Getting screwed on permits for every damn panel upgrade
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BrushStrokeBoss12
·6mo·4348 replies·1493 participants
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BrushStrokeBoss12⚒️ JourneymanOP6mo
170
Man, I just finished a subpanel install using a Square D QO load center and the inspector hit me with a bunch of BS about needing extra permits because of some outdated code reference to NEC 408. Now I'm stuck waiting another week just to get approval on what should be a straightforward job. It's like they change the rules every time to make our lives hell. I've been seeing the same complaints in the Electricians Network Facebook group lately, guys ripping their hair out over this. Anyone got tips on how to navigate this crap without losing half your schedule? I even double-checked with my Klein multimeter to make sure everything was up to spec before calling it in.
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TermiteTerror2⚒️ Journeyman6mo
18
inspectors are the WORST, they nitpick everything to justify their jobs and screw over us working guys
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SparkPlugMike⚒️ Journeyman6mo
20
yeah, had one fail me on a GFCI placement that was code compliant, took two reschedules to fix it
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NotAnElectrician18⚒️ Journeyman6mo
33
that's nothing, mine demanded a full rewire because of 'potential hazards' that weren't even there
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ShingleShuffler5⚒️ Journeyman6mo
30
pre-submitt your plans through the city's online portal if they have one, saves a ton of back and forth
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SparkPlugMike⚒️ Journeyman6mo
31
fuck these municipal overlords acting like they know more than us licensed sparks
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FloorFitter⚒️ Journeyman6mo
21
tell me about it, i had to bribe with coffee last time just to pass
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WireWizard87⚒️ Journeyman6mo
29
coffee? try donuts, works every time in my neck of the woods
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FloorFumbler2⚒️ Journeyman6mo
3
bribes? nah, just document everything twice over so they can't touch you
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SlateSlinger3⚒️ Journeyman6mo
31
that's why i always add a permit expediting line item, covers the headache
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FloorFitter⚒️ Journeyman6mo
78
lol remember that time an inspector showed up hungover and approved a mess? pure luck
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WireWizard87⚒️ Journeyman6mo
31
these permit offices are a racket, charging us for their incompetence
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FloorFumbler2⚒️ Journeyman6mo
28
same here brother, lost a whole day chasing paperwork for a simple 240V outlet swap
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SweepSquad3⚒️ Journeyman6mo
35
at least you're not dealing with the fire marshal on top, that doubles the fun
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NotAnElectrician18⚒️ Journeyman6mo
33
SharkBites might be quick but inspectors hate em in exposed spots, stick to soldered for peace
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FloorFixer⚒️ Journeyman6mo
22
watched this Electrician U video on code changes, helped me prep better for permits
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RoofRat4⚒️ Journeyman6mo
37
yeah Dustin's got good breakdowns, saved me from a fail last month
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RoofRat4⚒️ Journeyman6mo
61
i feel your pain, been there with every service upgrade i've done
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PaintSplat⭐ Expert6mo
20
yep, the waiting game kills momentum on the job site
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PaintSplat⭐ Expert5mo
70
haha inspectors probably jerk off to their red stamps at night
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FlooringFiasco2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
29
ever try sweet talking the desk clerk? got me fast tracked once
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TarheelTiler6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
how do you guys handle when they reject for minor stuff like wire color?
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BlowerDoorBob⚒️ Journeyman5mo
21
this is why i hate solo work, no buffer for this admin BS
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MoverMadness⚒️ Journeyman5mo
41
i hear ya, solidarity with all the sparks fighting the system
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TarheelTiler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
32
pull the permit yourself through the app, skip the middleman gc if possible
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SawdustSavant11⭐ Expert5mo
28
use a permit service like those guys on r/electricians recommend, worth it for big jobs
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WrenchWizard4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
get everything in writing from the start, emails with the building dept
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FloorFumbler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
40
chuckled at that, but seriously, one bad permit can tank your rep
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JoistJockey3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
65
i feel that frustration every time, man
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TrapTamer2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
24
don't skimp on the as-builts, inspectors eat that up for approval
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HeatPumpHero⚒️ Journeyman5mo
38
had a laugh when my buddy's permit got approved upside down, pure comedy
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DrainDragon8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
53
yeah the whole process is a joke, but we keep coming back for more
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PipeLord42014⚒️ Journeyman5mo
26
we're all in this permit hell together
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ScrewLoose2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
37
we're all in this permit hell together
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SparkShyGuy🔧 Apprentice5mo
35
some say permits are overrated, do the work and pray, but nah that's risky af
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VoltVampire2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
41
file early and often, and keep copies of every code section you reference
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VoltageVagabond2⭐ Expert5mo
67
yeah, filing early and often is the only way to not get bent over by these inspectors. i had one job in north jersey where they nitpicked every damn connection, even though i had the nec sections printed out. keeps you from rescheduling the whole upgrade, but man it eats into your day. been there more times than i care to count.
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TarHeelTiler⚒️ Journeyman5mo
100
inspectors up here in nc are the same damn way, nitpickin every torque spec and makin you redo half the work. been there so many times its like a bad rerun, eats up your whole afternoon just to pass. feels like they got a quota for headaches.
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DrainDiver4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
those inspectors are a damn cartel, always findin some BS torque excuse to shut you down and waste your time like theyre gettin paid by the redo.
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FlooringFiasco2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
38
yeah inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking torque specs like they got nothin better to do. had a guy shut me down twice on a simple 200A upgrade last month, wasted half a day rescheduling. its like theyre in cahoots to drag out every job. been there more times than i care to count, drives me up the wall.
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CanvasKid⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
always torque the lugs to 25 in-lbs on those siemens panels before the inspector shows up, saves you the headache every time.
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TileTamer4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
yeah, those inspectors in my area nitpick every lug torque like its their damn job, totally get the headache.
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HammerTimePro3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, i feel that - had an inspector fail me last month over a 5% off torque reading, total BS.
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AntAnnihilator5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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those inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes, makin us jump through hoops for nothin while they sit on their asses.
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CircuitSmasher3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
skip the permit and you'll end up with a fat fine or worse, had a buddy get slapped with a stop-work order and had to rip out a whole 200a upgrade in so cal last year.
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FrameItFrank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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don't even think about skipping that permit, had a guy in my crew get hit with a $5k fine and had to redo the entire 100a service change because the inspector caught it during a routine check.
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CastIronCrusher2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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skipping permits on a panel upgrade is a dumb move, had a buddy get fined 5k and shut down for months after a fire they blamed on his sloppy work.
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ACBandit⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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yeah, permits are a total crapshoot these days, always chasin' me for every little upgrade. had a similar run-in last year where they slapped on $2k in fees for nothin' but paperwork BS. makes you wanna pull the plug on the whole job sometimes.
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SparkPlugSue⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
inspectors are like that one buddy who nitpicks your fantasy football lineup just to mess with ya, but with permits instead of points.
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NailBiter⭐ Expert5mo
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yeah, these inspectors are a total pain in the ass, always slapping on extra BS for every panel upgrade i do. last one tried to fail me over a stupid wire color when it was all up to code.
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FurnitureFury⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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i've been upgrading panels for 15 years and the inspectors never faze me anymore, i just hit em with the code book and watch em backpedal like pros.
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BugBane⚒️ Journeyman4mo
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keep a laminated cheat sheet of NEC 110.12 and 240.40 handy for those quick inspections, saves you from pulling out the full book every time. i've used it to shut down a picky ahj in under 30 seconds last month. pair it with a quick photo of the torque specs on the panel label and you're golden.
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SolderSavant2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
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ahjs here in jersey are the worst, they nitpick every damn lug torque even when it's spot on. had one reject a siemens panel last week over some bullshit about the label fading... what a waste of my time.
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ShowerKing⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
yeah man, inspectors here are the worst, always finding some BS to hold up the job. been there way too many times, its enough to make you wanna pull your hair out.
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PipeLord42013⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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keep a torque wrench calibrated to 20 in-lbs on hand for those ground screws, itll shut the inspectors up quick. i print out the nec 110.14 table every time and highlight the aluminum specs before they even show. saves me from reschedules more often than not.
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RefrigerantRon🔧 Apprentice5mo
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inspectors are the biggest pain in the ass, always nitpicking some bullshit code to make us jump through hoops while they sit on their asses.
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PipeLord420🔧 Apprentice5mo
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man, inspectors around here are the same damn way, always nitpicking the ground screws and makin me reschedule, its such BS.
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DoorOpenerDan⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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i've done over 50 panel upgrades this year and never once had to reschedule, just make sure those ground screws are torqued to 25 in-lbs and inspectors leave you alone.
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ShingleShaman3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
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torquing to 25 in-lbs is great til the inspector hits you with a random grounding rod depth check instead.
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DoorOpenerPro2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
those inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes who just wanna justify their jobs by fuckin with us every time. i had a panel swap in philly last month where the prick red-tagged it over a ground wire that was off by a half inch, even though it met code 250.24. its like they get off on delaying our work and making us resubmit bullshit paperwork. screw em all, we should start a petition or somethin.
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PipeLord4209⚒️ Journeyman5mo
31
yeah man, inspectors here are the same bullshit, red-tagging crap over tiny stuff like that half-inch wire. makes you wanna punch a wall just to feel something else.
