You can't use telephone wire to wire up you outlets anymore in Iowa.

[Redneck in training]

When we built our home about six years ago we needed only building permit and septic installed by licensed installer. There was no inspection of electrical installation or plumbing necessary. They don't even asked question where on property and what type of house we wanted to build. In essence you could use telephone wire to wire up the outlets.
Now we would like to build a shop/barn and I am finding things have changed. Building permit is still easy to obtain but I can't install electric installation, water line and connection to septic unless I get a license. I have the skills but not the necessary paper. Moreover the installation has to be inspected by certified inspector I guess for a fee. I suspect the government is trying to secure some work for electricians, plumbers and inspectors. Time has changed I suppose.

 

[texasjohn]

I don't recommend use of phone wire in place of properly sized and insulated electrical wire...it not only won't work, it's downright and truly extremely dangerous:confused2:

 

[Redneck in training]

It is a joke. I just wanted to point out that six years ago it was possible due to absolute freedom to do as you pleased. I understand that the house would burn down but that is another matter. Onviously my house is wired by correct wire size.

 

[Alan L.]

I would expect that in the USSR not the USA.

 

[dstig1]

Are you SURE you can't DIY? Even the People's Republic of Minnesota allows owners to do work on their own residences. Wisconsin is absolute Nazi about plumbing, but they haven't gotten that way about anything else (yet...). Plumbing unions are strong here, or at least were when all the laws were written.

They might be trying to discourage it, but you should look into it closer to see for sure. There are few places in the country that truly prohibit the owner from doing the work on their own residence. Things change if it is a rental or commercial, but usually owner's still have the right to work on their own house. Otherwise is just UnAmerican...

 

[Redneck in training]

I am using the same builder that built our house. In our house he took care of all the connection such as water, electric power and septic. Now he doesn't want to touch it due to new regulations. He will rough water and drains 10 ft pass the building wall and install a conduit through the concrete for the electric connection to the breaker box. I have to deal with the inspection and connections to transformer, water and septic.
I guess after it is inspected I could finish the rest of installation by myself.

Des Moines is made of several cities and each has different regulations. You can't use PEX to do plumbing in Des Moines but if you live across the street in West Des Moines you can.

 

[beenthere]

I'm in WI and can do my own plumbing and wiring. In our Township, we do have to get a building permit now (that is so the new building gets on the tax rolls ASAP) and a firm out of Chicago has the contract to do the inspections. For wiring, just follow the National Wiring Code specs (which get tougher every year as the code writers don't want to lose their jobs ).

In some cities, the unions have managed to get requirments for licensed electritians and plumbers to do the work.

The box stores still sell electrical supplies and plumbing supplies.

But as the Gov't takes over....:confused3:

 

[dstig1]

I am using the same builder that built our house. In our house he took care of all the connection such as water, electric power and septic. Now he doesn't want to touch it due to new regulations. He will rough water and drains 10 ft pass the building wall and install a conduit through the concrete for the electric connection to the breaker box. I have to deal with the inspection and connections to transformer, water and septic.
I guess after it is inspected I could finish the rest of installation by myself.

Ahhhh. Now that is not what I first read.... You said "I cannot install..." That may or may not be true. What you just said was a contractor must be licensed to install the various utilities. That is pretty much the standard around the country, except in very rural areas. Most people don't want a contractor working on someone else's house who doesn't have a clue. The laws are written as such. Burning/falling down houses due to hack contractors are not good for the public, and especially not good for elected officials retaining their positions, if you catch the drift...

As for Wisc: you can work on the plumbing if you own AND occupy the residence. The key word is AND. If you are building a new house, you do not yet OCCUPY so you cannot plumb it. Minnesota says something like own and occupy or WILL OCCUPY at the completion. That is the strong plumber's union lobby sliding something through that nobody caught (or maybe they all wanted it too, dunno).

 

[Jim in ICT]

Install the bare minimum to code by a licensed electrician & plumber. After the work's been inspected and signed off, then go back in and do the rest yourself.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have never heard of anyplace that doe not allow you to do the work yourself, however anything you do must meet the Code requirements for your area. If you for instance pull all the wire to the J boxes, it then has to be inspected by a licenced electrician. The same goes for your contractor, he can pull the wire but it has to be inspected and terminated by an electrician. You should check with a local licensed plumber and electrician to verify that they will come and inspect your work and sign off on your permit. Most of this work is strictly labor so if you have the time and energy, you can save a few bucks by doing some of the work yourself and only paying for the technical and inspection work. The electrical company will also inspect your equipment up to the master circuit breaker box also to verify that it is installed to their requirements before they will energize it, but that does not include the house wiring which will need the county or city building inspector to sign off on. If you have a licensed contractor that is known to the county inspector, then this is usually just a cursory examination if that.
If you want to do some work yourself, talk to the county permit office to see exactly what you are permitted to do. I would be surprised if they tell you that all the work must be done by a contractor. DO NOT be confused by inspected by or performed by statements. If you can work on your own airplane to meet FAA regulations and then get the work signed off by an AI then I am sure you can work on your house the same way.