Why we need permits and inspections

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jeff48356 said:
Is there a website where electricians and inspectors can post pictures like this, taken on jobsites? I like to look at them sometimes, for amusement.
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Look up "bad electrical work" on youtube. Plenty of videos there of hack work. Some of it is just picture galleries put to video format, others are actual videos of a particular installation.
 
The inspectors here I have great respect for, but in the city that I reside in the inspections are pretty much just for revenue. My mom died 3 months ago & her house needs some work, siding on the front of the house is shot, so while it's off the circa 1972-3 windows need to go too, there are 3 subdivisions under construction down the street, so no way in hell that will get away with not getting a permit for the window & siding replacement will not happen, but not going to get one to replace the gas lines, reconfigure the closets & some other stuff, the gas lines will be just as safe w/o inspection, black iron pipe is not supposed to be on, or in the ground, they have been sitting on the ground in the crawlspace for about 61 years & I don't like it that way, but inspections were not required by the County in 1957 to the best of my knowledge either. :)


What would be interesting is, if there were a comparison between areas that require inspections, & those who do not, in terms of loss/damage, there is a county in Arkansas that the only required inspection is for the septic system, and as long as the electric service meets the electric Co-Op's requirements it's fine, the electrical work is absolutely atrocious, one example is a AL triplex feeder for a panel that was run through steel studs, :( another house has a 100A meter can w/ a 200A panel, plus did not bother to use SE cable, just ran 4/0 AL, used white for the ungrounded, & black for the neutral, without bothering to use conduit. In reality, I have mixed feelings about inspections, they can keep people honest, but when they do a poor job leaving blatant errors intact, couple examples are, neutrals & grounding conductors on the same bar, in a 1Ø subpanel w/ a 4-wire feeder, multiple neutrals under the same screw, things like that make it hard to respect the system.
 
Vermont serves as a grand example of what lack of bureaucratic oversight can assume.

A single family residence requires zero licensure, inspections , or occupancy permits

No benchmark exists for a GC or HI here as well.

The result(s) after generations of this has recently come to a boiling point via our Attorney generals office

They've apparently fielded enough litigation to where instituting certifications ,as well as oversight for said certs are on our horizon

Any of you who have had to compete in a the market like this should know the trunkslammers always win.

The market is not a meritocracy , it is not self 'healing' , and no bona fide biz can survive in it without checks and balances conducive to a level playing field

That said, any one of you of tenure in this trade does not deserve to be making a $$$ in it putting the very protectants that allow you to do so down

Either support your trade, or get out

~RJ~
 
romex jockey said:
That said, any one of you of tenure in this trade does not deserve to be making a $$$ in it putting the very protectants that allow you to do so down

Either support your trade, or get out

~RJ~
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Get off your high horse. I refuse to support corrupt inspectors on a power trip. They are not protecting the trade, they are protecting their power.
 
kwired said:
If they aren't willing to listen and at least consider an educated response to something they are on a power trip.

If they listen and come back with an educated explanation of why they think you are wrong - they at least have some respect from me.

If all they can respond with is "that is what code says, that is how we do things here, I am the AHJ and things of that nature" they have lost most of my respect of them being a professional.
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Oh, I agree, and I have run into those guys. You either do it their way or stay out of their jurisdiction. Sometimes it isn't worth the fight; I just do what they say and move on.
 
ggunn said:
Oh, I agree, and I have run into those guys. You either do it their way or stay out of their jurisdiction. Sometimes it isn't worth the fight; I just do what they say and move on.
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I could give examples but they might read this forum. :D
 
JFletcher said:
Look up "bad electrical work" on youtube. Plenty of videos there of hack work. Some of it is just picture galleries put to video format, others are actual videos of a particular installation.
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Plenty of hack work on you tube that is presented as being the right way to do things, in many different fields of work. :blink:
 
peter d said:
Get off your high horse. I refuse to support corrupt inspectors on a power trip. They are not protecting the trade, they are protecting their power.
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Most systems have a way to forward a formal complaint , in writing either directly to your AHJ and/or his department

I've done this in my past

When my AHJ ignored it, i went over his head to his boss

When his boss ignored it i went over the entire departments head, to the state

Then all h*l broke loose....

Yes we're not perfect, and yes YOU can do something about it Pete

Refusing to do anything about it makes you an enabler

~RJ~
 
romex jockey said:
Most systems have a way to forward a formal complaint , in writing either directly to your AHJ and/or his department

I've done this in my past

When my AHJ ignored it, i went over his head to his boss

When his boss ignored it i went over the entire departments head, to the state

Then all h*l broke loose....

Yes we're not perfect, and yes YOU can do something about it Pete

Refusing to do anything about it makes you an enabler

~RJ~
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It really depends on the issue, IMO. Some things are really not worth the fight if they don't result in an unsafe system.
 
And we've all let those 'little things' go ggun

Imho, most AHJ's put their pants on one leg at a time & have just as many foibles and issues as I do, wanting to address something inconsequential to the nth degree.

That's not a 'power trip', that's simple human nature

~RJ~
 
Saw this a week or two ago, had to make a meme out of it. I'm glad I just quote the fixes these days, don't have to actually do them. Lots of profanity coming my way in weeks to come...

panel.jpg
 
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