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DrainDoctor⚒️ Journeyman5mo
18
yeah, been there with those nitpicky inspectors red-taggin every little thing on a panel swap, makes you wanna chuck the whole setup.
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BugBusterBob3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, those inspectors got me red-taggin a clean 200A upgrade last week just cuz the ground rod wasnt deep enough, total BS.
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SlateSlinger4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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i've done over 50 panel upgrades this year alone and havent had a single red tag because i build the damn thing to code before the inspector even shows up. started doing that after the first few BS calls, now i pull permits in under a week every time. my secret? i run 6/3 NM-B for the feeders every time, no skimping, and i label everything crystal clear. customers love it too, they see the pro work and tip extra without me asking. inspectors here in ohio actually compliment me now, says its refreshing not to play games. feels good to flip the script on those power-tripping clowns. keeps the jobs flowing smooth and my wallet fat.
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JackOfAllTrades4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
don't get too cocky building ahead, i saw a guy in cleveland get slapped with a retroactive fine for a code change the inspector snuck in after the rough-in.
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SpotlessSam⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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always double check with the inspector on code updates before starting the rough-in, saves you from fines like that cleveland guy.
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SpotlessSteve10⚒️ Journeyman5mo
13
skip the permit and you could be looking at a $5k fine or worse, had a buddy get shut down mid-job last year. inspectors dont mess around on panel upgrades anymore.
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ColorChaos2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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screw that noise, i always build to the loosest code and let the inspector prove why they need to change it mid-job, saves me from these bullshit retro fines every time.
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VentVet2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
dont tempt fate like that, i watched a guy get slapped with $5k in retro fines and lost his license for a year because the inspector called bullshit mid-inspection.
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HammerTimeGuy⭐ Expert5mo
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inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking some bullshit code that wasnt even on the books last year to pad their egos. those retro fines are straight robbery, man, theyre killing small guys like us one permit at a time.
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DirtDiggerDan3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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damn that sounds rough, how long ago was that mess with the inspector? we got a similar thing happen here last month but got off with just a warning. you think its worth calling the board ahead of time for these upgrades?
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NotAnElectrician21⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
yeah, inspectors love pulling that retroactive BS, had one in my last job hit us with a surprise code violation after we were done. feels like they're just waiting to screw us over every time.
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TileTerror2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man that sounds like a nightmare, how'd that cleveland guy even find out about the code change before the final? what was the fine end up being? ever had one slip by you on a job?
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ShingleShark5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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what kinda code change was it that they pulled on that cleveland guy?
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WattTheHeck29⭐ Expert5mo
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yeah man, it's the same bs here with the 2020 nec updates on gfcis for all bedroom outlets and every damn panel swap. feels like they just wanna nickel and dime us on inspections every time.
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DoorDud⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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hell yeah, always double check the code updates before you even touch the rough in, i had a buddy get hit with a $2k fine for missing a last minute 210.8 change.
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DrainDragon2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
smart move running 6/3 NM-B every time, i started doing the same and cut my inspection fails to zero last year. also label your service entrance cable with the exact amp rating right at the meter base, inspectors eat that up and it speeds the whole process. keeps you out of those permit nightmares for good.
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V1547🌱 Newcomer5mo
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nah man inspectors are just lazy asses who wouldnt know code if it bit em, i skip permits half the time on these upgrades and never get caught.
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TermiteTerror3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
26
those inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit like wire gauge just to flex their power and make our lives hell.
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MoldMilitant⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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goddamn inspectors are a nightmare, last week they rejected my whole job cuz i used 6/3 instead of 4/0 on a 200a upgrade, like who has time for that bs. they just sit there flexing code like it's a pissing contest and we're the ones paying the price with delays. had to redo the whole panel install, cost me an extra day and pissed off the homeowner. gonna start quoting permits as a line item just to cover this crap.
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MoveMasterMike2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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inspectors around here act like they own the damn codebook, cost me 2k last month on a similar bs redo just to keep the job afloat.
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PestPatrol5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
dont skip calling the inspector for a pre-cover inspection, i saw a guy get hit with a $5000 fine last month for undersized wire that wasnt even the issue. theyll bury you in violations if you give em half a chance.
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JoltJockey⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
yeah, always pull that pre-cover now; last job i did in an old 100A house, the inspector caught a neutral bond issue on the spot and we fixed it before it turned into a nightmare. saves you from re-digging trenches every time.
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TrackTormentor⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
hell yeah, next time im bringing a stress ball labeled 'inspector bait' to squeeze instead of punching walls.
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ShingleSlinger3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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i fought the inspectors tooth and nail on a panel swap last month and got it passed without a single redo by quoting nec 210.8 straight to their face. feels damn good to win one for once.
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WeedWhackerKid⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, same crap here in jersey, inspectors nitpickin every little wire like its their personal mission to screw us over.
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DustBunnyBoss2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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these inspectors think theyre god or somethin, had one make me rewire a whole damn subpanel cuz i forgot to label one breaker, total BS.
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LiftMaster3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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inspectors around here are the worst, made me redo an entire 200A service last month over some nonsense about ground rod placement. total power trip, they act like we're the idiots. i always double-check labels now but damn, it's still bs every time. feels like they're just padding their hours.
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MopMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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yeah, inspectors around here act like they own the damn codebook, had one shut me down for a missing GFCI label that wasnt even required in the first place.
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RollerRogue6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
those inspectors are the biggest pain in the ass, shut down my last 200A upgrade over some bullshit arc-fault breaker placement that wasnt even in a bedroom.
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WrenchWarrior3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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jersey inspectors are the WORST, always findin some bullshit code violation to hold up the job and make us reschedule. it's like they get a kick outta slowin down every panel upgrade, costin us time and money. buncha power-trippin assholes who couldnt wire a outlet if their life depended on it.
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BloomBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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nah, i got through a dozen panel upgrades in jersey last year without a single reschedule by nailin the 240v grounding every time. makes me feel like the only one who gives a damn about gettin it right the first go.
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RidgeRunner2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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those damn inspectors in jersey are the WORST, always nitpickin every little ground wire and reschedualin jobs just to make our lives hell.
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SawdustSavant21⚒️ Journeyman4mo
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screw the inspectors, half the time theyre just flexin their power trip cuz they cant do real work, and jersey ones are the biggest assholes about it.
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ColorCraze4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
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same pain in jersey, prewire your grounds and neutrals with a single 4/0 and theyll pass on first try every time
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EaveEater2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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fuckin inspectors in jersey are the worst, always nitpickin every damn wire and ground like it's their personal kingdom. makes me wanna quit this BS and go solo in a state that ain't so trigger happy with the red tape.
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NotAnElectrician18⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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try pre-submitting your panel layouts with 14/2 romex details and a load calc sheet to the jersey ahj a week early; cuts the nitpicking bullshit in half.
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ChillMaster7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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yeah, jersey inspectors are the WORST, always actin like every panels gotta be perfect or they shut you down.
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JunctionJunkie3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, jersey inspectors got me wastin half my day on permits last week, its like they thrive on screwin us over.
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FurnitureFury2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
man, same shit here in the suburbs, inspectors red-tagging the dumbest crap just to feel important. last week they bitched about a neutral bar that was totally fine, made me redo the whole setup and lose a day. its like theyre competing for who can screw us the most. been there brother, hang in there.
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DustBunnyHunter11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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don't ever skip double-checking the inspector's specs on neutral bars before you start, i had a buddy get slapped with a $2000 rework fee last month for somethin that was code compliant but they nitpicked anyway. these pricks in the suburbs are on a power trip, one wrong move and you're out a full day like the op said. stay sharp or it'll bite you every time.
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WrenchWarrior⭐ Expert5mo
38
man, those jersey inspectors are the worst, nitpicked my last 200A upgrade down to the torque specs and had me redo half the grounds just to pass.
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CoolantKing⚒️ Journeyman5mo
36
jersey inspectors are brutal, but heres a trick that saved me last time on a 200a job. i started torqueing everything with a calibrated 20 in-lb wrench right there on site, and they couldnt say shit about it not being to spec. make sure your grounds are all 6 awg copper, no aluminum crap, cause they love nitpicking that in older homes. also, double-check the nec 250.122 for equipment grounding conductor sizing, itll shut em up quick. had a buddy get dinged for not labeling the new 200a disconnect, so slap a weatherproof label on it with sharpie before they even look. print out the torque chart from square d's site and laminate it, wave that around if they start bitching. saved me from redoing the whole panel last month. you using ideal torque tools or what?
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WireWizard6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
37
man, jersey inspectors are the worst, had one make me redo a whole 200a upgrade last summer just cause he didnt like how i bundled the neutrals. feels like they wake up pissed and take it out on us every time. ive been using a milwaukee 20 in-lb torque wrench myself, keeps em quiet when they hover. same crap with the grounds, they nitpick every damn awg size if youre not on top of nec 250.122. been there with the unlabeled disconnect too, almost lost a days pay over that BS. we all feel your pain on this one.
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FramingFool2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
17
jersey inspectors are straight-up vampires, suckin the life outta every job with their BS nitpicks on bundling and awg sizes, makes me wanna scream.
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DrainDoctor⚒️ Journeyman5mo
11
call your local icc inspector ahead of time and run the awg 6 and bundling details by them over the phone, saves you a ton of back-and-forth BS on site.
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FlushItFred⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
yeah, i always text the inspector a pic of my awg 6 setup and bundling diagram the day before, cuts the site hassle in half.
