Our client is asking us to change all verbage refering to 'electrical contractor' to say 'general contractor'. I was wanting to cover my bases and find out if there is any problems in the code with instructing a general contractor to provide and install electric power rather than a licensed electrical contractor?
General Contractor Doing Installations
- Thread starter jself
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bdarnell
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- Indianapolis, IN
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- Retired Engineer
Re: General Contractor Doing Installations
The National Electrical Code doesn't address the legalities of contractor's licenses, but I would imagine your state/county/city ordinances do. I do know of jurisdictions that allow General Contractors to pull electrical permits.
The National Electrical Code doesn't address the legalities of contractor's licenses, but I would imagine your state/county/city ordinances do. I do know of jurisdictions that allow General Contractors to pull electrical permits.
Re: General Contractor Doing Installations
When you are preparing bid documents, it is better not to assign work to specific trades. It is better to just phrase everything as being provided and installed by the general contractor. Then it is up to the general contractor to divide up the work among subcontractors.
For example, if you say HVAC controls are by the controls contractor, and you don't specify who provides the conduit and wiring for HVAC controls. There is a good chance neither the electrician or controls contractor will include it in their bid (or they will both include it and then deny they have to provide it). End result is a change order and additional cost to the owner.
On the other hand, if you just assign all work to the general contractor, they are responsible for making sure one of the subs has it covered.
It just removes a lot of liability from yourself and your client. Maybe I'm reading this all wrong, but I don't think your client really wants the general to do all the electrical work, they just want the general to make sure its all covered.
[ February 14, 2006, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: steve66 ]
When you are preparing bid documents, it is better not to assign work to specific trades. It is better to just phrase everything as being provided and installed by the general contractor. Then it is up to the general contractor to divide up the work among subcontractors.
For example, if you say HVAC controls are by the controls contractor, and you don't specify who provides the conduit and wiring for HVAC controls. There is a good chance neither the electrician or controls contractor will include it in their bid (or they will both include it and then deny they have to provide it). End result is a change order and additional cost to the owner.
On the other hand, if you just assign all work to the general contractor, they are responsible for making sure one of the subs has it covered.
It just removes a lot of liability from yourself and your client. Maybe I'm reading this all wrong, but I don't think your client really wants the general to do all the electrical work, they just want the general to make sure its all covered.
[ February 14, 2006, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: steve66 ]
Re: General Contractor Doing Installations
I agree with Steve. Since working for a General Contractor for the last 6 years the scope of work can be a big pain if the Engineer tries to assign which contractor will cover which scope. Most General Contractors have a decent scope letter that they can amend to each individual job to make sure they cover the items that fall through the cracks (ie starters, VFD's, fuel for generators, conduit for BMS, etc.)
-Ed
I agree with Steve. Since working for a General Contractor for the last 6 years the scope of work can be a big pain if the Engineer tries to assign which contractor will cover which scope. Most General Contractors have a decent scope letter that they can amend to each individual job to make sure they cover the items that fall through the cracks (ie starters, VFD's, fuel for generators, conduit for BMS, etc.)
-Ed
bdarnell
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- Indianapolis, IN
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- Retired Engineer
Re: General Contractor Doing Installations
In reading the post over again, you're probably right, Steve. It's the GC's responsibility to complete the project using the appropriate subs. The only exception would be if the Electrical is a prime.
In reading the post over again, you're probably right, Steve. It's the GC's responsibility to complete the project using the appropriate subs. The only exception would be if the Electrical is a prime.
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- Lockport, IL
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- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: General Contractor Doing Installations
When I write specs, I put them in terms of "the Contractor shall . . . ." That phrase is intended to mean whoever wins the bid to do the job. It will likely be a general contractor, but I don't feel the need to explicitly say so. That sort of information goes into the earlier, boilerplate, contract sections, and I only deal with the technical sections.
When I write specs, I put them in terms of "the Contractor shall . . . ." That phrase is intended to mean whoever wins the bid to do the job. It will likely be a general contractor, but I don't feel the need to explicitly say so. That sort of information goes into the earlier, boilerplate, contract sections, and I only deal with the technical sections.
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