4 ms·

Unless you're a licensed electrician, that electrical work you did yourself is in violation of building codes and you'll need to pay an electrician to approve t

Unless you're a licensed electrician, that electrical work you did yourself is in violation of building codes and you'll need to pay an electrician to approve the work or you'll have difficulty selling your house.

dymk 4y ago
This is probably not true, and it's at least not true for any of the places I've lived on the west coast. As long as an inspector signs off on it (which they have to do regardless of if you do the work or if an electrician does it), and it's found to be up to code, it's fine.
wrycoder 4y ago
In many areas of the US, it’s perfectly legal to do your own residential electrical work, so long as you get the permits and inspections.
- gamblor956 4y ago
  I didn't say it was illegal, I said he would have difficulty selling his house due to the electrical work performed by someone who isn't a licensed electrician. It wouldn't have mattered in the seller's market of the past few years, but it will absolutely be a dealbreaker now that we're entering into a buyer's market.
  - wrycoder 4y ago
    This is not true. Permitted and inspected work is fine.
anotherman554 4y ago
My state doesn't license electricians at all and leaves it up to local governments to decide whether they want to require any sort of local license to be an electrician. I've never done electrical work myself but I've hired electricians and as far as I can tell there is no licensing requirement in my local jurisdiction nor any sort of local license to be an electrician.
s1artibartfast 4y ago
Nobody is comparing outlet locations to a building plan at the time of sale.
- pixl97 4y ago
  Well, unless the house catches on fire after the sale and someone comes to sue you for improper disclosure.
  - s1artibartfast 4y ago
    That's assuming the install was in some way at fault, the faulty install causus a fire, the cause was determined, and the cause was traced back to me. Im more worried about being hit by a meteor.
linsomniac 4y ago
YMMV but this is absolutely not true in my case. I have building inspections filed with the city to back that assertion up. Our local building office is actually quite good to work with as a DIYer. It makes sense really, it's better to work with DIYers to "backstop" their work by having an inspector look at their work and not be an A-hole about it, than to have them do the work anyway and cross their fingers. I love having the building inspectors check my work, worth the couple hundred bucks I pay for a permit.

dymk 4y ago

This is probably not true, and it's at least not true for any of the places I've lived on the west coast. As long as an inspector signs off on it (which they have to do regardless of if you do the work or if an electrician does it), and it's found to be up to code, it's fine.

wrycoder 4y ago

In many areas of the US, it’s perfectly legal to do your own residential electrical work, so long as you get the permits and inspections.

gamblor956 4y ago
I didn't say it was illegal, I said he would have difficulty selling his house due to the electrical work performed by someone who isn't a licensed electrician. It wouldn't have mattered in the seller's market of the past few years, but it will absolutely be a dealbreaker now that we're entering into a buyer's market.
- wrycoder 4y ago
  This is not true. Permitted and inspected work is fine.

anotherman554 4y ago

My state doesn't license electricians at all and leaves it up to local governments to decide whether they want to require any sort of local license to be an electrician. I've never done electrical work myself but I've hired electricians and as far as I can tell there is no licensing requirement in my local jurisdiction nor any sort of local license to be an electrician.

s1artibartfast 4y ago

Nobody is comparing outlet locations to a building plan at the time of sale.

pixl97 4y ago
Well, unless the house catches on fire after the sale and someone comes to sue you for improper disclosure.
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  That's assuming the install was in some way at fault, the faulty install causus a fire, the cause was determined, and the cause was traced back to me. Im more worried about being hit by a meteor.

linsomniac 4y ago

YMMV but this is absolutely not true in my case. I have building inspections filed with the city to back that assertion up. Our local building office is actually quite good to work with as a DIYer. It makes sense really, it's better to work with DIYers to "backstop" their work by having an inspector look at their work and not be an A-hole about it, than to have them do the work anyway and cross their fingers. I love having the building inspectors check my work, worth the couple hundred bucks I pay for a permit.