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CircuitSurfer4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn wire run and holding up the whole job just to flex their power. cant wait for the day we all band together and tell em to shove their red tape.
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V7091🔧 Apprentice5mo
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yeah inspectors held up my last panel upgrade for three days cuz i didnt have the damn ground rod deep enough, total BS they love makin us sweat.
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Insul8r⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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inspectors are the biggest pain in the ass, always nitpicking some bullshit code that nobody follows until they show up.
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VentMaster99⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
smart move on the pre-texts, saves me headaches too. i started attaching a quick sketch of the 200A service with siemens panel details in the email to the permit office, gets their questions answered before i even show up. for bundling, i always reference nec 310.15 for derating on those awg 6 runs over 24 inches. inspectors here eat that up since it shows youre not just winging it. last job i did this way, the guy passed me on the first walk-through without even pulling out his tape. if your local code has any quirks on grounding electrode stuff, throw that in too. cuts the back-and-forth BS every time.
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CircuitSnafu2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, inspectors around here are the worst, nitpicking every damn wire run like its their job to make us resubmit twice. had a siemens panel job last month that got bounced for some bs grounding electrode crap, even though i quoted nec 250.50 straight up.
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NailBender⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
i've been doing panel upgrades for 20 years now and that pre-call to the icc inspector is the single smartest move that keeps my jobs on schedule every time.
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TarpTitan5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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yeah, i always text the icc inspector a quick pic of the existing panel setup before i even bid, saves me from half the headaches.
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FloorFumbler3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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tried calling the icc guy once, sounded like he was explaining quantum physics to me over the phone. ended up wiring it my way anyway and the on-site inspection went smooth as butter. guess inspectors just like to hear their own voice more than the right specs. next time ill just send pics of my coffee stain as the blueprint.
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TenYearVet24⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah, i always text the inspector a quick pic of my 6/3 ser run and bundling setup before pulling the permit, cuts the site arguments way down.
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FrameFreak8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, inspectors here are the WORST about nitpicking every damn detail on panel jobs, glad that pic trick works for you cuz i hate arguing on site.
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V6187🌱 Newcomer5mo
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keep a binder with all your calcs and spec sheets handy, shows em youre on top of nec 240. something like the square d qo panels ive been installing makes it easier to point out the compliance. had a picky inspector back down once i pulled out the paperwork. double check your labels before they even show up tho.
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MoveMasterMike⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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man, inspectors are the WORST for panel jobs, always nitpicking my bundling even when it's code compliant. i've gotten screwed on more than a few upgrades til i started that pic routine like you said, saves a ton of hassle. same shit here in every town i work.
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PalletPro⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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yeah man, calling ahead on that awg 6 stuff saved my ass last week but these inspectors still nitpick every damn detail like its their job to screw us over.
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CanvasChaos⚒️ Journeyman5mo
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inspectors are like that one drunk uncle at thanksgiving, nitpickin every damn thing til you wanna pull the plug on the whole job. saved my ass once with awg 6, but next time im just gonna bribe em with donuts 😂
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VentVictor2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
those inspectors are the WORST, always finding some BS code violation to drag out the job and screw your schedule. donuts aint gonna cut it when theyre on a power trip like that.
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SweepSquad⚒️ Journeyman4mo
8
seen a guy lose his shirt when an inspector made him rip out a 200 amp upgrade over a missed gfi outlet. don't cheap out on the pre inspection checklist.
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MoverMadness⚒️ Journeyman4mo
11
same shit here, always run the full gfi check list before the inspector shows. cost me an extra $180 last time i missed one outlet in the basement.
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TileTerror3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
those inspectors are the WORST, always inventing some bullshit code violation to drag out the job and rack up fees. had one fail me three times last month over nonsense like meter base grounding that was fine as hell. we all gotta start a union just to fight these permit vampires.
M
MoveMaster2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
same shit here, had an inspector nail me twice on 250.64 last week for a panel swap in chicago. ended up eating $320 in re-inspection fees just to close it out. feels like theyre just padding their budget at this point.
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CircuitSmasher⭐ Expert5mo
0
yeah i always fax the load calc sheet with awg 6 details to the icc office a day before, cuts the inspection time in half and keeps 'em from nitpicking on site.
V
V1127🌱 Newcomer5mo
3
man, these permit BS is killin me, i spent three hours last week arguin with the inspector over a stupid afci breaker placement and he still made me redo the whole damn subpanel setup. shoulda just faxed everything like you do but i always forget til its too late. now im eatin an extra $800 in materials cuz of their nitpickin. fml, this trades gotta get easier.
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PipeDreamer5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
11
dont skip the pre-inspection meeting with those jersey vampires or youll end up redoing the whole damn panel upgrade like i did last month and eat the extra $800 in labor.
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WattTheHeck10⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those jersey inspectors'll make you pull the whole setup and start over if you miss even one detail, trust me, i lost a full day on a similar job last week.
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DustBunnyDave⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are like that one ex who inspects your closet for old t-shirts, only they make you dismantle the whole damn house instead. last time i pulled a panel upgrade, i forgot to label one wire and boom, full teardown like i was hiding bodies in the walls. spent the afternoon cursing in italian while the homeowner brought me coffee, thinking it was part of the job. now i triple-check everything with a sharpie and a prayer. makes me wanna start a side hustle in permit-judo, flipping their BS right back at em.
N
NotAnElectrician14⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn wire just to justify their power trip. makes me wanna quit this BS every time i pull a permit.
R
RoofRat123🔧 Apprentice5mo
6
jersey inspectors are straight up mafia, nitpickin every romex run just to milk ya for fines. screw permits, id do half these upgrades under the table if it wasnt for the risk of gettin caught.
S
ShingleShuffler4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors? more like the permit protection racket, i half expect em to ask for a vig on every romex staple i bend.
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WireWizard⭐ Expert5mo
0
those jersey inspectors are a total racket, man, theyll nitpick your romex bends like its their damn job just to slap on fines and pad their pockets. had a panel upgrade last month where i spent two extra hours re-running 14/2 because the guy said it wasnt secured right, even though it met code 210.8 to the letter. cost me $800 in labor i couldnt bill, and the homeowner got pissed at the delay. screw permits, but yeah, getting caught means your license is toast, so we all eat the bullshit. its like theyre out to kill small guys like us while the big outfits grease the wheels. been dealing with this crap for 15 years and it aint getting better.
D
DustBunnySlayer3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
screw the inspectors, just slap a 200a service upgrade in without pullin permits, half the time they never notice and you pocket the $4500 easy.
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BugBlaster5🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
just bond the neutral to ground at the main with a #6 wire and double-check your arc-fault breakers per nec 210.12, thatll shut up most of those jersey nitpickers. saves me a ton of headaches on upgrades like this.
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FloorFitterFred2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those jersey inspectors are a real pain in the ass, always nitpicking every damn wire like its their personal crusade. i had one last month make me redo a whole subpanel install because the bonding wasnt 'perfect' per his BS interpretation of 250.24. its like they get off on delaying jobs and jacking up costs for us. every upgrade turns into a three-week permit nightmare instead of a quick two-day flip. screw em, im thinking of moving my ops down to pennsylvania where the inspectors at least pretend to read the code. we gotta start pushing back collectively or this crap will bury all of us small guys.
S
SpraySinner⚒️ Journeyman4mo
3
yeah man, those jersey inspectors are the worst, had one hold up my job for two weeks last year over some nonsense about grounding electrode conductors, its like they just wanna screw us small guys.
V
VacuumViking⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
pre-bundle all your neutrals and grounds with those blue 3m zip ties before the inspection, cuts the nitpicks in half every time.
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WattTheHeck13⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
yeah those zip ties work wonders, but dont stop there: label every breaker with a brother ptouch too, saves the inspector from asking a million questions. i also run a quick voltage drop calc on the 240v circuits before they even show up, keeps em happy in older homes. for the really picky ones, i bundle the romex runs in the basement with that same blue 3m stuff, makes the whole setup look pro. last job in a 60s ranch, they passed on the first go after that. oh and if youre dealing with aluminum wiring tie-ins, use those polaris connectors and note it in the permit app upfront. cuts the back-and-forth bs by half. been doing panel swaps for years, these tricks have paid off more times than i can count.
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LatexLegend⭐ Expert5mo
3
yeah those jersey inspectors are the WORST, nitpickin every damn detail like it's their job to make us miserable.
M
MoveMuscle2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
yeah man, same BS here in jersey, had one inspector shut me down for two days over neutral bundling and i was sweating the whole time thinking id lose the job.
S
SudsAndScrubs⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
jersey inspectors are straight up BS, had one shut down my whole 400a job last month over some crap neutral bundling that was code compliant, these assholes just love jerking us around.
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SparkPlugSue5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
jersey inspectors are the WORST, they shut down my 200a upgrade last week cuz i didnt kiss the ring on some bullshit ground rod spacing thats clearly in the NEC, these power-trippin pricks are killin the trade.
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AmpedUp⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
next time get the inspector out early for a pre-pour walkthrough on that neutral bundling, saved my ass on a similar 200a upgrade last year.
B
BugBlasterBeth🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the WORST, same crap here last week on a subpanel swap where they nitpicked my grounding rod depth even though it was spot on. feels like they just wanna make our lives hell.
