Self-inspecting electricians

[ptonsparky]

How much does UL charge for testing? If our local inspection depts even came close they could afford what UL has...the best available.

 

[petersonra]

The bottom line is that no matter how hard you try, you just cannot inspect in a quality job. It does not work.

Either the people that do the work care, or they don't. A fifteen minute inspection of a few hundred man hours of work, won't do much for you.

In the end, you rely on the tradesman doing it right, not inspecting it and catching then repairing all the errors.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Many people don't know that part of your homeowners insurance rates are based on the quality of your local building department. An outside company audits the inspectors certifications, years as inspector, prior work experiance, etc.

 

[petersonra]

Many people don't know that part of your homeowners insurance rates are based on the quality of your local building department. An outside company audits the inspectors certifications, years as inspector, prior work experiance, etc.

It must be a tiny part. The biggest difference here is how close you are to the hydrant and whether you have a volunteer fire department or not. Even then, it is not a huge difference. My rate in an area with a volunteer fire dept and less offensive building department, is lower than my folks in a larger city with a pretty active building dept and a FT fire department.

 

[aja21]

The bottom line is that no matter how hard you try, you just cannot inspect in a quality job. It does not work.

Either the people that do the work care, or they don't. A fifteen minute inspection of a few hundred man hours of work, won't do much for you.

In the end, you rely on the tradesman doing it right, not inspecting it and catching then repairing all the errors.

Amen Bob. I know it's an old cliche but you get what you pay for.

 

[realolman]

....In the end, you rely on the tradesman doing it right,....

Seems people are loathe to acknowledge the skills, intelligence, and conscience of the guy who actually does the work...

 

[cowboyjwc]

It could be worse:

Building codes have a long history. What is generally accepted as the first building code was in the Code of Hammurabi which specified:

229. If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.
230. If it kill the son of the owner the son of that builder shall be put to death.
231. If it kill a slave of the owner, then he shall pay slave for slave to the owner of the house.
232. If it ruin goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct properly this house which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house from his own means.
233. If a builder build a house for some one, even though he has not yet completed it; if then the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the walls solid from his own means.