need to vent

[billdozier]

Heu guys I couldnt believe a comment made by a friend of mine tonight. we were talking about jobs and he mentioned he was building his house. He works for a builder. He said he was going to do the elctrical. So I asked him had he done this before. His answear uh no but I think I can do it. So I asked him why and he said his father inlaw who ownes the contracting business he works for thinks he can. I asked him a few basic questions was he going to use 12 or 14 wire in the living room? His response uh whats the difference. Ampacity I said. Figured id ask him if he was doing the ac and plumbing of course not. why would you do something thats safe when you can do something that has been linked to numerous fires. The audocity of some people is just plain scary.

 

[480sparky]

Just tell him "The stingiest person spends the most".

 

[360Youth]

The desire is to educate and assist. The temptation is to sit back and watch it unfold with a secret smile. Tough place to be in. I do not think it is as easy for Joe HO to do it all himself as it used to be. He may think there is no difference in ampacity, but there will be some confusion when he can't figure out whether to buy white, yellow, or orange wire. (How'd you like to be a fly on the wall during that store aisle conversation? :smile Even worse, let him buy all white and get inspected. One of the scariest statements I ever heard from a non-electrician was, "Electricity doesn't scare me." My only response was, "I work with it everyday. It scares the crap out of me."

 

[macmikeman]

So what is the difference between 12 and 14 in a living room. Sometimes I do 12, sometimes I do 14...... (receptacles)






Answer- my mood and the customer's budget

 

[iaov]

I've said it here before and I will restate it again. I am simply amazed by the geniuses out there. A trade and profession wich I have spent thirty years mastering and am still learning, they learned it all in a half hour!! Its not leagal to murder your family with a gun but you can do it with some 14/2 Romex and a 50 amp breaker. All in the spirit of DIYing!

 

[jm1470]

I think people don't understand the dangers involve. He will probably be calling you before all is said and done

 

[Fulthrotl]

Heu guys I couldnt believe a comment made by a friend of mine tonight. we were talking about jobs and he mentioned he was building his house. He works for a builder. He said he was going to do the elctrical. So I asked him had he done this before. His answear uh no but I think I can do it. So I asked him why and he said his father inlaw who ownes the contracting business he works for thinks he can. I asked him a few basic questions was he going to use 12 or 14 wire in the living room? His response uh whats the difference. Ampacity I said. Figured id ask him if he was doing the ac and plumbing of course not. why would you do something thats safe when you can do something that has been linked to numerous fires. The audocity of some people is just plain scary.

cool thing his father in law is in his corner..... his father in law can
come over and help......

don't get all wrapped up here.... after all, it's just wires, it's not rocket
science or anything.....

one wire.... hook up
two wires..... screw up
three wires..... drag up....

got it?

 

[Minuteman]

Will this house get inspected?

 

[growler]

Heu guys I couldnt believe a comment made by a friend of mine tonight. we were talking about jobs and he mentioned he was building his house. He works for a builder. He said he was going to do the elctrical. So I asked him had he done this before. His answear uh no but I think I can do it.

If this guy really is a "friend" then you could take a saturday and lay it out for him. You know set boxes and do a panel schedule with breaker and wire sizes. He could afford to give you enough cash to make it worth your time and still come out to the good by not having to change so much.

I have actually given a crash course in residential wiring to a homeowner and charged a consulting fee. I guess it worked out OK it passed inspection and the permit was in the homeowner's name. You would be surprised at how much information you can give to someone that's willing to listen and take notes.

Even with all the information needed it will take a beginner about three times as long to do the work as an experienced hand so the savings are minimal, if any, unless he just happens to have lots of time on his hands. It's more of a learning experience.

 

[LarryFine]

If this guy really is a "friend" then you could take a saturday and lay it out for him. You know set boxes and do a panel schedule with breaker and wire sizes.

My .02: The heck with box placement, as far as safety is concerned. (Yes, of course, show him what the rules require.)

But, if I was going to teach someone how to do any one thing, it would be how to properly strip cable and wires, and how to make safe and secure connections and splices.

That's one thing you really can't learn from a book.

 

[B4T]

even the Town Fathers are brain dead..

even the Town Fathers are brain dead..

the town of Islip, N.Y. lets a homeowner do his own wiring, but he has to get a Licensed Plumber to do the plumbing. Stupid as it may sound. Kind of hard to drown from a leaky pipe. Most of the Home Improvement contractors you find in Home Depot do their own wiring. No permit and no inspection needed. These guys have no respect for the trade anymore and have no trouble sleeping at night

 

[George Stolz]

I have actually given a crash course in residential wiring to a homeowner and charged a consulting fee. I guess it worked out OK it passed inspection and the permit was in the homeowner's name. You would be surprised at how much information you can give to someone that's willing to listen and take notes.