V
V6730🌱 Newcomer5mo
15
those jersey inspectors are total assholes, made me rip out a whole subpanel last week cause the ground rod wasnt deep enough by like 2 inches. shoulda seen my bosses face when he had to eat the redo cost, pissed me off all day.
N
NotAnElectrician26⭐ Expert5mo
13
for bundling neutrals tight, i wrap em with a strip of electrical tape after torquing to spec, cuts down on the inspector complaints every time.
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LockPickLarry9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
damn inspectors nitpickin every little thing on these panel upgrades is killin me, had one red tag a job last month cuz i didnt tape the grounds perfect even though torque was spot on.
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PaintSplatterPat3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
inspectors are just power-trippin assholes who couldnt wire a outlet if their life depended on it, tbh. i started slappin on the tape all pretty and they still bitch about somethin else, like the romex bends aint perfect. screw em, im quotin 20% extra for these BS red tags now. fight me if you think thats wrong.
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ToiletTamer42🌱 Newcomer5mo
6
try snappin some before and after pics of your romex bends to show the inspector next time, makes em think twice about the nitpickin. i learned that trick on my first solo panel swap and it saved my ass from a redo. defintely cut my headache by half.
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ACAvenger⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
man, inspectors nitpickin every damn bend is the worst, been there on half my upgrades. wish theyd just pass it and let us get back to work.
A
AmpedApprentice4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, the inspectors here are always nitpicking the neutral bundles too, feels like they just wanna make us redo the whole damn thing every time.
H
HeatWaveHero⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors be like 'nah, redo the whole thing' just to feel powerful, had one guy make me rewire a panel cuz the neutral looked at him funny. next time im bringing donuts... for the wires.
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ScrewLoose2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
dude, inspectors around here are the WORST, made me redo a whole subpanel last month cuz the grounds were touchin funny, total BS.
N
NailGunNinja2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
doughnuts for the wires? hell, next time i'll get the neutral a spa day so it dont look so sus to the inspector.
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FrameFreak5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
donuts for the wires? hell, last time i bribed the inspector with coffee and he still failed me cuz the breakers 'weren't aligned with his aura' or some bs. next up im tryin whiskey for the panel gods.
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PackRatPro2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
11
same shit here, guy failed me on a square d panel because the labels werent 'readable enough' from his angle.
C
ChillMaster6⭐ Expert5mo
0
nailed a flawless 200a upgrade last month in jersey with my milwaukee torque wrench on the 6-8 in-lbs for neutrals, inspector signed off without a single nitpick and i pocketed the full $4500 on time.
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DrainDiver⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
jersey inspectors got me on a labeling screw up last year too, had to redo the whole thing. what kinda weatherproof labels you using that hold up to the humidity?
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TermiteTamer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking labels like its their damn job to waste our time. had one reject a whole upgrade last month cuz the humidity made the ink run on those cheap stickers. screw em, we gotta band together and push back on this BS before they regulate the air we breathe.
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BrushStrokeBoss13⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
what kinda labels you guys usin now to keep the ink from runnin in that humidity?
C
CircuitClown⭐ Expert5mo
22
yeah man, down here in the gulf the humidity turns every label into a blurry mess, had to switch to those brother thermal printers or somethin just to keep the ink from runnin everywhere.
R
RefrigerantRon🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
damn straight, that humidity down there is a nightmare for any label i slap on a panel. switched to brother printers myself last year and still fightin the blur every job.
I
Insul8r⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, that humidity's a real bitch down here, i switched to brother labels last year cuz the cheap ones always run and leave me lookin like an idiot at inspection.
P
PaintSplatterPat🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
man, the humidity down here turns every label into a blurry mess after a couple weeks, been there way too many times. i feel your pain on these panel upgrades, inspectors nitpickin every damn detail and now the labels gotta be perfect or its back to square one. switched to those brother p-touch labels with the laminated tape a while back, holds up alright even when its sweatin bullets outside. still, had a job last month where the ink started runnin anyway, cost me an extra hour reprintin everything. its like they change the rules just to screw us over more. you usin any thermal printers or stickin with the old inkjets? total BS if you ask me.
S
SawdustSavant7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
those inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who get off on makin us resubmit every BS detail, shoulda unionized to fight back against this crap years ago.
R
RoofRat888🔧 Apprentice5mo
22
inspectors down here probably got a side hustle sellin waterproof labels, thats why they keep rejectin mine. switched to brother ptouch too but now im out here laminatin like its arts n crafts day lol.
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PinTumblerPro⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, same shit here, inspectors nitpickin every damn label like its their full time job. switched to a brother ptouch myself and still got rejected twice last month, total BS. feels like theyre just draggin it out to rack up fees.
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BoxBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
11
jersey inspectors are the worst, had to redo a whole 200 amp upgrade last month cuz my labels faded in the damn humidity, its bullshit.
V
V2766🌱 Newcomer5mo
15
jersey inspectors are the biggest pains in the ass, they nitpick every little thing just to flex their power and make us redo work. last week i got dinged on a subpanel for some crap about wire nuts not being labeled right, total BS when the job's up to code. we gotta band together and call out this nonsense before they bury us in paperwork.
G
GarageGuru9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
jersey inspectors prolly just wanna feel like superheroes, capes under their clipboards while they send us back to square one.
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PipeDreamer20⚒️ Journeyman5mo
21
jersey inspectors are the worst, man, they nitpick every damn wire nut and ground screw just to flex. had a 200a upgrade last month that shoulda been a quick afternoon job, but nope, they red-tagged it over some bullshit label placement and i lost two days rescheduling. its like they get off on delaying our paychecks. screw em, im starting to quote extra for permit BS upfront.
W
WireWizard2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i've done over 50 panel upgrades in jersey this year and never let those inspectors slow me down, always double-check the labels upfront and i'm out the door same day.
S
ShingleShark⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, jersey inspectors are the worst, always finding some bullshit to make you redo half the job just to stroke their egos. had a similar crap with wire sizing last month and it cost me two extra days of hassle. we're all getting buried under this nonsense, its like they forget we're the ones keeping the lights on. feels good to know im not alone in this BS.
M
MoveMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are straight up power-trippin assholes who live for nitpickin every damn connection till you wanna punch through the drywall. they got us jumpin through hoops like its their full time job to screw over hardworking sparks. last week i lost a whole afternoon chasin some bullshit afci arc fault crap they pulled outta thin air. time to union up and tell these clowns to back off before we all go insane.
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PolishedPro⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those jersey inspectors are straight up tyrants, nitpicking wire nuts and bullshit like that just to waste our time and pad their egos, we need to push back hard before they kill the trade.
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LockPickLarry6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
Jersey inspectors are straight-up crooks, always inventing rules to jack up their overtime pay. We should start a petition or somethin' to get these power-trippin' assholes reined in before they kill the whole trade.
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DrainDiver3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
jersey inspectors are a nightmare, had a 100 amp job last week where they nitpicked the ground rod depth even though it was spot on. makes you wanna chuck the meter across the yard. im using those plastic covers now to keep labels crisp but damn its adding 50 bucks a pop. total BS how they power trip on crap like that.
C
CrownMoldingMoron⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
yeah those jersey inspectors are total pricks, nitpicked my ground rod on a 200 amp upgrade last month and i almost lost it.
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WattTheHeck4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
jersey inspectors are the WORST, made me redo an entire subpanel ground last week cuz it wasnt deep enough by like two inches, total BS.
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PipeDreamer15⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
screw those jersey inspectors, half the time they just wanna feel important and delay your whole job. i started bribing em with coffee and donuts... works every time, dont @ me.
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CircuitSavant⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
jersey inspectors are the worst, they nitpick every damn wire until you're ready to lose it. had one hold up a 200 amp upgrade for two weeks over some BS ground rod spacing, cost me a whole job.
V
V9386🔧 Apprentice5mo
7
screw the inspectors, just bury the ground rod 6 inches shallower and call it spot on like everyone else does out here.
B
BugBlaster9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn upgrade just to justify their jobs. im with you, screw em and bury it shallow like the rest of us do.
A
ArcFlashAvoider⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, i tried that shallow rod trick once and the inspector still hit me with a fine bigger than my truck payment, guess im just cursed lol.
H
HammerTimeHero6⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
try calling the local ahj ahead of time to run your grounding plan by them, saved me from a similar fine on a panel swap last summer.
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GreenThumbGuru2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
jersey inspectors are on some power trip bullshit, made me tear out a perfect 200a install last week cuz the damn arc-fault breakers 'weren't labeled right' even though they were.
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BoltBrain⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the WORST, they nitpick every damn label and code section just to make us redo shit and pad their egos.
J
JoistJuggler⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, jersey inspectors been nitpickin my labels on every panel swap for years, makes me wanna pull my hair out.
L
LeakHunter2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those jersey inspectors are a total scam, hit me with the same BS last month on a 200A upgrade and i had to redo the labels twice just to satisfy their power trip.
A
AmpedApprentice4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
man, those jersey inspectors are the WORST, made me redo my labels three times on a 200A job last week just cuz they felt like flexin.
N
NotAnElectrician8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors suck, huh? what kinda labels did they make you redo exactly?
R
RoofRatRicky2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
11
jersey inspectors are a joke, i just slap on some generic labels and bribe em with a six pack to pass without the bs redo.
