new to resi work and have some questions.

new to resi work and have some questions.

  • yes, 6 pages to many

    Votes: 6 50.0%

  • no, lets beat this horse some more

    Votes: 6 50.0%
  • Total voters
    12
  • Poll closed .
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mdshunk said:
Sure it is. In the grand scheme of things, it's about as fundamental as it gets.
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Your trying to make this sound like a flashlight.Ttust me after 20 years doing residential and out of it for last 6,this is nolonger easy.When is last time you did residential ?
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
.When is last time you did residential ?
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Today. Seriously guys, if an apprentice who's been wiring houses for 6 months can't ruff one by himself and pass inspection, something's wrong. A pipe guy is going to be just fine. He might just miss a couple things that only apply to resi, like the required branch circuits on the kitchen counter, bathroom, etc. He'll probably overkill it anyhow, as commercial guys turned resi guys tend to do anyway.
 
Like it or not DIYers are doing it all the time (where allowed by law) and passing inspection. Learning from This Old House, DIY channel, books and friends.

Wiring a house is basic, understanding the NEC is another issue, you need both to do a good job.


Can a HO wire their own place in Wash. state? If so can a friend help him?
 
brian john said:
An electrician ask some basic questions regarding a section of the trade he is not involved in and some seem to think he is taking on the world.

Yet questions WAY above and beyond anything this electrician has asked are put forth everyday and without any hesitation top quality in the know tradesmen respond. Just trying to help a brother out.
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As has been stated already, the "third degree" came not from his qualifications, but his licensing. I see that he has changed his profile, but that still does not change the potential legal issues for aiding in the project without proper licensing. I know guys that can do the work with their eyes closed but would be subject to fines if caught doing this type of work. It may not apply, but several here thought it to be necessary and helpful information.

mdshunk said:
Right. Any pipe and wire guy can certainly wire a house. It ain't rocket science.
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I would have to say the reverse holds true with the same amount of application. I am by no means an consistent pipe bender, but I bend pipe once every few years. If I bent as much pipe as I pull wire in the same amount of time I could hang with most any of them. Both are a science. Maybe not "rocket science" but....

BTW I respect your experience and knowhow tremendously, I just respectfully disagree with shameful degradation of residential electricians. (OK, I exagerated that last part :grin: )
 
Can a HO wire their own place in Wash. state? If so can a friend help him?
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Yes. and No.



Washington State currently has a department specifically setup to catch those who feel they can bend the rules. I fully support the departments existence---seeing that it's helping legit contactors in it's everyday endeavors to establish business. It’s a great help for small business owners--seeing that handymen, apprentices, and your every day joe b is stealing work, and a professor on installing electrical--If you let them tell it!
Our State also monitors contractors who are failing electrical inspections on a regular basis. Once they reach a pre-determined number of red flags, they are sent a noticed that they are in need of training. I love this too--seeing that i haven't made the list :D
 
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Assuming 5 years in the trade for both I could teach a good commercial electrician to wire houses long before I could train a good residential electrician to do commercial work. Not a slam, just a fact...been there done that.
 
mdshunk said:
Today. Seriously guys, if an apprentice who's been wiring houses for 6 months can't ruff one by himself and pass inspection, something's wrong. A pipe guy is going to be just fine. He might just miss a couple things that only apply to resi, like the required branch circuits on the kitchen counter, bathroom, etc. He'll probably overkill it anyhow, as commercial guys turned resi guys tend to do anyway.
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I agree fully...This trade requires no formal education and only minimal training. It's not rocket science of difficult...just challenging in many ways.
 
Washington State currently has a department specifically setup to catch those who feel they can bend the rules. I fully support the departments existence---seeing that it's helping legit contactors in it's everyday endeavors to establish business. It?s a great help for small business owners--seeing that handymen, apprentices, and your every day Joe b is stealing work, and a professor on installing electrical--If you let them tell it!
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Do you mow your own lawn? Work on your own vehicles? Why should you be allowed too? You are impacting the bottom line of of viable businesses.

I guess I am a sinful person as I have remodeled one house from the foundation up and build 2 other houses. My apologies to members of the other trades I put out of work.
 
Course this is a 4000 square foot house.. Commercial is a different animal. Electricity is the same but how you run it is different and makeup is a little different. As a "friend" you are taking on a lot being the electrician on a big house like this. Low volt, cable, 400 amp resi service(maybe), water meter wire, slope cans, can't drill laminate beams. lots of minutia. I'm sure he can do it but it's going to be a learning process. I'd probably recommend hiring someone.. to help you plan, layout, and move things along..
 
wow, i cant belive the number of replies since i left the house this morning. hehehe 3 pages. the "apprentice" on my profile was when i was a second year of schooling down in FL many years ago, i dont get on this site as often as i used to or should. i know there always seems to be continuing changes in code and many counties still havnt addopted the 08 updates. i will goto the listed articles that where posted in the first few replies. i appreciate the advice and understand some the of critisizim (ms)on some peoples part on the forum. u have to agree that house and commercial/industrial work is 2 diff animals. each having thier own quirks. like i posted earlier, not in it for the money just helpin a friend out. i have no problems reading prints, i currently own a 02 book and need to get an 08. thanks for any help giving and i will continue to scour the forums for any info and insight that will help out. thanks....
 
brian john said:
I guess I am a sinful person as I have remodeled one house from the foundation up and build 2 other houses. My apologies to members of the other trades I put out of work.
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Your own houses? Fine.
 
cisco28 said:
...thanks for any help giving and i will continue to scour the forums for any info and insight that will help out. thanks....
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See what you started. :grin:

Let this be a lesson to you, update your profile, and don't be a stranger. :grin: :grin:

You never know where a topic will lead. Any other questions? :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
Beating a dead horse here but.

Can a HO have anyone help him do elec work? Not an electrician just a friend to assist.

Can a HO have a friend help him set a beam as he builds his house?

The laws right or wrong, part of a lobbying effort or genuine concern by authorities should be complied with.
 
the HO in this post is a part owner of a general contracting buisiness so he knows that i cant pull a permit in his county but he says hes has all that worked out and that i dont need to in this particular case. if anybody knows the ins and outs of such things it would be him. he has dabbled in some electrical work but due to his booming work schedule he figues he would just have me do it to help him out. i always mention that to anybody i do small side work ( ceiling fans, adding additional ckts for general purpose or for small equipment). Indiana is pretty strict on such things and thats why i dont do service changes...
 
Other than 210 - I see no difference in resi to commercial at all - then again - I see most electrical work the same - the materials change slightly, but the work doesn't IMO. (i.e. righty is still tighty...)

Then again there are "Installers" and "Electricians" - some "install" electrical components by what they are told to do - some design, engineer and modify on the fly to set standards of code and practice, and by proxy install it as well are "Electricians".

Pulling any type of cable or conductor from point A-B, or connecting said conductors does not make you an "Electrician" IMO.

If just earning your wings... Play it safe...
 
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