I've been down that road too, and I wouldn't bother again. Some people just don't listen. They appear to be listening, but the end result (or repeated calls with the same question) indicate that they weren't listening.

I've kind of adopted the same stance in my dealings as I have on the forum - it's not what you ask me, it's what you don't know to ask me due to having no relevant experience in the trade. Trying to explain to somebody why it's bad that they ran URD wild into their detached garage, exposed, into seperate 1/2" KOs in the panel was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

I just ran out of patience for that sort of thing.

 

[ctmike]

the town of Islip, N.Y. lets a homeowner do his own wiring, but he has to get a Licensed Plumber to do the plumbing. Stupid as it may sound. Kind of hard to drown from a leaky pipe. Most of the Home Improvement contractors you find in Home Depot do their own wiring. No permit and no inspection needed. These guys have no respect for the trade anymore and have no trouble sleeping at night

lets give plumbers their due.
Its easy to burn a house down with a torch

 

[bradleyelectric]

I don't give non electricians advice or information on how to do electrical work. I had a home improvement guy tell me he was going to make an offer I couldn't refuse. He said he would work for me for free. I knew that he was just looking to learn enough to make himself dangerous. Never called him to help. I could refuse him waisting my time.

I do educate people as to what needs to be done and why, but not how. I educate them as to why they need me to do it. I have no intention to make people think they can do my job safely after a consultation. I also don't hook up wires someone else ran.

 

[ceb58]

A small contractor I do work for is building his own house. I ask if I was going to wire it, he said he was going to do it he needed to save money. OOK. Have at it. He said if he wasn't sure about anything he could check on it on line. OOK you do that. I stopped by the job site just to see how it was going. He had most of the wire ran and did a good job. Then he started asking about sub panels I walked to the garage and he had already filled a 42 space panel and needed to install a sub to finish. LMAO. By the way the house is single story 2100sqft :grin: yes, you are saving money........not

 

[Greg Swartz]

I think people don't understand the dangers involve. He will probably be calling you before all is said and done

I think I agree that you will be getting a call.
Be on his side. It will make it easier to call you... and more work for you!

 

[Greg Swartz]

.... Trying to explain to somebody why it's bad that they ran URD wild into their detached garage, exposed, into seperate 1/2" KOs in the panel was the straw that broke the camel's back for me.

I just ran out of patience for that sort of thing.

Hey! I know that guy!
He's down here in the Springs... and works for Siemens!

(No joke, either!)

 

[petersonra]

If he is really a friend, spend a little time with him gently explaining some of the pitfalls, and offer to spend some more time going over the house with him showing him what he probably can do himself, and what is best that he not try and attempt himself.

he may come to the conclusion after some friendly chats that it is better to get some professional help.

 

[growler]

My .02: The heck with box placement, as far as safety is concerned. (Yes, of course, show him what the rules require.)

But, if I was going to teach someone how to do any one thing, it would be how to properly strip cable and wires, and how to make safe and secure connections and splices.

That's one thing you really can't learn from a book.

I didn't say that you wouldn't show him how to strip wires, make splices or twist and crimp grounds.

When I mentioned box placement I wasn't even talking about code. For some reason many people don't understand that you just don't nail a box anywhere. I have looked over jobs where they had switch boxes behind doors , they don't use a nailer and keep the box away from door trim. Where the bath receptacle was in the way of mirrors. Learning to do a proper lay out can be harder for people than stripping wires. A kitchen can really be hard for some people to lay out ( they just don't understand placement & planning).

You can't really teach a person to do electrical work in a day but you can show them a lot of little things that will keep them from having to take sheetrock down latter. Even guys that have done commercial may not know how to lay out a house in a functional manner.

Most homeowner tend to leave out lots of things and if you want to save your "friend" some money and help him out then you will make sure that he plans for things like smoke detectors. This may get past the rough inspection and not get picked up until the final. Make sure he gets the circuit for the microwave and includes the exterior receptacles.

The guy has already decided to take responsibility for his own work and that's his decision. Keeping this person from having to take down half the sheetrock in his house is something that I would do for a "Friend".

 

[tshea]

If he's a friend...help him. If he's an aquantance, then you decide.

BTW is father-in-law should be power slapped for letting his daughter live in a house NOT done professionally!

I personally, checked over my daughter's house before she moved in.