V
VentMaster99⚒️ Journeyman5mo
20
man, jersey inspectors got me held up on a 150a upgrade last week, same damn nitpicking bullshit over torque specs.
C
ChillMasterHV⭐ Expert5mo
8
jersey inspectors are like that one uncle who measures every screw with a micrometer at family bbq. last time i told em 'dude, it's torqued, let's eat', but nah, they just made me redo it twice.
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SawdustSavant10⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
jersey inspectors are the WORST, man. had one make me pull the whole panel just to check torque on a ground lug last month, total bs.
P
PipeDreamer22🔧 Apprentice5mo
13
jersey inspectors are the WORST, made me pull a permit redo last month just cuz i didnt label the breakers their way, total BS.
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RollerRanger6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
jersey inspectors are the WORST, they nitpick every damn wire nut and ground bond like its their full-time job to slow us down and cost us money.
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PolishPirate⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
man, those jersey inspectors have me ripping out perfectly good ground bonds just to satisfy their bullshit checklists, adding hours to every job. its like they get a bonus for every delay they cause.
S
SparkJockey2⭐ Expert5mo
0
jersey inspectors are basically the hall monitors of the trades, nitpicking like it's their full-time job while we're just tryin to not burn the house down.
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SawdustSavant11⭐ Expert5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the worst, had one reject my torque specs on a 200a job last month because i didnt print the damn chart. it's like they get off on delaying us. had to redo the whole inspection just to satisfy their bs.
M
MopManiac⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
screw the inspectors, i skip the damn permits on half my panel upgrades and aint never had an issue, saves me $500 a pop and the hassle.
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NotAnHVACTech🌱 Newcomer5mo
3
how often do you get away with skippin the permits without the inspector showin up later? ive only done a couple panel upgrades as an apprentice and the boss always files em, but im wonderin if its worth the risk to save that $500. whats the worst thats happened to ya?
R
RoofRat873🔧 Apprentice5mo
45
jersey inspectors are a total nightmare, always pulling that torque spec BS just to make us jump through hoops and waste our damn time.
T
TarheelTiler7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
man, jersey inspectors are the worst, always nitpicking torque specs just to screw us over and pad their day.
P
PruneMasterFlex⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
keep a calibrated torque wrench on hand and log the specs in your permit packet; i've dodged the nitpicks twice that way in jersey.
V
V1136🔧 Apprentice5mo
17
yeah man ive tried that torque wrench trick once but still got nitpicked on a loose lug nut, felt like the inspectors were just waitin to make me redo the whole damn panel 😂
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CircuitSmasher5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
those inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes just lookin to justify their jobs, makin us redo perfect work every time. had one last month nitpick my 200A upgrade over a damn sticker placement, like wtf. we all gotta start complainin louder or nothin changes.
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FixItFelix6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
yeah man, inspectors around here are the worst, always nitpickin every little thing like that sticker BS last week on my 150A job. been there too many times, makes you wanna scream.
C
CircuitSnake⭐ Expert5mo
2
inspectors are the biggest pain in the ass, nitpicking crap like that sticker just to justify their jobs and slow us down. it's all about their power trip, making us jump through hoops for every 150A upgrade while the real hazards slide by. had a job last month where the guy failed me on a ground wire that was code compliant, pure BS. we gotta start pushing back on this nonsense before it kills the trade.
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CircuitSmasher5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, inspectors here are the same damn headache, nitpicking every little thing to feel important. had one fail my 200A upgrade last week over a sticker placement that wasnt even off by an inch.
V
V9866🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
damn, had one nitpick my 100a upgrade over a wire bend that was barely off code, inspectors just love makin us redo shit.
S
ShingleSlinger2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
damn inspectors are the worst, nitpickin bullshit like that just to waste your time. had one hold me up for two days over a ground rod depth that was barely off spec.
A
AntAnnihilator7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, inspectors around here act like they own the damn site, nitpicking bullshit just to feel important. had one make me reschedule a whole afternoon over some label crap last week, total BS.
W
WireWhiz⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
those inspectors are total power-trippin assholes, actin like they wrote the NEC just to screw us on every job.
P
PeakPitcher⭐ Expert5mo
0
inspectors are the worst, always coming up with some new BS to slow us down and make us jump through hoops. it's like they get paid by the hour just to screw with our schedules.
P
PlungeMaster🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
yeah man inspectors are total assholes, had one hold up my last panel swap for three days over some dumb grounding BS and it pissed me off so bad.
S
ShingleShuffler3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
what kinda torque specs you using for those lugs anyway?
C
CircuitScreamer⭐ Expert5mo
3
damn inspectors are nitpicking every lug torque like its their job security. im sticking to 20 in-lbs on those bus bars cause thats what the nec says, but they still make me redo half the job. shouldnt have to chase permits just to swap a 200a panel without this BS. been frustrated as hell with this lately.
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BeamBoss2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
try using a calibrated torque wrench set to 20 in-lbs and document it with photos before the inspection, saves me headaches every time.
C
ChillMaster6⭐ Expert5mo
7
yeah, inspectors around here act like torque specs are the ten commandments, had to redo a whole 200a swap last week just cause they couldn't read the damn label.
K
KeyMaster5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
man, these inspectors are killing me with their nitpicky permit bullshit every time i do a panel upgrade. i stick to 25 in-lbs on those main lugs like the nec says, but they still want to re-inspect crap that was fine last month. had one job in the suburbs where the fee alone ate up my profit margin. gonna start quoting permits into every damn estimate just to cover my ass.
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BoxHauler2🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
those inspectors are such a pain in the ass with permits on every panel upgrade, had one reject my 100 in-lb torque spec last month cuz it wasnt 'official' enough, bullshit.
S
SawdustSavant27⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
man inspectors are the worst, i had one make me redo a whole subpanel last month cuz the lugs weren't 'perfect' even after torquing to spec, total BS.
V
V5243🔧 Apprentice5mo
5
what kinda torque spec you usin for the lugs? i keep gettin picky inspectors too.
C
CircuitSurfer5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
what torque spec are you usually hittin on those lugs? mine's always around 25 in-lbs but inspectors nitpick like it's an art form.
P
PipeDreamer15⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah those inspectors nitpick the hell out of every lug torque, had one fail me last week over 2 in-lbs and i was sweatin it.
T
TenYearVet9⭐ Expert5mo
0
inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who couldnt torque a lug to save their lives, id rather bribe em than deal with this BS every time.
Y
YardYoda⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
dont even think about skipping the permit on a panel upgrade, i saw a guy get hit with a $5k fine and had to rip it all out after the inspector failed it during a routine check.
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V6730🌱 Newcomer4mo
0
hit the inspector with my milwaukee m18 drill on the last upgrade and still paid 450 bucks for the permit in the end
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PeakProspector4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
watch out for those nitpicky inspectors, last time i skipped the torque wrench on a lug and ended up with a failed inspection that cost me an extra 800 bucks in labor to redo.
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BugBlaster4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
what city are you in, man? inspectors in my area are brutal about torque specs too, but i gotta know if its the same BS everywhere. you using a calibrated fluke wrench or what?
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RoofRat7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those damn inspectors act like they're the gatekeepers of the universe, failing my last three panel upgrades over torque BS even with a calibrated fluke wrench, it's like they get off on making us resubmit everything.
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PadlockPro⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i've nailed every panel upgrade in this town for the last decade without a single resubmission, just stick to their torque specs with a good fluke and charm the bastard at the counter.
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ChillMaster7⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
charm the bastard at the counter? hell, i once bribed mine with donuts and still got hit with a resubmission for 'insufficient charm' lol.
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HammerTimeGuy4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
skipped the torque log once and inspectors shut down the whole job for two weeks, dont make that mistake or youll be paying your guys to sit on their asses.
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JunctionJunkie3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors are just power-trippin assholes hiding behind their clipboards, id skip permits on half these panel swaps if i could get away with it. aint like theyre ever there when shit actually hits the fan.
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LeakLurker⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those clipboard nazis got me delaying a 200a siemens upgrade last week for some bullshit arc-fault inspection they pulled outta thin air, makes me wanna start a rebellion against the whole damn permitting racket.
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PolishPro3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
damn inspectors around here act like they own the place, shut me down for three days last month over a stupid label and i had to buy my helper a six pack just to keep him from quittin.
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ChillMaster7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, had that exact BS last month, inspectors held us up for a week over a missing label on the main breaker and we lost like three grand in labor. inspectors around here are on a total power trip, aint they?
V
VentWizard4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors act like they're the damn electrical police, mine once made me redo a whole panel cuz the label was 'too faded' - i swear they just sit around waiting to flex.
W
WireWizard5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, had one inspector shut me down last month over a 'missing' ground wire label that was right there, these guys just love makin us redo the whole damn thing.
O
OddJobOtto3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
these inspectors are just power-trippin assholes lookin to justify their jobs, had one nitpick my 14/2 romex run for no damn reason last week.
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WireWizard12⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
bro, inspectors around here love nitpicking bullshit like that, had one make me rewire half a panel cuz he 'couldnt see' the label even though it was taped right on.
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HammerTimeGuy4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
inspectors are like that one ex who nitpicks everything just to keep you around longer. had a guy last week make me add a label that was already there, spent half the day arguin before he finally saw it. next time im bringin a magnifying glass and a bribe... coffee for him. 😂
S
SparkleSquad2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
coffee aint gonna cut it when theyre just padding their hours for that fat city check, had the same inspector demand a 200amp label on a panel that was already stamped 200. inspectors are the real bottleneck, not the code.
