what electrical work can/can't i do as a homeowner?

[greenbenz]

i heard a rumour that the ontario electrical code was being changed so that homeowners could no longer take out permits to do some electrical work on there house.

does anyone know if these changes have been implemented, and what the changes are, if any?

thanks.
________
Roll A Joint (http://howtorollajoint.net/)

[joed]

The changes don't take effect until Jan 2007. I don't think they restrict you from doing your own work. They restrict you from doing work on some else's house.
Currently anyone can do electrical and charge for it. That will change in Jan 2007.

[dkerr]

Restricting homeowners from doing there own work I believe would be counter-productive in nature, you want people to have their work inspected for safety reasons. Any law / code maker saying the homeowner can't do any electrical work, will in a lot of cases just drive them underground, in that they will do their own work in efforts to save money and not have it inspected because of laws forbidding them from doing their own work. I think such a law could put people in unsafe situations not help them.

However having people charging others to do their electrical work is another thing if they don't have proven qualifications, unless they are working under the umbrella of someone who is licensed. You can't work in the business unless you have qualifications or supervision within that business. People will often assist or help other homeowners as a favor without charging them ( or I help you, you help me with something else), and that again can't be prevented or shouldn't be, as long as the work is checked.

Outright baning such things again I feel can be worse than just making a inspection requirement of any work down.

That is just my view on the subject.

[Bumblerazz]

I agree with you on that.

[joed]

I agree totally with you.

However government seldom does what makes sense.

[slowzuki]

In New Brunswick, only electrical contractors can get electrical permits. Electrians can do repairs without permits on some things.

Homeowner can't do a thing legally on their own, in actuality, people do their own work and get a friend to look it over. It has driven the work underground. Everbody finishes their own basement and does their own wiring resulting in all kinds of neat pictures in the inspection office.

I don't understand their logic. The plumbing department lets you do your own plumbing for a huge permit fee and you have to write a very difficult 3 hour test including isometrics for a 4 story building with combinations of wet venting and 4 toilets on one line etc etc, things a homeowner is never going to encounter. I'm a mech-eng and wrote it and did well, the inspection department was shocked because the test was designed to prevent people from passing. People end up going home and doing their own plumbing anyways, why make it hard for them to get it inspected.

[joed]

In New Brunswick, only electrical contractors can get electrical permits. Electrians can do repairs without permits on some things.

Homeowner can't do a thing legally on their own, in actuality, people do their own work and get a friend to look it over. It has driven the work underground. Everbody finishes their own basement and does their own wiring resulting in all kinds of neat pictures in the inspection office.

I don't understand their logic. The plumbing department lets you do your own plumbing for a huge permit fee and you have to write a very difficult 3 hour test including isometrics for a 4 story building with combinations of wet venting and 4 toilets on one line etc etc, things a homeowner is never going to encounter. I'm a mech-eng and wrote it and did well, the inspection department was shocked because the test was designed to prevent people from passing. People end up going home and doing their own plumbing anyways, why make it hard for them to get it inspected.


UNIONS and lobbying. Just my opinion.

[Richards]

Hi all, Just found this forum. I am a UK electrician with all nessesary qualifications and registrations to work here. My brother who lives in GTA has asked me to come back over to refit his kitchen including plumbing and electrics. Now 1st jan has passed how does this new rule affect my brother and i doing work in his own home ?

[joed]

No effect on working on your own home. You can't work for money as a contrator/handyman doing electrical.

Check this site for more info.

http://www.esainspection.net/