Problem: Fuses to Breakers
 

Hello,

I'm hoping to get some insight on a dilemma. I'm not an expert at
explaining this type of thing, so please forgive me if this all sounds
confusing.

We (my wife and I) recently purchased a home, had our inspection, and
were waiting for a few final details to be taken care of before the
closing. One of which was that the current owners would agree to
replace the fuse panel in the basement with breakers. The current power
for the house is 100 amp.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, until the people we're buying
the house from said they couldn't put the breakers in after all
(despite the fact that they agreed to do this in writing). The reason
being? In order to replace a fuse box with a breaker panel in this
particular city, a person is required to upgrade to 200 amp service.
This wouldn't be that big of a deal, but they happen to have a patio
built in the area where the power comes into the house, and if the
upgrade goes from 100 amp to 200 amp, there are stricter regulations on
what can be near the power lines, etc. To make a long story short, the
existing deck would have to be altered or removed. This would create
quite an expense, so obviously they don't want to do it. This is the
only way they can put the breakers in according to the city. We don't
really want a power upgrade, and have no real use for it, but would
really like the breakers install for insurance reasons and added safety
(if we don't have the breakers, our premiums rise and we're unable to
take advantage of discounts, etc.).

So does anyone have some advice on this? Is there a way around the
codes for this city? From what I understand, it's not a state thing,
just for this community. We're currently looking into it on our end.
Or, if we can't have the breakers put in with the current 100 amp
system, should we force the owners to come down in price or to
compensate us in some other way? After all, they did agree to do this.
And if they don't, it puts us in a bad position.

Please, if you have an opinion or some advice on this, please let me
know what you think.

Thanks,
Mick

What a pain. I am surprised you have to go to 200 amp. I would bet
money there's no way around that code item.

Whatever you don't make the seller do, *you* will have to do when you
sell the place. Assume that the day after you buy the house you have
to sell it for some reason - where does that leave you ?

I would make them do everything, or else deduct the full cost of doing
everything. Including the deck alteration and all that. Depending on
the height of the house I 'think' they may be able to raise the point
at which the electrical supply line connects to the house, rather than
lowering the deck. You'd want to ask someone who knows about that, esp
in your locale. To go from 60 to 200 they have to run a new line
anyway I think so maybe they could reattach it higher.

Anway, basic point - either make them bring it up to code, even if it
means ripping out the deck or whatever, or else deduct the full cost of
all the electrical and deck work from the price. The sellers know they
have a problem and making them fix it, or deducting the cost, is
perfectly reasonable. They're in the same position as if they still
had gas lighting.

On 5 Mar 2005 00:50:54 -0800, wrote:

Anway, basic point - either make them bring it up to code, even if it
means ripping out the deck or whatever, or else deduct the full cost of
all the electrical and deck work from the price. The sellers know they
have a problem and making them fix it, or deducting the cost, is
perfectly reasonable. They're in the same position as if they still
had gas lighting.

He's right. One other thing to remember is that, if you do go through
with this deal and get the credit for all this work included in the
purchase of the house, you can live with the fuses for a while.
They're perfectly safe as long as the correct sizes are in the box
(you don't want a 30 amp fuse in a 20 amp slot, for example). That'll
give you time to live with the deck and think through what you'd like
to do differently with it if you do end up having to rip it apart.

In article .com,
wrote:
Hello,

I'm hoping to get some insight on a dilemma. I'm not an expert at
explaining this type of thing, so please forgive me if this all sounds
confusing.

We (my wife and I) recently purchased a home, had our inspection, and
were waiting for a few final details to be taken care of before the
closing. One of which was that the current owners would agree to
replace the fuse panel in the basement with breakers. The current power
for the house is 100 amp.

I don't know if they are still available or if they would satisfy the
insurance requirements, but if you can find them, replace the fuses with
"Mini-Breakers" which screw into the fuse sockets.

I have only seen them with the standard (light bulb type) screw base so
if you have the type S fuses, your outa luck.

--
Rich Greenberg Marietta, GA, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 770 321 6507
Eastern time. N6LRT I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67
Canines:Val, Red & Shasta (RIP),Red, husky Owner:Chinook-L
Atlanta Siberian Husky Rescue. www.panix.com/~richgr/ Asst Owner:Sibernet-L

If you get a reduction in price and have the work done yourself, you have
the option of doing it with the quality of materials that you want or would
like.

If you "force" the seller to do it, they will do as little as possible as
cheaply as possible, you may not be happy with the results, but they will
have lived up to their obligation.

"KLS" wrote in message
...
On 5 Mar 2005 00:50:54 -0800, wrote:

Anway, basic point - either make them bring it up to code, even if it
means ripping out the deck or whatever, or else deduct the full cost of
all the electrical and deck work from the price. The sellers know they
have a problem and making them fix it, or deducting the cost, is
perfectly reasonable. They're in the same position as if they still
had gas lighting.

He's right. One other thing to remember is that, if you do go through
with this deal and get the credit for all this work included in the
purchase of the house, you can live with the fuses for a while.
They're perfectly safe as long as the correct sizes are in the box
(you don't want a 30 amp fuse in a 20 amp slot, for example). That'll
give you time to live with the deck and think through what you'd like
to do differently with it if you do end up having to rip it apart.

"Eric Tonks" etonks@sunstormADD-DOT-COM wrote in message
...
If you "force" the seller to do it, they will do as little as possible as
cheaply as possible, you may not be happy with the results, but they will
have lived up to their obligation.

That is very good advice. I had a similar situation with a house that I
bought some time ago. The seller considered himself to be a competent
electrician / carpenter / painter, but I spent most of my remodeling effort
fixing his 'improvements'. Definitely get the price of the house lowered
and do the renovations yourself (or have them done by professionals). If I
hadn't done so, his repairs would have increased even further the number of
things I had to fix.

The earlier advice that YOU will have to fix anything that you allow the
current seller to wiggle out of is another good piece of advice. Many
buyers kindly allow the sellers to ignore some important item, thinking that
it isn't important to them, but when they try to sell the house themselves,
they end up paying for the same repairs. Somehow, the next buyer's home
inspector is always more thorough than your own home inspector was.

Take heed to the advice. It is wisdom that they probably paid a price to
gain.

Greg

On 5 Mar 2005 00:50:54 -0800, someone wrote:

I would make them do everything, or else deduct the full cost of doing
everything.

Who died & made you King?

Easy to talk big when you are not actually in your deal.

What Buyer has going for him: Seller agreed to do it.

What Buyer has against him: NEITHER party knew that a 200 amp upgrade
and thus a deck reconstruction would be necessary. Thus, Seller could
argue that this part of the contract is founded on what is known as
"MTUAL MISTAKE".

How many years you wanna litigate this? Sure, Buyer might be able to
pull out of the contract for this. Maybe even get bought off. But
how ya gonna "make them" do all this work instead? What if they
won't?

This could get nasty. Interesting to see the grand pronouncement of
what YOU would make them do. Maybe you should assume Buyer's contract
and then we could watch while you show us how you make them.




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