HO made up panel!!!

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jute

jute

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SO CAL
Hi. I started a resi job and the HO pulled the permits to do the electrical work. It was a knob and tube rewire and a kitchen remodel. I removed all the remaining knob and tube in the house, I replaced a 60 a subpanel with a 125a subpanel and had all of the home runs done from replacing the knob and tube up to the panel. I had most of the kitchen circuits ran back to the panel also. I was waiting for measuments on placement of uc lights and specs on the oven,cooktop unit and A/C so I could finish and do the make-up on the panel. The HO put me off this last week saying he couldn't get the mesurements for placement of the UC lights... Saturday I was called and told he had the mesurements and wanted to know when I could come out and finish. I went out there and HO had the panel made up, the garge circuit moved to the new panel but had a problem with one of the AFCI circuits, it kept tripping. (I think this is the only reason I got called back) This job went good but I'm not sure what I should or can do if the HO pulled permits and then finished the work himself, can I still be liable??? I never signed anything but a proposal for the work... Thanks, JB
 
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ItsHot said:
I would think as soon as HO put his hands on the job he accepted the liability!
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This is what I think also!!! I was really surprised to find the panel ade up and the other circuits ran.. When I asked him why he did the work he hired me to do, his reply was I didn't have anything else to do and I did telephone wiring for 5 years... I saw this as the last time I would be there and took a bunch of pictures and one of the best ones (the first one) is a pic where he was messing with the wiring on a MWBC when I walked in and I ask him to smile...Thanks, JB
 
jute said:
Hi. I started a resi job and the HO pulled the permits to do the electrical work.
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When the homeowner pulled the permit he accepted the responsibility for the job it's his. If I go out on a job like this to do anything I state on the invoice that the HO is acting as the electrical contractor and list his permit number for later reference. The good thing about work like this is that there is no warranty and any future call backs can be charged to the customer.
 
jute said:
This is what I think also!!! I was really surprised to find the panel ade up and the other circuits ran.. When I asked him why he did the work he hired me to do, his reply was I didn't have anything else to do and I did telephone wiring for 5 years... I saw this as the last time I would be there and took a bunch of pictures and one of the best ones (the first one) is a pic where he was messing with the wiring on a MWBC when I walked in and I ask him to smile...Thanks, JB
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Isn't it amazing what people will tell us is thier qualifications to do wiring. My Uncle was an electrician, I built a flashlight in science class, my brother in law is on meth so he's always wired,etc. I like it best when my wife and I are out to dinner and someone is explaining thier"qualifications" to me after six cocktails. I wonder if plumbers have to hear the same bs.
 
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drbond24 said:
Quoting my father: "You don't need qualifications to be a plumber. Hot goes on the left, crap flows downhill, and payday is Friday. That's all you need to know to be a plumber."
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And don't chew your fingernails.

Jute,
What was the scope of your original proposal? Was this a T&M arrangement or did you give him a price for "X" amount of work? That could make a difference in terms of what the HO expects and what you're on the hook for.
 
jute said:
This job went good but I'm not sure what I should or can do if the HO pulled permits and then finished the work himself, can I still be liable??? I never signed anything but a proposal for the work... Thanks, JB
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I can't say for Cali....but here in NJ - you could be in trouble for a multitude of reasons...
 
iaov said:
Isn't it amazing what people will tell us is thier qualifications to do wiring.
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What he did didn't look bad but the circuits he put together to make everything fit I don't think are going to fly and the MWBC he put on one side of two tandem breakers (no tie)... I think the building inspector is going to give him more feedback than he's expecting...Thanks, JB
 
ishium 80439 said:
Jute,
What was the scope of your original proposal? Was this a T&M arrangement or did you give him a price for "X" amount of work? That could make a difference in terms of what the HO expects and what you're on the hook for.
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My proposal was Time and Material, from the time I get to the property until after clean up and I leave the property plus 20% markup on materials. I put the propasal together about 5 weeks ago with alot of help from this board, a couple of the names I see now where part of the makeup panel.. Thanks again for all the help, JB
 
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celtic said:
I can't say for Cali....but here in NJ - you could be in trouble for a multitude of reasons...
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and they are??? I didn't have "price not to exceed $$$", but what else might come back and bite me or I could be in trouble for?? Cali or not, just out of curiousity...Thanks, JB
 
IMO if the HO pulled the permits and your proposal was cost +, he would be on the hook for any problems. I would just make sure I got him to sign an invoice with a detailed record of the work you performed. While I don't think this insulates you from all liability, I think it's important to have a record of what you both agree was your portion of the job.
 
ishium 80439 said:
IMO if the HO pulled the permits and your proposal was cost +, he would be on the hook for any problems. I would just make sure I got him to sign an invoice with a detailed record of the work you performed.
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I kept detailed records of work completed/materials/date/hrs and a few pictures. I received progress payments for all but the last (3) days, but he's only signed the proposal and the checks...Thanks, JB
 
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