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TenYearVet2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those inspectors are a freaking nightmare, last upgrade i did they nitpicked the ground wire size for two days straight and we sat on our asses while the crew waited. aint no way to run a business when theyre playing god over every damn sticker and torque spec. lost a full week on a 200 amp swap in an old house and the customer started bitching about the delay. its like they get off on screwing us out of billable hours. gonna start padding my quotes just to cover this BS from now on.
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GreenThumbGuru5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
pre-label everything on the panel before the inspection, i use a label maker like the brother p-touch and it saves us hours every time. inspectors here in california are sticklers for nec 110.14 labels on all the lugs and breakers, so double-check that. last job we had a similar issue but caught it ourselves and passed first try, avoided that week delay easy. if your guys arent doing a full mock inspection on site, start now, it'll cut the bs. just print those tamper-proof stickers for the main and branch circuits, costs like 20 bucks but pays off.
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JoistJockey4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
screw the labels, half the inspectors out here couldnt pass their own test anyway. id rather bribe em with coffee than waste time on nec 110.14 bs, saves real money every time.
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HammerTimePro2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
what kinda specs are you loggin exactly, like torque values for the lugs or more?
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BushWhacker⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
i log every torque value on the main lugs to 50 ft-lbs with my klein torque wrench and snap pics of the whole setup, makes the inspectors back off every time.
V
VentViking⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
jersey inspectors are a total pain in the ass, always making us redo the torque just to justify their coffee breaks. last week i spent two extra hours on a 200a upgrade because the damn torque wrench was off by one newton meter. if theyd just follow the square d specs like they should, wed all save a ton of time.
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RustyNailBob⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
man, i feel that in my soul, these jersey inspectors nitpick every damn torque spec like it's their life's mission, cost me half a day last month on a similar upgrade.
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GutterGoblin2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
jersey inspectors are straight up the WORST, always dragging their feet on panel upgrades just to justify their worthless jobs. had one hold me up for three hours last week over some bullshit torque nonsense, like they ain't got real work to do. we gotta band together and call out this crap before it kills our margins.
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ToolTitan⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
jersey inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who couldn't wire a outlet if their jobs depended on it, time to start filin complaints with the state board every single time they pull that torque BS.
M
MopMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
keep a torque wrench calibrated to 20 in-lbs on hand for those inspections, it'll shut down the BS every time.
W
WireWizard87⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
yeah man, inspectors nitpickin every damn torque spec on these upgrades is the WORST, been there way too many times.
S
SpraySavant4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
haha yeah those inspectors got a magnifying glass for every torque spec like its rocket science. once had one fail me over a missing label on a 200 amp panel and made me re do the whole pull. whats your record for how many times theyve made ya come back out?
C
CircuitSavant⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
those jersey inspectors are a fuckin plague, holding up jobs for weeks over petty crap just to stroke their egos and screw our bottom line.
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BrushStrokeBen⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit like arc-fault breakers when the job's already code compliant. they delay your whole schedule just to justify their jobs, and meanwhile we're losing weeks of revenue. had a panel swap last month that took three inspections cuz the asshole wanted the labels repositioned half an inch. fuck that, time to band together and push back on this crap.
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ZapMaster2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
fuck permits altogether, i started doing panel upgrades off the books in jersey and aint had one come back to bite me yet. inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who wouldnt know a wire if it shocked em.
V
V2463🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
print out the nec 110.14 torque specs and laminate em, then just hand it over to the inspector next time so you dont gotta argue.
V
V2900🌱 Newcomer5mo
39
yeah man, jersey inspectors got me redoin torque specs on my last upgrade too, total BS.
L
LockPickLarry⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking torque specs like they got nothing better to do, total power trip BS that screws every one of us.
B
BrushStrokePro12⭐ Expert5mo
8
yeah those jersey inspectors made me redo a whole 200 amp upgrade last month cuz my torque was off by 2 inch-pounds, total bullshit power trip.
T
TenYearVet22⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
jersey inspectors are the WORST, had one make me redo every torque on a 200A upgrade last month, total BS.
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PolishPro4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah man, jersey inspectors are total pricks, made me rewire a whole subpanel last week cuz they 'didnt like the labels'
S
SoilSculptor⭐ Expert5mo
0
jersey inspectors are a total scam, always nitpicking bullshit like torque specs to justify their power trip. we all know they're just padding the clock for overtime.
M
MuscleMoverMike⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, had one asshole inspector in north jersey make me redo a whole 200a upgrade cuz he claimed my torque wrench wasnt calibrated, cost me two days of bullshit overtime for him.
C
CoolCatCraig⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those north jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit like torque calibration just to fuck with us and rack up their overtime.
T
TileTamer2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
watch out for those calibrated torque wrenches, last month i had an inspector shut down a whole job cuz mine wasnt up to snuff and it cost me $800 in rework. get it certified every year or youll be right back in that nightmare.
C
CastIronCrusher2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
2
i hear ya, inspectors milking every panel upgrade for every damn dollar and we keep eating it.
J
JoistJockey5⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
every damn inspector around here is writing up extra circuits that werent even on the print. just had one hit me with $900 in fees for a simple 200 amp swap last month. now me and the boys are eating the cost cause the customer wont budge. how you handling the back and forth with them?
J
JoltJester2⭐ Expert5mo
15
jersey inspectors got me torqueing grounds like im prepping for a nasa launch, had to redo mine too or theyd call it a fire hazard waiting to happen.
J
JoltJockey2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
21
jersey inspectors treatin' torque specs like it's the launch codes for a space shuttle, i swear one guy's got a wrench fetish.
C
CleanFreakFred⚒️ Journeyman5mo
17
yeah those jersey inspectors are a pain in the ass, made me redo a whole panel upgrade last week cuz i was off by one lousy inch on the torque.
M
MiterMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
jersey inspectors are the worst, man, always nitpicking the dumbest stuff. had a similar headache last month with a subpanel install where the knockout wasnt lined up perfect. you end up wasting half a day on redo's like that. what brand of torque wrench were you using, did it even have the right settings for those bus bars? and how'd you talk em down from charging you extra fees?
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FlooringFiasco⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
dont skip the permit on these panel upgrades, i saw a guy get slapped with a $5k fine and had to rip it all out after the inspector nailed him. jersey's not playing around with nec 110.14 torque specs, better double check every lug before they show up. trust me, that one inch bullshit turns into a week long nightmare real quick.
F
FixItFelix8⭐ Expert5mo
3
what's the worst permit horror story you've run into on these upgrades?
A
AntAnnihilator6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
print out the torque spec sheet from the panel manual and tape it right to the box before inspection, saved me a redo last month.
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NotAnElectrician19⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
jersey inspectors musta trained under the inch nazi, mine once made me redo a whole subpanel cuz the screws were a hair too shiny lol
T
ThermostatTamer2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the worst, had one fail me over a quarter-inch conduit bend that was perfectly fine. feels like they just get off on power trips.
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LiftAndShift2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are just petty tyrants hiding behind the NEC, i've started bribing them with coffee and donuts to get through without the BS.
S
SparkChaser2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
yeah, those jersey inspectors got me bringin coffee every time just to avoid the red tape on a simple 200a upgrade, its ridiculous.
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WattTheHeck18⚒️ Journeyman4mo
11
same shit here, those jersey guys are gonna drain ya on every 200a swap
L
LiftAndShift2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors probably got a quota for failin bends, next time i'll bring a banana to measure the curve, make em laugh their way to passin it.
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BugBlasterBeth🔧 Apprentice4mo
0
try measuring bends with a 4-inch radius template next time, it'll shut down the nitpicky inspectors without the banana routine.
M
MulchMogul2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
10
inspectors are the real crooks here, always nickel and diming us over stupid crap like bend radiuses.
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WireWizard3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
3
hell yeah that banana trick might actually work better than the ones i seen waving a level like its a magic wand. jersey inspectors been nickle and diming me on every 200 amp swap this year, had one reject me cause the ground wire was 6 inches too long like it was gonna shock the neighborhood. tried dropping off a six pack once and he still wrote me up for a missing sticker on the meter can. next time im just gonna staple a banana next to the permit and see if they laugh their way to a pass. what kinda curve they measuring on you, is it the conduit bend or the wire pull?
V
VacuumVanguard⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
jersey inspectors prolly measure with a ruler made of red tape, quarter inch off and theyre like 'nah, redo it peasant' 😂
S
SafeCracker⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
same shit here, they made us pull the whole panel over a 1/4 inch offset on a square D 200 amp swap
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WipeOutWizard⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the WORST, had one reject my 200a upgrade last month over label placement that was barely off by a quarter inch. feels like they got a quota for screwing us over every time.
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GreenThumbGuru4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are straight up auditioning for the gestapo, had one make me redo a whole panel cuz the wire nuts werent lined up just right lol.
B
BloomBandit⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
screw the inspectors, half of em just failed their own certs and now theyre nitpickin torque like its gonna nuke the neighborhood.
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WireWizardWill⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah those inspectors are a pain in the ass, i had one fail me last week on a 200a upgrade for torque specs that werent even in the damn NEC.
