Reporting the unlicensed.

[jmellc]

we have had licensure here since 1915 and there is still unlicened work going on.
my aunt call the other day because she had pipes leaking in the basement she hired a "handyman"to remoldel her first floor bathroom he does it all
well he cut the pipes for the sink and the shut off valve at the water meter did not close all the way so the water was coming out slow but was flooding the basement he walked out:-?

So she called me to fix it. I said you need a licensed plumber.
so i drove over to see and the valve woul not close i called my plumber he came right out and fixed it in two seconds it seemed like.

Well the handy man not only did plumbing but Electrical too not only did he rough the bath room he did a service upgrade while he was at it from a 60amp fuse box to a 200 amp panel.
no ground rods and he re-used the #10 solid ground wire bonded ahead of the
water meter .
the plumber call the plumbing inspector and i called the electrical inspector and had him come out.

Mr handy man has some rough sea's ahead:grin:

Gets discouraging to see all the garbage people do. If someone knows how, I don't fault him for doing something. But too many people think they know more than they do. I've actually seen a few homeowners who had done extensive work & done it well. Such details as pigtailed receptacles, wired to screws, not backstabbed, securely mounted boxes, taped switches, etc.

 

[acwservices]

In my opinion, this whole licensing business has gotten completely out of hand. It was origanially started as protection for the consumers, but it is now used as protection for existing contractors as much as consumers. Any time you have a high level of government involvement or oversight, it always moves away from the original intent.

Take Rhode Island for example. The state of RI requires a person to hold a RI Journeyman license for 2 years before he can take the Master exam. They will not recognize any other state Journeyman license, such as MA, only a RI Journeyman license. I am licensed in numerous states at the Journeyman, Master, and Contractor level, and have 25 years experience in the electrical industry, but the state of RI will not let me take the Master Exam because I have not held a RI Journeyman license for 2 years. Now I ask you- what makes the RI license so unique?? Basically, I have to take the RI Journeyman exam, sit in my office for 2 years, and then take the Master exam. Am I a better electrician because I have the RI Jorneyman?

 

[petersonra]

Am I a better electrician because I have the RI Jorneyman?

No, but the primary purpose of licensing has always been as much to restrict competition as anything else. And the purpose of restricting competition, especially from out of staters, is well served by this requirement.

 

[acwservices]

No, but the primary purpose of licensing has always been as much to restrict competition as anything else. And the purpose of restricting competition, especially from out of staters, is well served by this requirement.

That was exactly my point- the licensing laws are now being used to restrict competition under the disguise of protecting the consumer- which, by the way, is a complete disregard and violation of the "Interstate Commerence Clause."

 

[petersonra]

That was exactly my point- the licensing laws have always been used to restrict competition under the disguise of protecting the consumer- which, by the way, is a complete disregard and violation of the "Interstate Commerence Clause."

I fixed it for you.

I guess the board has banned strikethough text, as that appears to be disabled.

 

[readydave8]

Gets discouraging to see all the garbage people do. If someone knows how, I don't fault him for doing something. But too many people think they know more than they do. I've actually seen a few homeowners who had done extensive work & done it well. Such details as pigtailed receptacles, wired to screws, not backstabbed, securely mounted boxes, taped switches, etc.

What's taped switches?

 

[earlejohnson]

wrapping tape around the sides of the switch terminals and all

 

[readydave8]

wrapping tape around the sides of the switch terminals and all

and should I be doing that with all switches?

 

[earlejohnson]

i do not believe its code just i only do it for metal boxes

 

[glene77is]

There is a company here in Colo. where the person holding the masters liscense for the company does not work for them he just lets the company use his license. The sad part is he is a retired inspector and that is not right, i have been fixing a lot of there work behind them, the guys doing the work hold no license at all. What do you do with that situation?

Keep fixing their work, and charge $$$ for it.
Find out which jobs they do, and do a sales pitch for the repairs.

