i have been trying to decide the best way to upgrade and re-new my basement bedroom....but...realize that the walls, circuits and wiring were installed about 25 years ago without a permit....there are a number of items like number of receptacles, size of receptacles and 15 amp circuit breakers with 12 awg to receptacles with 14 awg pig tails to the receptacles....and i want to add two new 15 amp circuits to go to the garage....do i go for a permit for everything????....just the garage????.....or skip the two circuits and leave the upgrade to the next owner???...i can't be the first person to deal with non-permit work..
no permit work...
- Thread starter xgpcer
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bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: no permit work...
Hire licensed and insured electrical contractor or consult your local building department for the permitting requirements in your jurisdiction.
Hire licensed and insured electrical contractor or consult your local building department for the permitting requirements in your jurisdiction.
- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2023
- Occupation
- Hospital Master Electrician
Re: no permit work...
That's like the bell-ringer for the Salvation Army forcing you to give up loose change.
Odd to see those words in the same sentence.
That's like the bell-ringer for the Salvation Army forcing you to give up loose change.
Re: no permit work...
HVAC friend was in a house where the HI wrote up a "violation." ALL the breakers in the panel totalled 400+ amps. This is an obvious violation because the main was only 100 Amps.
BTW I got the job to "fix" the problem. I explained why there was a discrepancy to both the buyer and seller and picked up 2 new customers!
Very sad...but a true statement. Realtors would rather have the home buyer pay $200+ to a jack-of-all trades master of none to tell somebody what is wrong with the house. Then it seems as if the HI report is gospel and all "violations" must be repaired.Originally posted by georgestolz:
Odd to see those words in the same sentence.
That's like the bell-ringer for the Salvation Army forcing you to give up loose change.
HVAC friend was in a house where the HI wrote up a "violation." ALL the breakers in the panel totalled 400+ amps. This is an obvious violation because the main was only 100 Amps.
BTW I got the job to "fix" the problem. I explained why there was a discrepancy to both the buyer and seller and picked up 2 new customers!
davedottcom
Senior Member
Re: no permit work...
As far as permits, simply ask your local bldg. dept. what they require to be permitted and comply.
It's not how I would do it but it's not a violation either. Sounds like my brother wired it!
As far as permits, simply ask your local bldg. dept. what they require to be permitted and comply.
- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2023
- Occupation
- Hospital Master Electrician
Re: no permit work...
It was the 300 amp TV comment that I had a hard time maintaining my poker face for, though. He said his son had a 300 amp TV, so he was concerned about the service.
To which I cunningly replied, "Watt was that?" Yuk yuk yuk...
Had one like that the other day. The potential buyer wanted to know why there was a 150 amp MLO fed by a 100 amp service. I then had to explain that he couldn't just 'throw a bigger service on the wall' without changing the conductors in between.
It was the 300 amp TV comment that I had a hard time maintaining my poker face for, though. He said his son had a 300 amp TV, so he was concerned about the service.
To which I cunningly replied, "Watt was that?" Yuk yuk yuk...
- Location
- Windsor, CO NEC: 2023
- Occupation
- Hospital Master Electrician
Re: no permit work...
I just realized I never offered anything to the original poster, sorry about that.
If you're considering it for your own purposes, then hire an electrician to break the cycle of electrical mistakes that the prior owners have left you with.
I'd also recommend 20 amp circuits for the garage.
I just realized I never offered anything to the original poster, sorry about that.
If you're attempting to give your electrical system a facelift to enhance the sale of your home, I wouldn't bother. Conventional wisdom is that no one will either notice or care, sadly.
If you're considering it for your own purposes, then hire an electrician to break the cycle of electrical mistakes that the prior owners have left you with.
I'd also recommend 20 amp circuits for the garage.
Re: no permit work...
Thanks guys...you been a help..i am going to check with the local realtors and the HI and decide....just trying not to have to strip the dry wall for an HI electical inspection...i have no qualms about the safty....but will be having the HI in to inspect my new escape window in the room with no permit....
Thanks guys...you been a help..i am going to check with the local realtors and the HI and decide....just trying not to have to strip the dry wall for an HI electical inspection...i have no qualms about the safty....but will be having the HI in to inspect my new escape window in the room with no permit....
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: no permit work...
This is not an easy question to answer. There are many factors to consider, and we don't have enough information to sort through those factors. I will say that if you are creating a bedroom, then Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters become part of the requirements for the remodel. You should consult a licensed electrical contractor, and see what your options really are.
This is not an easy question to answer. There are many factors to consider, and we don't have enough information to sort through those factors. I will say that if you are creating a bedroom, then Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters become part of the requirements for the remodel. You should consult a licensed electrical contractor, and see what your options really are.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: no permit work...
A Home Inspector has no business performing a "destructive examination" (i.e., requiring you to remove drywall). They can unscrew the covers to electrical outlets, then can open the main panel, and they can crawl into attic spaces. But they can't cause damage in the effort to discover what is behind the walls.
Re: no permit work...
I once was reported to the town selectman by a home owner for not finding a code violation on his new home.A HI told him that the grounding electrode system was wrong because there was a ground wire attached to a water pipe that was supplied by a plastic pipe. Realistically the ground wire was bonding the water system and was not part of the electrode system.
You must know how I feel about HI inspectors inspecting wiring.
My advice hire a qualified electrical contractor and keep yourself out of trouble.
romeo
.
I once was reported to the town selectman by a home owner for not finding a code violation on his new home.A HI told him that the grounding electrode system was wrong because there was a ground wire attached to a water pipe that was supplied by a plastic pipe. Realistically the ground wire was bonding the water system and was not part of the electrode system.
You must know how I feel about HI inspectors inspecting wiring.
My advice hire a qualified electrical contractor and keep yourself out of trouble.
romeo
.
Re: no permit work...
i think that i have two basic problems: the basement bedroom walls and electrical system were not done with a permit....second, if i now get work that needs a permit, ie. new circuits and wiring for the garage or if i sell the place, i presume that the no permit bedroom issue can pop up and don't know how that could be resolved short of taking dry wall down to check and permit the electrical....i am going to see what the normal local realty issue is and what the permit issues would be...it's not the quality of the work, i think it's the no permit issue...i've learned a bunch here to help..any more is always welcome
i think that i have two basic problems: the basement bedroom walls and electrical system were not done with a permit....second, if i now get work that needs a permit, ie. new circuits and wiring for the garage or if i sell the place, i presume that the no permit bedroom issue can pop up and don't know how that could be resolved short of taking dry wall down to check and permit the electrical....i am going to see what the normal local realty issue is and what the permit issues would be...it's not the quality of the work, i think it's the no permit issue...i've learned a bunch here to help..any more is always welcome
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