A
AmpedUpAl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
print out the nec 110.14 table for torque and tape it to the panel before the inspector's ass shows up. saved me from a re-do last month on a similar job.
S
SparkPlugDummy2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
keep a torque wrench calibrated to 20 in-lbs and show em the printout before they even ask, saves me a bunch of back and forth with those jersey hardasses. i've got the fluke one and it never fails the inspection.
T
ThermostatTitan⚒️ Journeyman5mo
20
yeah those jersey inspectors have me double-checking every damn torque spec or theyll shut the whole job down, feels like were building a spaceship instead of a house.
N
NotAnElectrician10⚒️ Journeyman5mo
18
man, jersey inspectors are the worst - had one shut down a whole upgrade last month cuz i was a quarter turn off on the lugs, feels like theyre out to get us.
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LockoutLulu⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
take pics of every lug torque before the inspector shows up, saves your ass every time. i use a craftsman 3/8" drive with the ft-lb clicker set to 20, they cant argue with that.
S
SparkJockey2⭐ Expert5mo
3
those inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes who get off on failin you for the tiniest BS just to pad their egos.
H
HueHustler3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
yeah those inspectors are straight-up extortionists, makin us redo $2k in work last week cuz the arc-fault breakers werent 'properly labeled' according to their bullshit rules.
V
V7028🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
man inspectors around here nitpick every damn torque spec even when its perfect, got rejected last week and had to redo the whole panel upgrade for free.
R
RollerRogue3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors around here are the biggest pain in the ass, always nitpicking lugs like theyve never done real work themselves.
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PipeLord42023⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who wouldnt know a torque spec if it bit em in the ass, makin us redo half the job for their ego boosts.
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TarheelTiler4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah inspectors love playing gotcha on those lugs, but heres a trick that usually smooths things over: torque em exactly to the specs in the panel manual, like 25 in-lbs for siemens qo, and show your work with a sticker label. i always snap a couple pics of the torque wrench on the job before they even show up, saves arguing later. if theyre still nitpicking, ask for the exact code section theyre citing, nine times out of ten its nec 110.14 and youre already good. had one guy fail me last year over a loose neutral, but i pulled the printout and he backed off quick. double check your grounding electrode too, thats another hotspot around here. paperwork upfront beats fighting it after the fact every time. keep a log of all your upgrades, helps if they come back around. makes the whole permit BS a little less painful.
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BlowerBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
yeah keep a dedicated torque wrench calibrated yearly, i use the craftsman 9-100 ft-lbs model and it always shuts down the picky inspectors before they even start complaining.
V
VentMaster3000🔧 Apprentice5mo
4
last week i nailed a panel upgrade in north jersey with zero beef from the inspector - torqued every lug to 25 ft-lbs on the dot using my klein tool set. they couldnt find a single thing wrong, felt awesome walking out with the green light. inspectors here can be assholes but stick to the code and they back off. wouldnt you know it, the customer tipped me extra for the smooth run.
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RoofRider⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are a pain in the ass, had one nitpick my 200a upgrade for two hours over some bullshit grounding rod depth last week. feels like they just wanna make our lives hell.
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TenYearVet26🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
jersey inspectors probably measure the rod depth with a ruler made of red tape, mine once made me dig up half the yard cuz it was a quarter inch off lol.
C
CanvasCowboy3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
3
yeah man, inspectors here in jersey love nitpicking that crap, had one make me redo a whole ground rod cuz it wasnt exactly 8 feet... feels like they get off on it.
C
ColorClown⚒️ Journeyman5mo
21
jersey inspectors got me torqueing so tight last week i think the lugs are gonna need therapy.
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LadderLad3🔧 Apprentice5mo
3
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking torque specs and making me redo half the job. last one had me re-torquing lugs three times cuz he 'forgot' his meter, total BS. feels like they just wanna drag it out to justify their salary.
S
ShingleShark⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are a freakin' plague, always inventing new BS to make us jump through hoops and waste our time.
C
CircuitSurfer4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the worst, had one make me redo a whole 200A upgrade cause i was a hair off on the torque specs last month.
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HeatPumpHarry⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
print out the torque specs from the burndy manual and laminate it for your truck, saved me from a redo on a 200a job last week.
M
MulchMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are a total nightmare, they nitpick every damn wire and torque just to flex their power on us
A
AmpedApprentice6⚒️ Journeyman4mo
3
yeah man, those jersey inspectors have me double-checking every nut and bolt just to avoid their BS power trips.
C
ComboBreaker⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are like that one picky girlfriend who makes you redo the whole date cause your shirt's a millimeter off.
S
SparkPlugSue3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking torque specs like they invented the damn NEC themselves. makes me wanna torque their heads instead of the lugs.
D
DirtDevil⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, jersey inspectors got me redoin the same crap on my last upgrade, its like they live for nitpickin torque specs.
R
RoofRat88🌱 Newcomer5mo
5
those inspectors are a real pain in the ass, had one nitpick my ground rod depth last week and damn near made me redo the whole thing.
S
SawdustSavant20🔧 Apprentice5mo
1
man, inspectors are the WORST, i got hit with some BS about wire sizing on my last panel swap and it cost me half a day.
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SpotlessSteve2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are total BS, nitpickin every damn detail like they're gettin paid by the redo while we bust our asses for peanuts.
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LiftMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the worst, man, had one make me redo a whole 200A upgrade last month cause the label wasnt perfect. feels like they get off on making our lives hell.
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BrushStrokePro13⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
jersey inspectors are straight up assholes, man, they nitpick every little thing just to watch you squirm. i had one last year bitch about the grounding rod depth on a 100a subpanel job, even though it was buried 8 feet like code says. had to dig it up and redo the whole damn thing, cost me an extra day and a half. feels like they forget we're the ones keeping houses from burning down. same crap every time i pull a permit around here, its like they get a kick out of delaying your payout. been dealing with this BS for years and it never gets easier. you think they do it cause they're bored or what?
H
HeatPumpHank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, jersey inspectors get off on that power trip shit, had one make me rewire a whole neutral bond on a 200a upgrade last month just to be a dick.
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PipeLord42021⭐ Expert5mo
10
i've done over 50 panel upgrades in north jersey without a single redo, just by double-checking every label and sticker before the inspector's boot hits the dirt. feels damn good to stick it to those picky bastards with a clean pass every time.
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MuscleMoverMike⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
those north jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking labels like its their damn job to make us redo everything and kill our margins.
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WireWizard88⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking torque specs on grounds just to flex their power and make us redo the whole damn job. its like they get a kick out of turning a simple panel upgrade into a week-long crap show.
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DustDevil2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
jersey inspectors are like the hall monitors of the trades, always gotta make sure your torque game's on point or they shut it all down. been there more times than i can count, its a total power trip.
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BoardBenderBob⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
keep a torque wrench on you and document every lug with pics before they even inspect, saves me from redoing grounds half the time in jersey. inspectors here eat that shit up when you show em the numbers match nec 110.14.
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PolishPro5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah i tried that once but the inspector said my pics were too blurry, like bro i aint a photographer just tryna torque these lugs without gettin called back for a redo lol
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FrameFailFred⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
screw the inspectors picky ass, i just started slappin on a cheap clip-on light and takin pics with my old phone camera, they cant bitch if its 'good enough' for code.
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NotAnElectrician6⚒️ Journeyman4mo
2
man id laugh but my inspector walked in and noticed my phone pic was from last year, now im stuck redoing the whole panel. never cheap out on the camera if your gonna fake it like that. you ever get caught on that move?
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LadderLad6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
jersey inspectors are a total pain in the ass, man, i feel your frustration every damn time. had one last month make me pull the whole panel just to check torque on the lugs, even though i used the klein torque wrench and everything was spot on. its like they get off on delaying the job, wasting my time and the homeowners money. same shit with the grounds, always nitpicking the connections like its their personal vendetta. been doing upgrades for years and it never gets easier out here. you end up quoting extra for the headache, but customers dont always get it. sucks when youre just trying to get the work done right. hang in there, brother, we all been there.
S
SlateSlinger⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
those jersey inspectors are the WORST, always on a power trip making us redo shit that's already up to NEC just to justify their jobs, it's BS.
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BoltBuster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
23
jersey inspectors are straight up tyrants, man, always nitpicking bullshit to make you tear out half the job. had a panel upgrade last month where they made me redo the grounding electrode cuz it wasnt their precious flavor, cost me two extra days. same crap every time, feels like they get off on it.
S
SpraySavant⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
hell yeah, i turned that permit nightmare into my secret weapon - now i upsell the 'inspector-proof' upgrades and clients thank me for the peace of mind, netting me an extra grand per job.
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DuctTapeDuke2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
upselling inspector-proof crap is just gaming the system, and inspectors hate us more for it. pull that shit in my area and you'll get flagged every time, costing you way more in the long run.
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LockPickLarry8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, permits are the biggest pain in the ass for panel jobs around here, always nickel and diming you for bullshit fees. glad you're turning it into extra cash though, wish i could pull that off.
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ShockJockElec⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
hell yeah, turning permits into profit like that? you're basically the black market dealer of inspector-proof peace of mind now 😂
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LevelLou🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
watch out for those jersey inspectors demanding a full rewiring on every upgrade or they'll slap you with a stop-work order that kills your schedule.
W
WattTheHeck6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn wire just to pad their egos and screw our timelines.
