Electrical Inspector Grabbing At Straws?

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growler said:
.......Must know something.
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Sales?
mw_hmmm.gif
 
growler said:
Yes he may have just been playing the game and letting the homeowner get in to deep to back out.

I don't like that method but it can work. :wink:
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I'd shoot myself first. I can't stand lowballing then sticking 'em with extras.

If I can't sell what I know needs to be done, I leave. If I'm not sure, I ask.
 
480sparky said:
No offense intended, but just how 'qualified' is this electrician?
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:D I had the same thought.

It's a rare 60 Amp fuse panel that doesn't have load side lugs that can go to a subpanel. As long as the connected load calculates within the limits of the service capacity, there is no limit on the number of branch circuits.

'Course, the electrician might be qualified in sales.

Edit -- just saw the next set of exchanges after my quote of 480
 
It kind of is like doing a 100-200 ampservice upgrade without increasing the size of the service drop oops I mean service conductors between the point of attatchment and the main service disconnect/disconnects 6 throws of the hand thing. If it is fed by #4 copper and you change it out to a 200 which would require 2/0 copper it is overloading the service wires. It is a violation if the wires are undersized or the previous work was not filed for.
 
There were not sublugs or space for sublugs on this panel. I looked.

There were more issues this project. The electrical contractor said the City was requiring that all the wall receptacles needed to be replace, and that in any room that the walls were completely opened up (in the den, paneling replaced with sheetrock, and kitchen was completely open to install new cabinets) the wiring needed to be replaced with new romex.

The electrician had in his price the cost for these items.

Prior to me accepting his price, I contacted the city electrical inspection department on these requirements, and they sent an electrical inspector to the house to help sort this out. The inspector said this was required, stating that this rule was being implemented in ALL flooded houses in the area.

I contacted the Chief of the Electrical Inspection Dept. and he was kind enough to visit the site. He stated since the water had not come up high enough to enter the receptacles (his words were not even close) that the receptacles and wiring did not need to be changed and he would tell his inspector.

This saved me $1400.

The electrician (actually a small 3 truck electrical business) was quite capable and did a very good job, for the work he did. As far as knowing what work was required is another question.
 
Load calculation with an amp meter and 180 va/per on residential receptacles. I guess there must be a local ammendment to using the square foot method that we use around here.
 
markstg said:
There were not sublugs or space for sublugs on this panel. I looked.

There were more issues this project. The electrical contractor said the City was requiring that all the wall receptacles needed to be replace, and that in any room that the walls were completely opened up (in the den, paneling replaced with sheetrock, and kitchen was completely open to install new cabinets) the wiring needed to be replaced with new romex.

The electrician had in his price the cost for these items.

Prior to me accepting his price, I contacted the city electrical inspection department on these requirements, and they sent an electrical inspector to the house to help sort this out. The inspector said this was required, stating that this rule was being implemented in ALL flooded houses in the area.

I contacted the Chief of the Electrical Inspection Dept. and he was kind enough to visit the site. He stated since the water had not come up high enough to enter the receptacles (his words were not even close) that the receptacles and wiring did not need to be changed and he would tell his inspector.

This saved me $1400.

The electrician (actually a small 3 truck electrical business) was quite capable and did a very good job, for the work he did. As far as knowing what work was required is another question.
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There you have it. The elect. told you about the requirements which was backed up by the inspector. You then in turn get the head inspector to over rule his inspector's judgment. This in turn knocks out $1400.00 for the electrician. So now the electrician looks at it like any thing else he suggest, you will have it over ruled by the head inspector.
 
My boss will do a job and know something is not up to code but he does not put it in his bid so that he can hit them with a change order later. Not the way I would do it.
 
I never thought anyone was trying to "rip me off" or doing anything unethical.

I looked at this project as a restoration, not a renovation, and only wanted to do things Required to restore the house to its pre-existing condition, realizing that some items would have to be upgraded to correct/assure safety of the electrical items.

In getting 3 prices for the electrical work, the EC's all had items of improvement they proposed (and itemized in their proposal's), but as they were not required, I elected not to do them. And in discussions with them about the added items, they gave the slant that these were for safety, but admitted they were not required (I read that as the Sales part). None had the service change in their proposals and 2 didn't have the receptacle/wiring change out in their proposals.

The service change out was required, as identified by many in their post here.

Thanks all
 
around here, some electricans add an extra mark-up when working for engineers.
 
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