Aggravating phone call

[ivsenroute]

I just took a phone call from a DIY'r asking me to come out and inspect his service installation so the electric company will hook him up.

I asked him when he wanted the inspection and he told me he was not ready yet. Then he said he had a "few" questions about what he was doing. (red flag)

He basically asked me what to do in every single aspect of the installation from ground rods to weather head and back to the panel. This was not just clarifying a few points, this was full on tell me how to do everything.

Since I still do electrical work I was bothered that he was doing this type of work himself.

Anyway I tried to overwhelm him with information thinking he would say he was just going to hire an electrician but that did not work. I let him know that he has a good chance of failing the inspection since he is doing it himself and there is a reinspection fee.

It is scheduled for next week, I will let you know what happened.

 

[ivsenroute]

Oh yeah. He is upgrading from a 100 amp service to a 200 with new 2-1/2" ridgid above the meter base and SE below although he only purchased SE cable from Home Destruction.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I got a call like that the other day. "I'm putting in a hot tub, what do I need to do?"

Kind of scary isn't it?:roll:

 

[mdshunk]

I don't mind doing these sorts of "jobs". The fee to look at it and consult is pretty much exactly what the profit would have been if I'd done that job. I might have even pulled a permit or two for a couple folk...

 

[Cow]

What's the problem?

Like Marc said, let him know you'll bill him a consultation fee. Probably some of the easiest money you'll ever make...

 

[480sparky]

..... "I'm putting in a hot tub, what do I need to do?"
......

"Well, you called the right person. Here's what I can do for you....."

 

[cowboyjwc]

I have a feeling that Ivsenroute is an inspector also.

I usually offer a couple of names of local contractors that they can call.

 

[Sparky555]

What's the problem?

Like Marc said, let him know you'll bill him a consultation fee. Probably some of the easiest money you'll ever make...

Bozo to Bozo's lawyer:

"I did everything just like Marc told me to & he even inspected it when I finished. Then I had an electrical fire & my daughter was killed."

 

[mdshunk]

Bozo to Bozo's lawyer:

"I did everything just like Marc told me to & he even inspected it when I finished. Then I had an electrical fire & my daughter was killed."

That's why I inspect before the inspector. I might even have a little contract that a non-Bozo attorney made up for these sorts of jobs. It's a beautiful thing, making the same money for a job I only spent a few times visiting for a few brief periods instead of days.

 

[charlie b]

"I did everything just like Marc told me to & he even inspected it when I finished. Then I had an electrical fire & my daughter was killed."

The next sentence, from Bozo to Bozo's lawyer will be, "They are professionals, and should have known that I also needed to do . . . . "

That is precisely the reason that Mike Holt has decreed that DIY's shall not receive how-to assistance from this forum.

 

[stickboy1375]

The next sentence, from Bozo to Bozo's lawyer will be, "They are professionals, and should have known that I also needed to do . . . . "

That is precisely the reason that Mike Holt has decreed that DIY's shall not receive how-to assistance from this forum.

My thoughts were that Mike wanted to keep this site special and different from the rest, but thats only my opinion. Being an avid DIY'er I usually just stick to asking my other trade buddies for advice.

 

[GUNNING]

Genius is limited, stupidity is bottomless

Genius is limited, stupidity is bottomless

In Florida you cant be sued for more than you profited on a job. I love those You are gonna be liable if you give advise to anyone over the phone, or the word liable in ANY sentence. A lawyer wont touch anything if they are not going to make at least $50K. And its small claim court up till $5K. Admittedly you'll need a lawyer, but you get to sue for legal fees when its all over. Its like sticking your finger in their eye for years after the fact! The paperwork is easy. A lot easier than filling out a permit form.

As for the phone call. I talk em though and they call back. Make sure you give em a price and when they find out how much the wrong materials cost, they will call you first. (I scored a service today and maybe a 3500 sq ft house on that recipe! )
Or better yet, a consulting fee if they are real impulsive. I like that even better!

 

[ivsenroute]

In this case I am not working as an electrician or doing any consulting work. I am inspecting as the AHJ so that PPL will make the connection.

I would rather see a job like this done by a professional electrician. I would rather see any electrical job done by a professional electrician.

I don't mind giving a few pointers here an there but the job of the inspector is not to tell you how to do the job, just verify that you did it the right way per the codes in place.

 

[mdshunk]

In this case I am not working as an electrician or doing any consulting work. I am inspecting as the AHJ so that PPL will make the connection.

I see. Well, if there are reinspection fees, it really shouldn't matter if you need to come back 100 times. They pay 100 times.

 

[76nemo]

Eeeeesshhhhh

Eeeeesshhhhh

I got talking to another electrician in NC about bloopers and horror stories. He said he had one of these exact same calls which he was called out for. He got there and the HO did all of the rough-in branch wiring with lamp wire.

I believe he told the HO he was never there and there was no fee:grin:


Run, run, run..............................:grin:

 

[MF Dagger]

In Florida you cant be sued for more than you profited on a job. !

Is this serious? So what happens if you run a scratch down the side of the Benz with your ladder after putting in a new light switch? You just give em the 100 bucks back? Or hypothetically speaking if someone totally hacked something together that burnt a house down they can only be sued for the profit on the job? DO they include overhead? Ha. That seems very odd to me.

 

[MF Dagger]

I got talking to another electrician in NC about bloopers and horror stories. He said he had one of these exact same calls which he was called out for. He got there and the HO did all of the rough-in branch wiring with lamp wire.

I worked in a house about 5 years ago that was an older couple that moved here from Russia long before that. The ENTIRE basement was wired in lamp cord and instead of stapling it they took thumb tacks and stuck em in between the two conductors on the cord. It was pretty awful. Same job we had to add two outlets in a bedroom. The only wall we could get them on just happened to be the interior wall of an addition that had been added on to the house. Behind the sheetrock was a layer of stucco, chicken wire, and 1X10 below that. It was a very long couple days.

 

[Mule]

In Okra-homa PSO requires the work be done by a licensed electrical contractor,and inspected by local licensed municipal inspector. The permit can only be issued to the contractor, and if that contractor, other than himself, lets anyone do the work that does not posses a journey card and is employeed by the contractor, the contractor is in deep doo doo if caught by the state construction industries board...end of story... The HO has no choice in the matter....good or bad...that's how it is

 

[ivsenroute]

I like that Oklahoma rule.:grin:

 

[Mule]

Im a firm believer in a HO'rs rights to do his own work. However this portion of the work contains unprotected conductors which puts the power company at risk and effects the reliabilities of others power stability. Not to mention the extreem fire danger to the occupants and/or HO if something goes wrong.

I've always cconsidered this portion the power companies equipment, but since its mounted on the customers structure, they dont want the liability, so they take the safe road and require it be done by licensed contractor.