NJ Electricians

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mgmelec

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Where on the DCA web site can i find the list showing names and licence numbers of active electricians in the state?

Lately i've been seeing home improvement contractors advertising in the clipper type publications, advertising electrical services and showing a EC Lic. number.

Have any of you noticed this and has anyone investigated to see if they are legit?
 
Home Improvement Contractors

Home Improvement Contractors

Just recently in New Jersey all contractors including electrical must register as home improvement contractors if part of our scope means building, demo, or any other aspect entails building before electrical work can be performed. Moat electrical contractors must be now registered as a home improvement contractor also now.
 
mgmelec said:
Where on the DCA web site can i find the list showing names and licence numbers of active electricians in the state?
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Licensee Directory
By "active" , I assume you mean a licensed electrician?

Anything else would be virtually impossible to research easily. A few years back there was much ado about the "qualified journeyman's card"...not much info relating to that can be found on the web. I know I have posted what I have found here(on Mike's site) in various threads over the years.
mgmelec said:
Lately i've been seeing home improvement contractors advertising in the clipper type publications, advertising electrical services and showing a EC Lic. number.
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They may also be required to have a number from the DCA as a Home Improvement Contractor.
I have a friend who has his EC credentials, but does more HVAC than actual electrical work. He filed for this license number.
Yet another friend who has his EC credentials just informed me TODAY...that he is going to become a builder and "sub it all out"...and he also filed for that additional license number.

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/contractor.htm
(Info link to the: Notice of Implementation of Home Improvement Contractor Registration Regulations)
mgmelec said:
Have any of you noticed this and has anyone investigated to see if they are legit?
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Some are....some ain't...some don't know...some never cared...
http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/consumeraffairs/search/search.pl
(Search licensed Home Improvement Contractor...from the info link above)
 
RUWIREDRITE said:
Just recently in New Jersey all contractors including electrical must register as home improvement contractors if part of our scope means building, demo, or any other aspect entails building before electrical work can be performed. Moat electrical contractors must be now registered as a home improvement contractor also now.
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If the work performed is the scope of being a "licensed electrical contractor" (or any other contracting that is licensed through the State, ie plumbing), why does one need to register twice with the state?

(I'm searching for my link that answers this question)
 
Here it is:
? 56:8-140. Inapplicability of act.
The provisions of this act shall not apply to:
a. Any person required to register pursuant to "The New Home Warranty and Builders' Registration Act," P.L. 1977, c. 467 (C. 46:3B-1 et seq.);

b. Any person performing a home improvement upon a residential or non-commercial property he owns, or that is owned by a member of his family, a bona fide charity, or other non-profit organization;

c. Any person regulated by the State as an architect, professional engineer, landscape architect, land surveyor, electrical contractor, master plumber, or any other person in any other related profession requiring registration, certification, or licensure by the State, who is acting within the scope of practice of his profession;
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http://www.njconsumeraffairs.com/contractors/statsregs.pdf
Page 3
 
Who's building the rest of the walls?

I think it's within an EC's scope to put in blocking or other neccessary means to mount a panel.
I do not believe framing an entire wall is within "within the scope of practice in his profession".
 
Mixed words

Mixed words

Celtic,
I have had issues where a customer remodeled ther basement and enclosed a panel within a framing structure. We wound up having to reframe the exisiting wall where the panel rested to complete our scope of the project, I think thats what the local jurisdiction was refering to.
 
Celtic, thanks for the links. I agree if your allready licenced as an EC and you stay within our scope of work there is no need for the HI lic.

Besides any jackass with $50 and basic liability insurance qualifys for this licence. As a consumer i do'nt feel any more secure knowing that a contractor holds this licence, it's just another way for the state to make money.
 
I see ....I've got my head buried in NEW work, not the re-model..aka "spontaneous construction" aspect.

In your opinion..where does an EC's scope end and another's begin?
Just how many linear feet of framing and sheetrock take us from one realm into another?
 
mgmelec said:
Celtic, thanks for the links. I agree if your allready licenced as an EC and you stay within our scope of work there is no need for the HI lic.

Besides any jackass with $50 and basic liability insurance qualifys for this licence. As a consumer i do'nt feel any more secure knowing that a contractor holds this licence, it's just another way for the state to make money.
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While it is MY opinion that EC's and the like are exempt, I am also of the opinion that this is a double edged sword.

The ONLY good I see is IF they actually enforce this thing. Otherwise, it's just another "tax" on the "honest tax payer".


[State Files Suit Against Monmouth County Home Improvement Contractor][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] January 18, 2007[/SIZE][/FONT]
NEWARK ? The Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Consumer Affairs have filed suit against a Monmouth County home improvement contractor for allegedly operating without being registered and for also not starting or only partially completing projects after being paid by homeowners.
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I have NO IDEA how this turned out.
Think it had ANY impact on "Man with a Van about Town GC'ing"?
 
Celtic, my thoughts seem to be in line with yours as far as scpoe goes, if blocking is needed to mount a panel thats our work imo.

I just finished a job where i installed hi hats through out an older home, the job was done with a permit, i installed all wiring and fixtures. Carpenter cut and patched all holes that were needed for snaking in wire. I feel at this point is where scope becomes gray. Since carpenter was on job let him do it. If carp was'nt on job maybe this is when HI lic. is needed. My problem with this is what makes the HI lic. holder more qualified to patch sheetrock than me? The fact that he paid the state the licencing fee.
 
mgmelec said:
I just finished a job where i installed hi hats through out an older home....My problem with this is what makes the HI lic. holder more qualified to patch sheetrock than me? The fact that he paid the state the licencing fee.
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The logic behind the HICA (Home Improvement Contractor's Act) is two-fold:

1) Protect the consumer
I'm all for that. I've dealt with enough crappy contractors working on my own home. The customer has remedies through the legal system.

2) Make sure the State collects all the money it is "entitled to".
The State has remedeies through the legal system


I also don't see how paying for a piece of paper will ensure the customer recieves a better "patch job" than from a "documented" HIC.

The patch jobs that the average EC's does in order to complete their "scope" , IMHO, falls into a grey area called "minor repair work" ~ keep the cost below $500 and the HCIA becomes a moot point.
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/contractors/notice.htm
All Home Improvement Contracts in excess of $500 ...
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GOOD POINT



.

The patch jobs that the average EC's does in order to complete their "scope" , IMHO, falls into a grey area called "minor repair work" ~ keep the cost below $500 and the HCIA becomes a moot point.
 
A wiseman once told me:

When you know the laws, you know just how far to bend them.

If the "patch job" is estimated by you (and your crack framing, rocking, taping and painting skills) to be $1000....looks to me like you have 5 contracts, each well under $500 .
 
I dont think I would worry yourself too much over this. I have notified the NJ Examining board about unlicensed electricians advertising as "unlicensed electricians" and they have done nothing! They are still advertising. I doubt they would come after you for patching drywall. But then again it seems they only go after the honest ones.
 
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