 

[glene77is]

I do not believe its code
. . . I only do it for metal boxes

I only do it for the "Sparks" in the metal boxes. :grin:

 

[petersonra]

What's taped switches?

for reasons that escape me, some people wrap tape around the outside of switches and outlets just in case something comes loose inside the handy box. that way there is less chance of a spark if a hot wire comes loose.

personally, I think it shows the guy that did the work does not trust that he did it right.

 

[jriederer]

Taped switches

Taped switches

personally, I think it shows the guy that did the work does not trust that he did it right.

I wrap tape on all my outlets and switches, not because I don't trust my own work but because you never know what the next guy will do. He may pull that switch or outlet without turning off the breaker, and if he's got shaky hands could touch the mud ring.

 

[readydave8]

I wrap tape on all my outlets and switches, not because I don't trust my own work but because you never know what the next guy will do. He may pull that switch or outlet without turning off the breaker, and if he's got shaky hands could touch the mud ring.

I don't know how much you can help that shaky guy that's working hot. The difference between genius and stupitidy is genius has it's limits.

Maybe you could just lock him up in a padded room.

 

[LarryFine]

Maybe you could just lock him up in a padded room.

Or a taped room.

 

[growler]

for reasons that escape me, some people wrap tape around the outside of switches and outlets just in case something comes loose inside the handy box. that way there is less chance of a spark if a hot wire comes loose.

personally, I think it shows the guy that did the work does not trust that he did it right.

To tape or not to tape, that is the question.

If you have to work as an apprentice or electrician's helper you will find that you may end up doing lots of things just because the journeyman or master/owner that you are working for or with thinks its a good idea. He/she normally thinks it a good idea because that's how they were taught and it can go on and on.

There are still a few companies out there that tape everything and it really doesn't hurt anything but the main reason they are doing it is because it was done before and they see no reason to change.

The idea of taping was mainly used with stranded wire and for industrial where vibration may loosen connections and where a tripped breaker can cause problems. For commercial or residential it probably just over-kill but that's just and opinion that will not be shared by all.

 

[krunchtroll]

It was taught for the very reason stated earlier about folks coming behind you. Aslo, the same company I worked for when I first started did most of the service work in the area and at the time they worked a lot of trouble calls hot to keep from inconveniencing the customer. Not that it was right or wrong, but it "was the way it was because that is how it has always been." These days, no tape, no hot work and much less sweating involved from nerves while climbing under around or into large switch gear! wheew! I love scheduled outages... customers may not like it as much, but those that want me around like them a lot. (or at least I hope they do)

 

[Strife]

It's not only paying for a license.
It's also paying 2K a year for liability insurance.
It's also paying 3K a year for workers comp.
It's also paying 1K-2K for unemployment taxes.
It's also paying 100 or so for state filing, another 100 or so for the corporation filing, and many other forms I don't even remember.(like 80 for occupational license, small amounts, but it adds up)
It's also the TIME it takes to do the accounting on all of those. The time to fill out all the W2's and 1090's and 941.
It's also about the 4K commercial insurance on 2 vans.
In the least the first 10K I make a year goes to this fees. yes it does make me mad as well, when someone that don't pay their dues gets away with it. And what the building departments do? They're inventing new ways to make my fees higher when I try to pull a permit. I know you can't get any money from a handy man working for $10.00 an hr, but this is getting revolting. Least where I live.

We just started state lisc. here in iowa and it doesnt seem to be being enforced. I know there are many guys still working without a lisence Makes me mad that i pay for a lisence and the guy next to me isnt and nothing is being done about it

 

[Strife]

I agree.
I never taped the devices (even a GFI in a cut in box)
Never will.
Never had to go back to the ones I wired.

for reasons that escape me, some people wrap tape around the outside of switches and outlets just in case something comes loose inside the handy box. that way there is less chance of a spark if a hot wire comes loose.

personally, I think it shows the guy that did the work does not trust that he did it right.

 

[S'mise]

Only if they decide to come "south of the border". Right now it's strictly Canadian, eh.

I think it's North of you