"Aaron Fude" wrote in message
...
Suppose you are remodeling your kitchen and all the necessary circuits
have been run from the electrical box to the kitchen. It seems like
the rest is the easiest part of the project: setting up the electrical
boxes and the switches, and connecting the devices. Then why do
general contractors don't do that part themselves but still
subcontract it out to the pricey electricians? I understand that they
pass that cost to the homeowner, but still it would have been more
profitable to it themselves.

What am I missing? I feel like there must be something about it that's
not easy that I'm not seeing. I've been adding electrical outlets and
installing fixtures and doing stuff like that myself since I bought
the house and it's certainly easier than carpentry. Perhaps it's the
regulations? Anyway, please let me know what you think.

Aaron

Fixing outlets and wiring a house are worlds apart. Just as fixing an under
the counter pipe and plumbing a slab before it's poured.

I just helped my union electrician friend wire an addition I'm doing. I was
amazed after thinking it wasn't that hard. Well, it really ISN'T that hard,
but if you get it wrong, the place may burn down or someone may die. And he
was trying to explain as he went, but he was speaking Greek to me. Think of
it. You just got the studs, and you want THAT lamp to light from these
three switches, but not those two. And you need to know if you can safely
run two more outlets on this piece of Romex, or do you need to drag another
length from the panel.

If a contractor has a problem with a licensed electrician, no problem.
Phone call, and the man makes it right. If he doesn't, the contractor makes
a complaint, has the work done, charges it to the electrician's surety bond,
and goes on his way. Unless the guy isn't licensed, and then depending on
the state, he's in trouble. Some states have made it a felony to contract
without a license they got so tired of yokels doing shoddy work.

Many times contractors have favorites. And it's not usually a
brother-in-law. It's a guy that the contractor knows will get in and out
for a good price, and no questions asked if there's a problem. But, since
the guys are usually pretty good, there's hardly any problems, and if they
are, they are small.

One less headache for the contractor. Oh yeah, he'll add about 20% to what
the electrician charges.

Steve