Aaron Fude wrote:
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

Aaron
The reason is really quite simple. Not all of the electrical work for a
kitchen is as simple as you suppose it is. The general contractors
insurance policy specifically excludes any coverage of work for which
the insured does not hold the proper license. Since keeping up with one
industry is enough for most contractors to do well, the smart ones
stick with the craft that they already know and bring in the specialist
to do the others. Kitchens can involve multiwire branch circuits,
120/240 volt appliances 240 volt appliances, automatic switching
circuits, safety interlocks, and the list goes on. I'm often called in
by general contractors after the residential wireman on the job has
given up on the controls for a two part refrigeration system or other
only slightly esoteric assembly. Even though it is certainly within the
mental capacity of any successful general contractor to manage all of
those details the real cost of maintaining the necessary licenses and
insurance coverage to engage in the additional work is sufficient
deterrent to most.
--
Tom Horne