Originally Posted By: wdecker
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I Agree with the balance between affordability and safety.
Around here (Skokie, IL) we have a great number of 2-3 bedroom, ranch houses on a large lot (typically 90 x 60, but also larger). These houses are being torn down and bigger (4,500 to 6,500 SF, not including the basement) houses. There are three of these monsters being built within 1 block of my house. I also see a large number of these houses being constructed with the basement slab being placed from 15 to 20 feet below grade!
This, along with the prevailence of ballon framing, means that these houses usually employ more commercial construction techniques than traditional residential techniques. In reality, they are commercial properties being used for residential housing.
Now, this is, from a strictly 'code' (local, not NEC or IRC) point of view, EMT is required for electrical. They also now require that smoke / CO detectors be 'hard wired' into the electrical and have battery back up.
Romex is not even an option.
But, does not your position on commercial vs. residential construction mean that you would support commercial requirements for these large houses?
Also, most home owners, given the chance, would opt for the cheapest construction techniques, either for new construction or for remodeling and/or repair. As such, there is much more business for non-licensed, non-insured conractors (who may or may not be actually qualified to do the work), than for professional, qualified, licensed and insured tradesmen.
People want a good quality (and safe) job, but are very indignent when they find out that they actually have to pay for it! But the reality is that they cannot have both.
One job of a home inspector is to point this out. Again, we cannot require them to use licensed and insured workers, but we can recommend. If they don't and the manure hits the ventilator (and it does, eventually) we must make sure that we have clearly and plainly documeted why. That is why I 'recommend' what I do.
If I were to report that the electrical is Romex and that is safe enough and it probably was done correctly (which I can't determine without opening every recepticle and junction box to check every connection) and that if I do find a double tap or an undersized wire, "yeah, go ahead and hire the guy from two doors down who once re-wired his Christmas tree lights with interior zip cord, he probably knows what he is doing", I would be negligent in my responsibility.
As such, If I see Romex in an area where I know that the local code doesn't allow it, I call it out as a 'proable' code violation and 'recommend' that it be evaluated by a licensed and insured electrical contractor. If I see Romex in an area where it was (at the time of the original construction) code or still is 'allowable, I write it up as a 'less safe' technique and, again, recommend evaluation by a licensed and insured sparky. I have, therefore, fulfilled my mandate from the state law and, at least, given full disclosure to my client.
I have also, properly, shifted, my liability from myself to those who the law wants to have it.
That is the point, isn't it.
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Will Decker
Decker Home Services
Skokie, IL 60076
wjd@DeckerHomeServices.com