Why we can't compete with handy man.

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iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
LEO2854 said:
In my state massachusetts you must be a licensed Electrician to perform any Electrical work, and that includes installing light fixture's Recptacles and switches, and you must pull permits and have the work inspected by the Electrical inspector Who is allso required to be a licensed Electrician.
It has been that way since 1915,.
Changing fixture's is not a handymans job Its a Licensed Electricians job.
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Unless you are not charging to do it, than anyone can do it without a license, without a permit, without inspections.
 
Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
There is a chance that a handyman just might know enough or even more than some of the helpers i have had to use threw the years but not many. Issue is they have an electrician over see there work. Far too many handymen out there doing trades they are not qualified in. We know this from what we see out there in the field. Its not our job as electricians to bust them and turn them in. Home owners simply do not understand anything other than price until the job goes south.
 
Awg-Dawg

Awg-Dawg

Senior Member
Location
Dayton Ohio
LEO2854 said:
It seem's to me that your state does not care about Electrical saftey so you can do all the Electrical work you want in your state.

In my state massachusetts you must be a licensed Electrician to perform any Electrical work, and that includes installing light fixture's Recptacles and switches, and you must pull permits and have the work inspected by the Electrical inspector Who is allso required to be a licensed Electrician.
It has been that way since 1915,.
Changing fixture's is not a handymans job Its a Licensed Electricians job.
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Well, I can't speak for Illinois but I am sure they care about Electrical safety.

While I admire Mass. for their laws, I know I wouldn't spend a couple hundred bucks to change a switch.
 
T

Teaspoon

Senior Member
Location
Camden,Tn.
busman said:
Being a competent electrician requires study in three distinct areas and you seem to have only touched on two of them.

1) Electrical Theory
2) NEC
3) Electrical Skills (Only learned properly thru apprenticeship)

As a Master Electrician who started out with a B.S. and M.S. in electrical engineering (Virginia Tech), I know that you can have an understanding of electrical theory and the ability to memorize/understand the NEC and think you know something about being an electrician. After completing my apprenticeship, I realized how much I DID NOT KNOW when I started. After getting my licenses, I still had a lot more to learn from OJT. Still learning (especially here).

Mark
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When we stop learning we are finished
 
Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Often they think they did a fine job. I have had to redo lots of work that even so called electricians did. They get bit upset when you point out whats wrong.
If you want some real fun come to FL. we basically do not require a license and the EC can hire anyone to do anything. All we have here is the EC must have a masters license or rent one. They are not required to even see the job. So with that in mind they just might be hiring a handyman. So yep we are back to the beginning. They count on the inspector to catch the serious violations.
 
J

jetlag

Senior Member
Location
Eatonton, Georgia
Jim W in Tampa said:
Often they think they did a fine job. I have had to redo lots of work that even so called electricians did. They get bit upset when you point out whats wrong.
If you want some real fun come to FL. we basically do not require a license and the EC can hire anyone to do anything. All we have here is the EC must have a masters license or rent one. They are not required to even see the job. So with that in mind they just might be hiring a handyman. So yep we are back to the beginning. They count on the inspector to catch the serious violations.
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Now we know why you moved to FLA :grin::grin::grin:
 
readydave8

readydave8

re member
Location
Clarkesville, Georgia
Occupation
electrician
iwire said:
I know you guys hate to hear this but the work we do in most homes is not rocket science. :grin:
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That is what I think also.

And that is why I am always so amazed that either handyman or electrician can often manage to do something wrong that would have been simple enough to do right.
 
Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
readydave8 said:
That is what I think also.

And that is why I am always so amazed that either handyman or electrician can often manage to do something wrong that would have been simple enough to do right.
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It happens because high end electricians are not usually used on what is basically simple wiring. An EC hires young monkeys because they move fast. On residential the key word is FAST not quality
 
LEO2854

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
Awg-Dawg said:
Well, I can't speak for Illinois but I am sure they care about Electrical safety.

While I admire Mass. for their laws, I know I wouldn't spend a couple hundred bucks to change a switch.
Click to expand...

I will do it for $160.00:grin::grin:
 
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