Lesson learned

[Christopher Currins]

Originally Posted by belliott

Hey it was great to have him there.
I love clients working along side me and usually the guys do as I often take a educational approach and everything in the report is very clear.
Nobody ever calls and asks what my report means.

Never happened yet and hope it never does.

Personally, I am not the jumpy everyone is out to sue me type.

I have the same approach..... just don't like them taking things apart or climbing on the roof.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by ccurrins

I have the same approach..... just don't like them taking things apart or climbing on the roof.

Yeah they like to climb up with me.
If they are fast enough for me to not catch them, they know what they are doing.

I warn but do not babysit.Now if they want to be the ones that turn the valve and take liability for the actions after I warn them that is another story.

My guess is half my clients go on to become successful Home Inspectors .

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by belliott

There are brands that compete at much lower prices ,are there not Jeff?

Possibly, but I am not aware of any comparable tool.

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by jpope

Possibly, but I am not aware of any comparable tool.

I wouldn't buy anything else either...

The Ideal is handy when you inspect older buildings, never know what may have been altered when, or not installed correctly to begin with.

I don't use it unless I have a feeling the Shaq suits the need for a lil advanced testing.

They take a lot of guess work out of the equation.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by tspargo

Robert... pic 2 of 2 looks like a "bootleg" in my book. The neutral comes up and around the ground screw. Pic just threw ya is all.

I did see the neutral around the ground screw, I was just wondering why someone would do this when the metallic box is normally grounded by the raceway especially in Chicago where most everything is wired in conduit. Bob cleared that up when he said that there was a break somewhere in the conduit.

[Linas Dapkus]

Originally Posted by belliott

My client happened to be an Electrician and he decided to open a few receptacles while I was going through the kitchen.
I normally just check with three light tester but may decide to upgrade after his find.
Check it out here.....
[ATTACH]Attachment 44262[/ATTACH]


Note: pay attention to him confirming that the conduit is open and not capable of being used as a ground unless the break is found.
Turns out he could not locate the issue while there as it may be in a wall.

My client happened to be an Electrician

Did you "card him" to make sure he was union and paid up on his dues?

[Jeffrey R. Wicklander]

Don't have to show a card if the first person doesn't produce their receipt first.

Jeff

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by ldapkus1

Did you "card him" to make sure he was union and paid up on his dues?

Never asked if he was 134 but he knew more than the guy who wired the house

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by jwicklander

Don't have to show a card if the first person doesn't produce their receipt first.

Jeff

Jeff, anyone can do Electric work residential in Illinois correct?

[Jeffrey R. Wicklander]

If you are the homeowner, you can work on your own. Still need a permit and city inspection.
If you hired someone...
a) that person needs to be licensed by the town/city
or
b) the contractor that they are working for needs to be licensed which needs to be filed with the town/city that you are working. Therefor, that head person is responsible for the work that their guy(s) do.

In unincorporated areas, you do not need to be licensed, just where a state license is required (plumbers and roofers).

Jeff

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by jwicklander

If you are the homeowner, you can work on your own. Still need a permit and city inspection.
If you hired someone...
a) that person needs to be licensed by the town/city
or
b) the contractor that they are working for needs to be licensed which needs to be filed with the town/city that you are working. Therefor, that head person is responsible for the work that their guy(s) do.

In unincorporated areas, you do not need to be licensed, just where a state license is required (plumbers and roofers).

Jeff

Jeff ,I do not doubt you are correct but explain how outfits such as Sears,ABT,etc can come in and run new branch circuits while installing appliances then?

[Jeffrey R. Wicklander]

There's somebody in the 'office' that has a license.
When was the last time Sears/K-Mart used their own technicians to do installations. They're generally subbed out.

Jeff

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by jwicklander

There's somebody in the 'office' that has a license.
When was the last time Sears/K-Mart used their own technicians to do installations. They're generally subbed out.

Jeff

Exactly, as you may recall I subbed for Sears and we went everywhere with an average of 200 miles per day driving .

So as you understand it a single license can cover a crew?
Plumbers?
Roofers?

They obviously get away with it somehow because all the trades are performed during installations .

[Linas Dapkus]

Originally Posted by belliott

Exactly, as you may recall I subbed for Sears and we went everywhere with an average of 200 miles per day driving .

So as you understand it a single license can cover a crew?
Plumbers?
Roofers?

They obviously get away with it somehow because all the trades are performed during installations .

SCABS

[George P. Wells, CMI]

Originally Posted by belliott

So as you understand it a single license can cover a crew?

I cannot comment on Illinois but in most jurisdictions in which I've worked, the license holder is ultimately responsible for the job but not required to present at the job site. A journeyman can be alone on a job or supervise other journeymen and apprentices. Apprentices usually cannot be on a job unless the license holder or a journeyman is present. Some jurisdictions also have a ratio of journeymen to apprentices that limits the number of apprentices on the job to ensure that the apprentices are properly supervised.