Separate Service for a Garage

[Little Bill]

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Scenario:
Customer buys a house/property and on the property is a garage that was already wired and previously used. Problem is the way it was fed.
It was fed with 10-2 UF wire ran approx. 1000'. Some of it was buried, some just on top of the ground and tied around a tree, across a creek and on to the garage. Clearly not correct.

I suggested and customer agreed to have the POCO look to see if a separate metered service could be added just for the garage. POCO agreed that a new service could be added.

Now the question. Would the inspector have the right to have you change or add things in the garage since it was existing when the customer bought it?

I don't know that he will, but I got to thinking he might want some temp power to check things in the garage when he comes to inspect the new service that I installed. Since there would be no power until the POCO hooks it up and I've already done away with the previous UF feed.

He may not pass it without power to check it and POCO won't connect until its inspected. I don't guess I would have much room to argue since there was never an inspection on the garage to start with.

I guess I could either temporarily hook the UF wire back up or use a generator if he wants power to check things inside.

I'm afraid to call him because he may not even want to look at anything except the new service, and I don't want to put ideas in his head!

Anyone ever have this issue?

 

[Ponchik]

Only the local inspector or AHJ can answer that question.

I assume the existing wiring in the garage may not be up to code, probably without a GFCI protection......

Why not rewire the garage and charge the customer for it? Why keep the project only at the new service?

 

[augie47]

As a general rule, TN inspectors look at (a) what you install, then (b) existing wiring to see if there are any dangers. There are no requirements to bring things up to present Code, but items that were not installed to Code at the time of installation might be addressed.
What is the condition of the wiring in the garage ?
(considering the feed, I would imagine the wiring was never to Code).

 

[Little Bill]

Only the local inspector or AHJ can answer that question.

I assume the existing wiring in the garage may not be up to code, probably without a GFCI protection......

Why not rewire the garage and charge the customer for it? Why keep the project only at the new service?

Remarkably, the garage is wired correctly (can't see in the walls though). It even has GFCI. I didn't take any receptacles apart or anything, but I can see the newer yellow jacketed NM cable in the panel.
They even had the panel wired as a sub!:thumbsup: Just a poor feed to it which I suspect was from a precious outlet or something and they just used what was there already for power.

I would have never suggested just adding a service if the garage was a mess.

 

[mkgrady]

I would just finish my work and call for the inspection. He may say he needs power to check the inside wiring but that is beyond the scope of your work. Just see what happens. I wouldn't reconnect the old feed. It doesn't meet code.

 

[mjf]

Here, the insp would PROBABLY inspect the new service and want to come back for a final on the garage wiring after powered up. His paperwork would say something along the lines of "all visible electrical up to code at the time of installation".


It covers their butt since they didn't get to see the rough-in.

 

[Little Bill]

Here, the insp would PROBABLY inspect the new service and want to come back for a final on the garage wiring after powered up. His paperwork would say something along the lines of "all visible electrical up to code at the time of installation".


It covers their butt since they didn't get to see the rough-in.

You're partly correct.
I had the inspection today. He was fine with the service I installed, but............

He said he couldn't pass the garage since he didn't see where it had been inspected.
He actually is being fairly civil about it while also CHA!

He is requiring all the receptacles/switches/light fixtures to be pulled so he can see the wiring. He is only making me pull the finished wall off at one location, either a switch or receptacle, to see if the wire is stapled. I suppose he's going to assume it's all good if where he looks is good.

So, two more permits and two more inspections it is!
Of course this is all on the customer's dime!

 

[John120/240]

You're partly correct.
I had the inspection today. He was fine with the service I installed, but............

He said he couldn't pass the garage since he didn't see where it had been inspected.
He actually is being fairly civil about it while also CHA!

He is requiring all the receptacles/switches/light fixtures to be pulled so he can see the wiring. He is only making me pull the finished wall off at one location, either a switch or receptacle, to see if the wire is stapled. I suppose he's going to assume it's all good if where he looks is good.

So, two more permits and two more inspections it is!
Of course this is all on the customer's dime!

That is a reach IMO to require you to remove the finished wall. The permit was for the garage service so inspect those items associated with the service.

 

[GoldDigger]

That is a reach IMO to require you to remove the finished wall. The permit was for the garage service so inspect those items associated with the service.

On the other hand, when in the course of a later inspection the AHJ discovers earlier unpermitted work, they are IMO justified in requiring the owner to get a permit and have corrections done if necessary.
Your role in that process, especially the corrections, would be subject to negotiations between you and the owner and should not have any effect on the evaluation of your current work.
But even if your work passed a standalone inspection, the AHJ could then sign off on your work (allowing you to be paid if that were part of your contract) and still immediately deny permission for the service to be reconnected.

It sounds like what you are going through will be the simplest and least expensive way for the owner to get out of the hole he was occupying, and he should thank you for that. As well as paying for it of course.

 

[Little Bill]

On the other hand, when in the course of a later inspection the AHJ discovers earlier unpermitted work, they are IMO justified in requiring the owner to get a permit and have corrections done if necessary.
Your role in that process, especially the corrections, would be subject to negotiations between you and the owner and should not have any effect on the evaluation of your current work.
But even if your work passed a standalone inspection, the AHJ could then sign off on your work (allowing you to be paid if that were part of your contract) and still immediately deny permission for the service to be reconnected.

It sounds like what you are going through will be the simplest and least expensive way for the owner to get out of the hole he was occupying, and he should thank you for that. As well as paying for it of course.

I think the customer/owner is fine with the small list of requirements since it would have been around $3000-$4k to just re-feed the garage from his house.
And that's not counting the red tape that would be caused from EPA concerning the creek that would have to be crossed.:roll: