. None here in SW Florida. The cops can still stop cars for obvious mechanical problems. They do have to be a bit careful tho since the demographics of these stops may not be politically correct.

Reply to
gfretwell

Some of us are not government employees. We have some skin in the game.

Reply to
gfretwell

We don't have vehicle inspections here in Alabama, either. I don't think there are any emissions tests anywhere either, certainly not here. I'll be moving to the Atlanta area in the next year (live up there now, during the week) and there are emissions tests in most of the 'burbs. :-( When I lived in VT and NY, inspections were just a license to steal.

Reply to
krw

What "skin"? Can I hire an inspector of my choice?

Reply to
krw

The states and counties can hire contract inspectors here as long as they have a valid state inspector's license. It is not happening much now but in the go go days when a muni guy was looking at 30-40 cards a day, it was common. My contract is with the state but I am not getting any calls these days either, the county guys are doing them too.

The inspector is scheduled by the agency holding the permit. I doubt you can call your shot.

Reply to
gfretwell

I worked out in Californiastan for a while and bought a used car that I took to a garage to get my emissions test report in order to get the car registered. It was not a very involved test. I think as long as there's no obvious smoke coming out of the tailpipe, you pass. o_O

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

3,000 total. Each side was 1,500.

Right. One is larger than the other. I have two degrees in mathematics and you can take my word for it.

I'm glad you finally see the error of your previous posts.

So am I, but for the THIRD TIME, I'll ask "What problems 'down the road'?"

Reply to
HeyBub

Your knowledge of the law is as deficient as many other things you opine about.

I agree a disinterested 3rd party's opinion would count for a substantial amount. But look at your first sentence in the above paragraph. I'll repeat it here: "Your word against your customer's word in court is an even wash..."

With no other evidence submitted, I, the defendant, win. The customary rule in civil matters is "preponderance of the evidence," which usually means 51% or more. If, as you said, it's a wash, the plaintiff loses. Further, and contrary to your claim, the plaintiff need not have ANY evidence at all to initiate a suit.

One more error and I'm done. I do NOT have to produce any evidence that I'm not at fault. It is the duty of the plaintiff to introduce evidence to the contrary. If he cannot produce said evidence, and his claim is NOT evidence, I can remain mute and win a default judgment.

Now it may be true in your benighted jurisdiction that someone can come to court with a preposterous claim and automatically the defendant is removed to a dark and dank cell to dangle upside-down. But when I went to law school, such tactics are not to be found in my state's Code of Civil Procedure.

Reply to
HeyBub

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.