# Home owners test?



## darcar (Jan 6, 2011)

How does your jurisdiction address homeowners doing electrical work on their own properties?

Some jurisdictions will allow owner to perform work on properties that have homestead (not rental properties etc) only if they can pass an electrical homeowners exam first.

Some will only allow "remodel" work and not installation on a "new" home.

Do you have a test in place?

How many questions?

Do you allow work on new, remodel, or both?

Thanks


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## conarb (Jan 6, 2011)

Darcar:

Many of our jurisdictions did this in the 50s and 60s, eventually the courts threw it out, I don't know the basis and it was probably based upon California statute.


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## fatboy (Jan 6, 2011)

CA, The Colorado State Electrical Board has this written into their rules, that "homestead' jomeowners can do their own work, but their is no test. I guess local jurisdictions that are home rule, as we are, doing their own electrical inspections, could write it into ordinance. But no jurisdictions that I know of are doing it. I'm lucky, I have two good Master Electricians on staff as inspectors.

Funny, my plans examiner and I were just talking about this yesterday.


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## conarb (Jan 6, 2011)

Fatboy:

I think the courts threw out the homeowner testing on the basis that the function had been usurped by the Contractors' License Board. I recall about the same time cities were requiring that we put city license decals on the windshields of all of our trucks, inspectors coming onto a property to make an inspection would check the decals on the trucks parked in front, and if any trucks didn't have decals they would write them up and not pass the inspections.  Eventually a painting contractor on the Peninsula was tagged in one city for not having a decal on his windshield while there were dozens of decals from other cities, on his way home on the freeway he was stopped by the Highway Patrol for having so many city decals that his vision was obstructed.   He went to court and the courts eventually ruled that cities couldn't mandate decals because the licensing function was usurped by the state, I think this was the same basis for banning individual AHJ electrical testing requirements.


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## cboboggs (Jan 6, 2011)

We only allow "homestead" owners permits, they can work on remodel branch circuits only and cannot install or upgrade new service panels. Our homeowner test is 10 two part questions.


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## NH09 (Jan 6, 2011)

NH allows homeowners to do their own electrical work, it must be a single family and the applicants primary residence - and a permit is still required. If the work is bad enough the inspector can require the homeowner to have to work completed by a licensed professional (which I have done).


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## raider1 (Jan 6, 2011)

In Utah a homeowner can do any work they want on their own home. They must be the owner of the property and not a renter. If a homeowner wants to wire their entire home without any knowledge of electrical wiring practices or code that is permissible. They must still pull a permit and comply with the adopted codes.

It is a whole lot of fun to inspect a home wired by someone who got their electrical knowledge form reading a Home depot wiring 1-2-3 book.:roll: 

Chris


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## steveray (Jan 6, 2011)

Same as NH...just can't cut and reconnect per utility...lemme tell ya...homeowners doing their own services and septic system installs...not a good idea...10 times outta 9


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## Frank (Jan 6, 2011)

Virginia allows "owners" to pull permits and do their own work residential and commercial.

"Owner" being broadly defined

"OWNER. The owner or owners of the freehold of the premises or lesser estate therein, a mortgagee or vendee in possession, assignee of rents, receiver, executor, trustee or lessee in control of a building or structure."

This is usually taken to include the regular employees thereof.

Virginia contracting law also has broad expemptions--

"§ 54.1-1101. Exemptions; failure to obtain certificate of occupancy; penalties.

A. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to:

...

7. Any person who performs or supervises the construction, removal, repair or improvement of no more than one primary residence owned by him and for his own use during any 24-month period;

8. Any person who performs or supervises the construction, removal, repair or improvement of a house upon his own real property as a bona fide gift to a member of his immediate family provided such member lives in the house. For purposes of this section, "immediate family" includes one's mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandchild, grandparent, mother-in-law and father-in-law;

9. Any person who performs or supervises the repair or improvement of industrial or manufacturing facilities, or a commercial or retail building, for his own use;

10. Any person who performs or supervises the repair or improvement of residential dwelling units owned by him that are subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (§ 55-248.2 et seq.); "


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## FredK (Jan 6, 2011)

raider1 said:
			
		

> In Utah a homeowner can do any work they want on their own home. They must be the owner of the property and not a renter. If a homeowner wants to wire their entire home without any knowledge of electrical wiring practices or code that is permissible. They must still pull a permit and comply with the adopted codes.It is a whole lot of fun to inspect a home wired by someone who got their electrical knowledge form reading a Home depot wiring 1-2-3 book.:roll:
> 
> Chris


We're the same as raider.  Can do anything they want (permits required of course).

Always fun asking why it's so messed up and then they fess up and say their buddy did the work.


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## peach (Jan 8, 2011)

as long as they get a permit and inspection.. who really cares who DOES the work?  The 4 way switch at the bottom of my stairs must be in the down position in order for the other two to work (bad connection - probably).. I'm a renter not an owner.. if it becomes an issue, I'll have dcspector look at it (and fix it)..

Don't know if all the work here had a permit or not.. don't really care..


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