My rant on electricians... and why America is going down the shitter...

[Popeye the Sailor]

Did read the posts.  Hell, I wen't back and reread his posts to make sure I didn't miss some stupid remark he made.  He said that pulling wire and attaching said wire to terminals could be done by a monkey.  He's right, personal experience says an 8 year old can do that.  He never called any electrician "a monkey".  Sure, he pregnant doged about the high costs, and I'd say he had a reason.  One contractor telling him it was essentially $400 in labor to hook a meter box to a shutoff?  He called BS, and I would too.

Meh-it's all perspective.

One can oversimplify anything.

He's an air traffic controller. How hard could that be? Just make sure planes, which don't want to fly into each other to begin with, don't fly into each other. A chimp could do it. Just put the new planes in places old planes aren't. Duh.

[lethe]

Meh-it's all perspective.

One can oversimplify anything.

He's an air traffic controller. How hard could that be? Just make sure planes, which don't want to fly into each other to begin with, don't fly into each other. A chimp could do it. Just put the new planes in places old planes aren't. Duh.

Says a guy who just throws big tubes up in the air with a little fire. Put it in orbit with just rubber bands and then I'll be impressed.

[TAftonomos]

Did read the posts.  Hell, I wen't back and reread his posts to make sure I didn't miss some stupid remark he made.  He said that pulling wire and attaching said wire to terminals could be done by a monkey.  He's right, personal experience says an 8 year old can do that.  He never called any electrician "a monkey".  Sure, he pregnant doged about the high costs, and I'd say he had a reason.  One contractor telling him it was essentially $400 in labor to hook a meter box to a shutoff?  He called BS, and I would too.

Punx gets me

And you are right Mr I,  I play do not connect the dots, and 2 simple rules.  5 miles/1000 feet.

[Popeye the Sailor]

Anything is easy if you know how.


Not too long ago I paid an electrician about 2-3K to come put in a new box in my garage (now I can run a compressor!), and get all the wiring/separate meter straightened out, and get the whole permitting thing done.

Too much? Maybe-but given that I'd either electrocute myself, burn the place down, or both, totally worth it to me.

[Triple J]

Anything is easy if you know how.


Not too long ago I paid an electrician about 2-3K to come put in a new box in my garage (now I can run a compressor!), and get all the wiring/separate meter straightened out, and get the whole permitting thing done.

Too much? Maybe-but given that I'd either electrocute myself, burn the place down, or both, totally worth it to me.

Sounds like your guy did more work.

[TAftonomos]

Anything is easy if you know how.


Not too long ago I paid an electrician about 2-3K to come put in a new box in my garage (now I can run a compressor!), and get all the wiring/separate meter straightened out, and get the whole permitting thing done.

Too much? Maybe-but given that I'd either electrocute myself, burn the place down, or both, totally worth it to me.

I can't help buy think what would I spend the 2-3K on, instead of an electrician .  Of course, if your pockets are overflowing with cash, then who cares!  Sad;y, mine arnt.


I picked up my meter base today from the poco.  My "helper" won't be around till beginning of next week, so I wait.  In the meantime, I actually got a HVAC dude to come by and give me a quote for installing ducting, the returns, plenum, all that junk.  Lots of manual labor, and he is reasonable, so he got the job 

[angler]

I can't help buy think what would I spend the 2-3K on, instead of an electrician .  Of course, if your pockets are overflowing with cash, then who cares!  Sad;y, mine arnt.


I picked up my meter base today from the poco.  My "helper" won't be around till beginning of next week, so I wait.  In the meantime, I actually got a HVAC dude to come by and give me a quote for installing ducting, the returns, plenum, all that junk.  Lots of manual labor, and he is reasonable, so he got the job 

Bet he won't bring you moonshine or offer you free range time.......

[Popeye the Sailor]

I can't help buy think what would I spend the 2-3K on, instead of an electrician .  Of course, if your pockets are overflowing with cash, then who cares!  Sad;y, mine arnt.

You should see what I charge for a satellite 

[He Man]

You should see what I charge for a satellite 

How much would it cost to send a satellite into space and put it into orbit directly next to directTV's and denote onboard explosives?

Discount Space Ship store prices:

Satellite: $1000
Rocket fuel: $2000
Explosives: $500

Thats only $3500 in parts and a monkey could push a button to space....WITHOUT training. So how much?

[Popeye the Sailor]

How much would it cost to send a satellite into space and put it into orbit directly next to directTV's and denote onboard explosives?

Discount Space Ship store prices:

Satellite: $1000
Rocket fuel: $2000
Explosives: $500

Thats only $3500 in parts and a monkey could push a button to space....WITHOUT training. So how much?

$300,000,000.00 And two years 

[Greg]

$300,000,000.00 And two years 

[evil]Insert joke about Unions driving up costs here[evil]

[Pip]

[evil]Insert joke about Unions driving up costs here[evil]

 

[brimo]

In Australia, electricians are a regulated trade,  in other words you can't do the work (legally and have it certified) unless you have done a 4 year apprenticeship and sat a licencing exam. You also have to sit more tests if you want to contract your skills to the public.
It is a highly skilled occupation that covers all electrical work, not just pulling wires through houses.
When I do my work, yeah, maybe it looks easy, but you don't know what skill and years of experience I am using while doing up that screw to look for potential problems. It will be done properly and safely the first time and if not the weight of the regulating authority comes down on you hard.

My wife gets this kind of thing all the time too, as a podiatrist she's had 4 years of university training plus untold hours of clinical work. She is qualified to diagnose and treat surgically or otherwise any lower limb problems that are encountered.
" what! $65 to cut my toenails! "  but she is looking and testing for potential future health problems while doing this work.
I guess the analogies could go on and on, be it your doctor, lawyer or Duc mechanic, sure DIY but what are the risks.
I did want to mention the trades that overquote on a job if it's a job they don't really wanna do, maybe they're too busy or it's a PITA job. If the customer accepts the quote then it's  a bit of cream for the tradie.
I dont condone this practice, if I don't want to do a job I just say so, simple as that, but it does go on out there.

[1KDS]

It's the same here in the us as far as apprentice-journeyman-master/license, years of training and on the job experience before you get a license.

[vaclav!]

After you land the wires, you might want to go back later and retorque the lugs.  Its a monkey thing (j/k). Stranded wire tends to settle, especially in the larger sizes. Good luck on your project.