Permitting for Service and Repair Work.

[knoppdude]

I do lots of work in sacramento and can't imagine pulling a permit for simple repair work. The only time permits realistically get pulled out here is for new construction, major additions/remodels or service changes. You just can't win small jobs out here when you are including the cost of a permit in the job, it's just the nature of the business. Too many handyman and unlicensed guys will outbid you by half if not more. Plus most home owners don't want tye city/county inspectors on their property.

Yes by the letter of the law you are required to but you are going to get some strange looks from inspectors and home owners alike when a permit is pulled for changing a outlet. Now that being said stay FAR away from the city of Davis, that place makes Sacramento look like electrician fantasy land. Good luck

Thanks Andy B, this is good information. I know there are thousands of handymen/electricians doing electrical work in the area, and I would happily stay away from Davis.

 

[Ohmy]

Around here inspections and permits are always required but everyday there are 100 service trucks on the road doing work and not pulling permits. How do we compete when everybody else is not pulling permits. Basically, permits are treated like speeding or rolling a red light by the electricians around here. As long as its not blantant and no one is looking its OK. It makes it really hard for us to operate legally and still get business.

 

[cowboyjwc]

What do you have against MC cable??? :-?

See post #15 for correction and it's not me it's the City of Beverly Hills.

 

[cowboyjwc]

As for Ca being weird, it still is. Weather depends on where you are in the state. Unfortunately, life here is not how Hollywierd has portrayed it over the years. One positive event taking place is that the state contractors licensing board is starting to hammer unlicensed and unethical contractors. Knoppdude out!

Ain't that the truth. Where I am I could be at the beach surfing, in the mountains snow sking or in the desert water sking in about an hour or so.

What is funny and has become such a big joke in Southern California, is that no matter what the weather was the day before, the day of the Rose Parade it will be 70+ degrees and sunny and the rest of the country is usually getting hit by some artic blast sitting there watching it on TV. Come the end of February we have all these people moving out here from the midwest.

 

[AndyB]

Thanks Andy B, this is good information. I know there are thousands of handymen/electricians doing electrical work in the area, and I would happily stay away from Davis.

Don't sweat not pulling permits for service work, it just doesn't happen. However be sure to pull your permits for service changes/upgrades around here,too many guys still don't pull permits for those and simply cut off the SMUD taps and retap them when they are done. Horrible practice which I see more often then not around here. Also don't start any significant commercial job without approved prints and permits, they are very very on top of businesses trying to remodel and add additions without permits.

Pro tip. The best hours to work in Del Paso Heights is between 8am and noon, crackheads and still asleep and wont have the opportunity to steal tools out of your van while you are at the job :roll:

 

[sethas]

I currently work in Los Banos, CA. However, I worked in the bay area for about 10 years. The response I often got from the building dept. and the inspectors was the same. There is no such thing as emergency work. Safe it off and make the repairs when you get the permit.

I once asked, "Suppose it is a wednesday, and christmas eve. I get a call to a customer, and find that they need an emergency service change. The building dept. is closed, being that it is 4:30 pm.... I am supposed to inform the client that they will not have power for WED, THUR, FRI, SAT, AND SUNDAY???"

The answer was yes.

My opinion. Pull permits whenever you can, and where required. But if the AHD is full of dumb #$%&, then you need to take care of a persons needs and safety. Pull the permit later, they will be understanding of it.