In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 24 Jul 2015 18:44:02 +0000, Sully
wrote:

replying to Scot, Sully wrote:
blank wrote:

Hoping someone can clear this up.
I have been hearing two conflicting viewpoints on this, regarding
residential wiring of receptacles. One person says that it meets code here
in Mass. for the homeowner to do wiring of new breakers and receptacles.
Another person has told me that any plumbing or electrical work must be
done
by a licensed electrician to meet code.
Can anyone clarify which answer is correct? Any links to websites?
Thanks,
Scott


In accordance with Massachusetts General law 141, Any person who installs
wires, devices, etc FOR HIRE must be licensed, insured, and obtain a
permit.
MA does not have a Homeowners Permit law, nor is there a Homeowners Permit
form

As an Inspector, here in Massachusetts, I will NOT issue a Permit to a
Homeowner, however, any wiring performed by a homeowner has to be in
compliance with current Electrical Codes. According to the insurance
companies. And the Fire Department.
If the wiring does NOT comply, insurance companies are able to show cause
to NOT cover any incidence that may happen

Interesting. Contrast that with car insurance, where one is insured
even for negligence (in fact most injury and damage is caused by
negligence).

But wrt electrical work, if a homeowner is negligent to the point of
violating code, he loses his insurance? What if the evidence shows
he was negligent but was clearly trying to follow code. For example he
put in ten outlets, 9 are perfect and one has a wire that is stripped
too much and touches something (Ignore that if the rest of the house is
properly wired, that won't cause harm.) Find some example where one
could know the code and be planning to follow code, and be technically
able to follow the code (as evidenced by other work done at the same
time in the same house) but was still negligent,. Would insurance be
required to pay?

Or what about if a licensed electrician is negligent? What if he wasn't
even trying to follow code. (Maybe he was drunk that day) Is the
homeowner still insured?

Tom Sullivan
Inspector of Wires