Electric work on other's Properties

[eejack]

I know any trade work is skilled at their jobs and a homeowner cannot know everything that an experience tradesmen can. However I do believe that many of us are more than capable of altering such structures with basic know how.

That is the core of the issue. Most licenses require documented experience and you believe the experience is unnecessary.

You want to pretend you have the experience.

How would the end customer know the difference between your pretend license and my 8000 hours of documented experience license?

That is like me believing I should have a proctologist license 'cause how hard could it be?

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Most people ??????

All that electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, siding, kitchen and appliances “stuff” sold at Home Depot, Menards and Lowes…….getting installed DIY ? Guess what no permits is common.

Your insurance not covering is bocus.

Better read the original post “someone wants to hire me to do trade work (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc)”. Doing work for hire without appropriate liability insurance is insane. Did you not read the original post?

 

[Meursault74]

It comes down to are you qualified to do the work?
If you don't have a license, along with a lot of other things, you're not qualified.
Capable and qualified are not the same.

I like that. Capable vs Qualified.

If you're doing it for yourself, you need to be capable of doing it. If you're doing it for someone else for pay you need to be capable and qualified.

So, without all the requirements to be an electrician under your belt, the OP is not qualified to perform the services for the public even though he is capable.

Someone else mentioned that the electrician with lots of experience could do the "engineering job", without a doubt he's capable. Without an engineering degree he isn't qualified though as the employer likely has that degree as a requirement to be in that position.

There are all kinds of hurdles in life to get through to end up where you want to be, like them or not.

 

[paredown]

AFAIK, NY controlling jurisdictions vary as to what is allowed. Our NY town allows the home owner to do their own electrical work, but they have to sit for an exam (not sure how rigorous it is), pull a permit and get inspected, since in NYS ALL electrical inspections are requested from and done at the state level.

While I agree with the DIY spirit--I am very cautious as a "handy person" about doing electrical work anywhere other than my own home, and the same caution extends to anything involving my work with the local Habitat chapter. A trivial example of the latter--we are working on a group house for formerly homeless, and found a non-working light switch--clearly a three-way switched from either end of the hall that was not working correctly. I was "capable" of fixing it--but this is a 20+ person shared house, so we called the electricians!

OTOH, I have done the occasional electrical job working alongside a proper Sparky, where I'm doing trivial or stupid stuff and he is checking my work (and this is based on trust built up over a few jobs.)

The funniest one was a recent kitchen remodel (where I was the point person/general handyguy/finisher) and the State Electrical inspector showed up--and objected to the placement of an outlet at the end of a peninsula (ironically, we'd already moved it once since the electricians changed their minds and I had to patch the drywall once already).

I got an earful about how by code (and in real life) "a peninsula is different than an island"--then he told me where I needed to move it. He then gave us our approval and asked me to text him a picture after it was moved, since "I looked competent enough to move an outlet."

 

[Digital Spaceport]

Ask your insurance agent what they think. Most people won’t change a hose washer for pay without insurance as a plumber. The liability can be enormous and your insurance will not cover you unless such work is called out in your policy.

This is it right here. Sure you can maybe get buy until some homeowner does something dumb. But when they do, and someone will, expect problems. They mess up some drilling, attic work and end up with a fire or a flood the insurance co. is going to be asking "who installed this new sub panel" or "who added this new bathrooms plumbing". You get a real test of ones friendship pretty fast there lol. Honestly I think the fear of the insurance agent is avoidable, because friends might help out a friend by assisting THEM doing the work and THEM getting the inspections and be documented as exactly such. If cash is changing hands.... you don't want to get subpoenaed by an insurance company right? Now if they offer you some beers at the end hell, that's just your friend and you drinkin'.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I agree but, you don't need a license to perform work on vehicles yet you can still get ASE certs. Someone who is working on/repairing steering, stopping, and safety components. Joe Shmoe can start a shop without any knowledge or certs/licenses (although probably wont be in business long)

It's State-by-State. NJ doesn't require an ASE for general repairs, but they do for specialty/safety repairs, inspections and Emissions related work. You need A6, A8 & L1 in order to qualify to take the Emsissions Cert Test in NJ.

Tommy

 

[PassnThru]

As I understand it - a homeowner can pull a permit - claim they are doing the work - but you swoop in and do the work and who is the wiser?
For people you can trust that can work - if you make a business of it though then you quickly run out of people you can trust.
You have a business - you pull a permit - you do the work - it gets inspected - your hands are now clean.
Don't trust people to be rational and trustworthy. It won't happen.

 

[Norcal]

Doing unlicensed electrical work in some States can lead to a lot of trouble, North Carolina is one of them that will come down really hard.

 

[John McA]

This thread makes me laugh my *** off.
Thanks.
Good Luck,
John McA.

 

[Toomanytools?]

I cannot seem to find this answer so I figured I'd ask here.

Say someone wants to hire me to do trade work (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc) which requires a license to perform. Is there a way to perform the work for a customer without having a license? For example, pulling a permit for the work being done and having it inspected?
I know state by state and county by county can vary but just asking generally. I live in New York state in anyone has specifics.

Getting these licenses take an incredibly long time for someone who wants to do work on the side (legally, through their established business) or someone who wants to switch career paths. I know I do not know everything, but I am capable of performing most of the work. Plus isn't this why an inspection is required even for people who are licensed?

Thanks

I'm not sure on NY, for some states the home owner can act as the GC pull a permit , perform the work and have it inspected. So if your customers did that but you did the work. The problem at least to me is liability. If you F something up I have no real legal way to go after your license, and you are not bound by a bond. So why would I take the risk other than a deep discounted price? Even at that I would not hire you for major work like electrical.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I'm not sure about elsewhere but plumbers and electricians seem to be the worst when it comes to bad mouthing others work and calling for enforcement of any violations. They also are quick to spout off codes (even if the work exceeds code).
That being said no way I'd do either professionally without the proper papers.

 

[pcmeiners]

"Amateur vs professional, many times has to do with liability."

Especially in NY there is little protection from liability if you are sued....
First, you better be working under an entity that protects your ***ets, you better have health insurance; as an entity employee you can not sue a customer (generally). If you are not protected by using a legal entity, EVERYTHING you personally own is up for grabs if you are sued (except retirement accounts for the most part). As to customers most homeowner insurance covers outsiders (handyman, self employed) working on their home ( best to also have umbrella insurance also) .

 

[Big Bad Dad]

This partial quote from the original poster> "I was comparing and wondering if there are ways to legally avoid being licensed while performing work for a customer (like a mechanic or .........." / So wondering if there are ways to legally avoid doing what the law specifically prohibits doing is what he is asking. Uh, no?
Go wire a house as an unlicensed contractor in a trade with strict licensing requirements. Do something wrong and screw up somewhere. Cause a house fire where someone dies. See what happens when your work is discovered.....

 

[Zeke]

Seems like all the answers were amply covered back in July.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Seems like all the answers were amply covered back in July.

Yes and I thought it got closed back then.

No reason to beat the horse on this one