responsible for existing code violation?

[andy32821]

Hi,

I will be returning to the Orange County Florida after about ten years. From what I remember the electrical inspectors were diligent in their duties.
Sometimes in the past I was called into look at a job that had blatant code violations. In those cases I would bow out.
But since I hate to leave money on the table, can someone tell me what I am responsible for?
Let’s say I pull a permit to install a control cabinet. I do everything by standards that far exceed code, and call for inspection.
In pops the inspector and looks around and sees panels with no covers, multiple circuits on one breaker, motors wired with green wires, all well away from my work.
Am I going to get sucked into the existing violations? I don’t have the desire, the tools, the help or even the experience to fix real electrical issues (ie > 1 inch conduit), and certainly don’t want to piss off the guy that is going to pay me.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[zbang]

In short, you're responsible for what you agree to be responsible for and nothing else. If you agree to install a control cabinet, make sure that the paperwork says that any violations not directly related to the work are out of scope and will not be addressed without another contract. That said, an AHJ might not issue a green tag with the other problems present, but make that the customer's issue, not your own (unless they pay you to correct them).

A good working relationship with an AHJ/inspector can go a long ways to getting your part approved and the other parts dinged for correction.

 

[Coppersmith]

Welcome back to sunny Florida!

All my contracts have language as suggested by zbang. Basically, if it's outside the scope of the contract and the electrical inspector requires changes, that additional work is charged at T&M rate and I can choose to not accept the additional work (usually only if it's outside my expertise).

 

[kwired]

How such things are handled does vary from place to place, but most of the time your permit will have some sort of scope of work to be performed on it. If something existing is not in any way related to what your scope was, you generally won't be on the hook to do something about it. That don't mean if it is deemed serious enough the inspector won't want to have something done about it, but is more between him and owner to get the ball rolling on making corrections and not automatically your responsibility to correct it without owner asking you to do it.

Then there is some situations where you are doing work in an existing facility and there is a lot of messed up stuff and you just need to call in inspector before even doing your work and explain what you are there for and then ask, where should I stop with correcting existing issues?

 

[MAC702]

Presumably this is because you get "final payment after final inspection." So make sure your contract is much more specific about other violations.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I agree that you are not responsible, but on the other hand as an inspector I can not simply look the other way if there are life safety issues (missing panel covers). I would let the owner know up front that there is a very good possibility that he is going to get hit with a correction notice or at worse, the AHJ will start a code compliance case against him.

The problem for you is a catch 22, I once got call for a sign inspection for a tanning salon, bad news was is there were no permits for a tanning salon in that space. So by the sign guy doing the right thing, it cost the owner of the business thousands of dollars.