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

[arrabil]

And this is the United States ! Where has the pioneer spirit gone ?

Tell you what.... next time you need a medical procedure, come to me. I'll do it for you. Free! Nope, not a doctor, more or less failed biology, and couldn't name half of your internal parts. But I got plenty of pioneer spirit! And why do you need a certified anything as long as the pioneer spirit is there, right?

Same with your house, btw. Go ahead and wire it with telephone wire. But later when you sell it it becomes someone else's problem. And thats what the law is for. To protect everyone around the person who thinks they know what they're doing but doesn't know to stop when they don't.

 

[scgargoyle]

I think DIY is fine with a thorough inspection. That's the case in many areas.

What a lot of people don't know is that fire sprinklers will soon be mandatory on new construction in many states. Couple that with the rule that they must be installed by a licensed fire sprinkler installer, NOT just a plumber. They push the idea that you will save on your insurance, but the insurance companies aren't discounting because of the possibility of water damage from a relatively minor fire. Pretty soon, you won't have to make any decisions; your 'nanny' will make them for you.

I find it ironic that i can legally ride a motorcycle in FL without a helmet, but I will be ticketed for driving my car without a seat belt.

 

[Transit]

No it is your problem. Anything happen because a screw is out of place and it is called negligence and you will find your butt in court and jail. If you which to do the work yourself, great. do it by code and your ok. Have the work inspected, correct any miss steps and CYA.

 

[dstig1]

Tell you what.... next time you need a medical procedure, come to me. I'll do it for you. Free! Nope, not a doctor, more or less failed biology, and couldn't name half of your internal parts. But I got plenty of pioneer spirit! And why do you need a certified anything as long as the pioneer spirit is there, right?

Same with your house, btw. Go ahead and wire it with telephone wire. But later when you sell it it becomes someone else's problem. And thats what the law is for. To protect everyone around the person who thinks they know what they're doing but doesn't know to stop when they don't.

Puh-leeeze. There are very few things in a single family home that cannot be done by someone handy and with a brain. Codes are generally a good thing, and if you follow them as homeowner and pass inspections you will typically be just fine. In fact Minnesota even puts out a guide pamphlet from the state Electrical Inspection dept on common questions for wiring your own house (to cover those few oddball code issues that regular folks typically wouldn't know), so the state seems to think you are OK doing that stuff yourself... I have seen very shoddy work done by "certified professionals" as well as very good work. The credential is no guarantee. Inspections aren't perfect but they are the best check on work generally available - and that goes for pros as well as DIY.

It is the quality of the work, not the certificate held by the installer.
/soapbox off

 

[arrabil]

There are very few things in a single family home that cannot be done by someone handy and with a brain. Codes are generally a good thing, and if you follow them as homeowner and pass inspections you will typically be just fine.

Thats my whole point. But a number of people here are suggesting codes are nanny state garbage and that they should be allowed to do what they want. And thats nonsense.

 

[sweettractors]

Puh-leeeze. There are very few things in a single family home that cannot be done by someone handy and with a brain. Codes are generally a good thing, and if you follow them as homeowner and pass inspections you will typically be just fine. In fact Minnesota even puts out a guide pamphlet from the state Electrical Inspection dept on common questions for wiring your own house (to cover those few oddball code issues that regular folks typically wouldn't know), so the state seems to think you are OK doing that stuff yourself... I have seen very shoddy work done by "certified professionals" as well as very good work. The credential is no guarantee. Inspections aren't perfect but they are the best check on work generally available - and that goes for pros as well as DIY.

It is the quality of the work, not the certificate held by the installer.
/soapbox off

From My experience, you are right about Certification or licensed professional being dependable and know what they are doing. I had a certified electrician working on a rental property several years ago and by 2:00 pm he was drunk as a skunk. I had to fire him and get someone else to finish the job and clean up his mess. Ken Sweet

 

[arrabil]

From My experience, you are right about Certification or licensed professional being dependable and know what they are doing. I had a certified electrician working on a rental property several years ago and by 2:00 pm he was drunk as a skunk. I had to fire him and get someone else to finish the job and clean up his mess. Ken Sweet

And from that we are to extrapolate that all certified electricians are drunks, worthless, and the laws should be thrown out the window?

Cause if your point is just that certification by itself means nothing.... well thats true of the random homeowner with a brain too. Just cause you have a brain doesn't mean you can do electric work safely or even understand it. And just cause you have a certificate doesn't mean you're good at what you do. But the law is there to protect the rest of us from both kinds of schmuck.

My wife got some jewelry appraised one time. It was the worst $45 ever spent. Our insurance company wouldn't even take it, it was that useless. He was such a butthole to get a refund from that I called the gemologist organizations he had signed with. Two of the three initiated protocols to get him de-credited. And based on the rubout in his store window, one completed it. But the experience didn't teach me that all jewelry store owners don't know what they're doing and that all certifications and training is stupid. That would be idiotic conclusion.

 

[sweettractors]

And from that we are to extrapolate that all certified electricians are drunks, worthless, and the laws should be thrown out the window?

Cause if your point is just that certification by itself means nothing.... well thats true of the random homeowner with a brain too. Just cause you have a brain doesn't mean you can do electric work safely or even understand it. And just cause you have a certificate doesn't mean you're good at what you do. But the law is there to protect the rest of us from both kinds of schmuck.

I agree 100 %, There are bad apples in every group. For example, bad union member teachers of our Kids in the local school system that can't be fired, even though, they are a hazard to our Children. This country is messed up and getting worse by the day. Ken Sweet

 

[arrabil]

For example, bad union member teachers of our Kids in the local school system that can't be fired, even though, they are a hazard to our Children.

Sure they can. What specifically makes them a hazard to your children? Cause being a hazard would easily get them fired.

 

[sweettractors]

Sure they can. What specifically makes them a hazard to your children? Cause being a hazard would easily get them fired.

The hazard is that they don't know enough about teaching to stimulate the child's brains to learn. Ken Sweet