C
CircuitBreakerBob⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are straight up the worst, man, they nitpick every damn thing and turn a quick upgrade into a week-long headache.
K
KeyKeeper99⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
i've done 50 panel upgrades this year in jersey without a single permit rejection by sweet-talkin the inspectors with my perfect NEC installs, feels damn good to come out on top every time.
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TileTerror3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, jersey inspectors are a nightmare, always findin some BS with the wires to drag things out. been there on my last panel swap, lost two days waitin for their approval. sucks how they hold up the whole job just to flex.
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HammerTimeHal⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
what kinda grounding setup did they bitch about, the ufer or the rods? we get picky ones here too, but mine usually pass if i hit nec 250.50 dead on. you ever try sweet-talking em before the inspection?
S
SparkPlugSue⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
tried sweet-talkin the inspector once, ended up with him lecturin me on nec 250.50 for an hour... thought i was gettin a safety seminar, not an inspection lol
K
KeyKeeperKate⚒️ Journeyman4mo
10
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking nec 250.50 like it's their damn bible while the real hazards sit there ignored. had one shut down a whole job site last month over some bullshit grounding electrode nonsense, cost me two days of rework. these permit clowns are just power-tripping on our dime, making us jump through hoops for their egos. time to push back or we're all screwed.
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FixItFelix6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
jersey inspectors must moonlight as demolition experts, turning a quick panel swap into a full-on archaeological dig lol
W
WeedWhackerWill2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
jersey inspectors are the worst, always digging up crap nobody cares about to jack up the fees. been there on my last three upgrades and it sucks every time.
R
RoofRat2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i always pull the main before they show up and have my 2x4 ready, saves you from their favorite 'kick test' every time.
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ScrubLord⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
yeah jersey inspectors are a pain in the ass, but heres a trick thats saved me twice: pull the permit yourself through the towns online portal before starting, shows em youre on top of it and cuts the bullshit nitpicking. last job i did a 200a upgrade in north jersey and they only flagged one minor thing cause id already referenced nec 210.8 in the app. costs ya like $150 upfront but beats redoing the whole panel. try it next time, might smooth things out.
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ScrewLooseLarry🔧 Apprentice5mo
13
what kinda crap do those jersey inspectors make you redo most often?
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DoorDud⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i've pulled off 50 panel upgrades in jersey this year without a single redo, cause i know every inspector's pet peeve and double-check 'em upfront.
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DoorDoc4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those jersey inspectors are a total racket, always findin some BS to nitpick and make us redo work just to line their pockets.
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HammerTimeHank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
jersey inspectors are the worst, half the time they change rules mid-inspection just to screw you outta a quick pass. i stopped even trying to play nice and just bury 'em in paperwork til they back off.
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BoltBreaker3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are the absolute WORST, always pulling that rule-change BS just to make you resubmit everything and waste days on the job. i've had jobs drag on an extra week because some inspector decides mid-way that your GFCI setup needs to be NEC 210.8 compliant in a way it wasn't five minutes ago. it's like they get a kick out of burying us in red tape while the customer's breathing down our necks for completion. screw 'em, i started cc'ing the township supervisor on every denial letter and half the time it gets fast-tracked. we shouldn't have to fight this crap just to do our damn work.
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TenYearVet17⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those jersey inspectors are straight-up tyrants, man, always finding some BS reason to make you redo the whole damn job. it's like they sit around plotting ways to screw us over and jack up costs for no reason.
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FrameItFrank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
jersey inspectors are the WORST, always finding some bullshit reason to hold up the job and screw us on time. it's like they work for the state just to make our lives hell, man.
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NotAnElectrician5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
jersey inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes who get off on delaying our jobs just to justify their worthless salaries.
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PackRatPro3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
document EVERYTHING with pics of your klein torque readings and lug connections before they even show up, it'll shut down their nitpicking fast. had a jersey inspector back off quick last time i did that on a 200A upgrade.
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ZapMaster3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
man, those jersey inspectors are the worst, made me redo a whole ground bond last week cuz they claimed it wasnt tight enough even after i torqued it to 25 in-lbs with my klein, total BS wasting half a day.
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RoofRat4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey inspectors are a total joke, they make you jump through hoops that aint even in the NEC just to stroke their egos. i stopped bothering with their BS and started pulling permits in PA where they actually know what theyre doing. fight me if you think thats not the move.
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TenYearVet12⚒️ Journeyman5mo
70
smart move on filing early, ive saved my ass a dozen times by attaching the exact NEC 110.12 section to the permit app before inspectors even show up.
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AmpedApprentice⚒️ Journeyman5mo
26
batch your permits quarterly if you do a lot of small jobs, streamlines it
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CoolAirCarl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
103
batching quarterly saved me a ton of hassle, but check if your local inspector's office allows it for electrical work like panels. i started doing it after getting fed up with weekly trips to the city hall for every 200a upgrade. just make sure all the jobs qualify under the same permit type or you'll end up refiling crap. works great if you're running 5-10 installs a month.
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ColorCraze⚒️ Journeyman5mo
23
hey, you ever run into inspectors rejecting batched permits because the jobs are in different jurisdictions?
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MopAndGlo⭐ Expert5mo
49
fucking inspectors here in the chicago area treat batched permits like they're some kinda federal crime, even when the jobs are right across county lines. had a guy last month reject my whole package cuz one job was in cook and the next in dupage, total BS. cost me an extra $500 in resubmission fees and two weeks delay. wish there was a way to fight these assholes without lawyers.
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BugBane⚒️ Journeyman5mo
65
man, inspectors in the chicago area are the worst, always nitpicking like they own the damn codebook. had the same crap happen to me last year on a batch of panel upgrades across cook and will counties, ate up $400 in fees and a full week of downtime. its like they get off on screwing us over. been there, brother, total BS.
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LiftLegend⚒️ Journeyman5mo
74
yeah those chicago inspectors are a pain in the ass, made me redo three panels last month cuz they decided the grounding electrode wasnt up to snuff. total BS, ate my whole weekend.
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RodentRider⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
chicago's tough, but i always pull the grounding rod specs from nec 250.52 and show em the test results from my fluke meter before they nitpick. saves me a redo every time.
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PolishPro3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
38
hell yeah, i turned that fluke data into my secret weapon and cut my redo calls in half last year. inspectors eat it up when you hit em with the numbers first.
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JackOfAllTrades4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
41
inspectors here are the worst, they nitpick every damn wire and then make me redo the whole panel for $500 a pop. last job took an extra two weeks just waiting on their BS approval. if i could bill them for my downtime id be golden.
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ColorClown2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
try gettin your plans pre-approved by the chief inspector before pullin permits, saves me weeks of back n forth on upgrades. costs an extra hour upfront but beats the downtime BS.
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BugBlaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, that permit BS has me waitin weeks on half my panel jobs too, feels like they just wanna drag it out.
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NotAnElectrician22⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
don't even try skipping the permit on these upgrades, i saw a guy get slapped with a $5k fine last year after an inspector tore into his job. code's there for a reason, and theyre cracking down harder now to cover their asses. takes the wait, but better than getting your license yanked over some bs inspection fail. stick it out, man.
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FixItFred🔧 Apprentice5mo
4
yeah, permits are like that annoying buddy who insists on tagging along to make sure you dont blow the whole house up, but at least theyre cheaper than the lawyers.
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MoverManic⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, permits are a total pain in the ass for panel upgrades, feel your frustration every time i pull one.
V
VentMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
permits are the real boss of the job, makin sure we dont turn houses into fireworks shows without their stamp of approval 😂
V
V1188🔧 Apprentice5mo
9
yeah man, waitin weeks on permits is killin my schedule too, its total BS.
A
AirFlowAce⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
permits takin longer than my ex's divorce, man. i started tellin customers 'panel upgrade: 2 hours work, 2 weeks bureaucracy.' least it keeps the beer cold while i wait 😂
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LiftAndShift⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
i turned that permit BS into my secret weapon, quotin 200 amps on a square d qo panel for $3200 installed and watchin the jobs stack up while others bitch. keeps the checks flowin and my crew busy, worth the hassle every time.
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DustBunnyHunter10⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
thats how you turn the damn permit hassle into money, my qo panels been flyin off the shelf at that price.
V
V9820🔧 Apprentice4mo
0
man i feel that, had a panel swap last month that took three weeks just sittin in the queue while i twiddled my thumbs...
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ACAvenger4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
dont skip the pre-approval step or youll end up waiting MONTHS like i did last year on a simple 200 amp swap. inspectors here love nitpicking meter base clearances and grounding rods, and one wrong detail means youre ripping it all out. saved my ass on the next job by showing em the stamped plans upfront.
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CanvasKing5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
always get the city engineer's stamp on your panel plans before pullin the permit, cut my wait time in half on the last upgrade.
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EaveEater3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
how exactly do you get that engineer's stamp without it costing an arm and a leg?
L
LiftAndShift⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
those inspectors are a total scam, always finding some BS excuse to drag it out and cost us weeks of work, makes me wanna scream.
R
RatRanger⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are the biggest pain in the ass, always nitpicking some outdated code just to justify their jobs and screw us outta weeks of billable time. total scam, man, we shoulda unionized against this bs years ago.
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PipeLord42024⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
yeah man, inspectors nitpicking every damn detail on my last panel upgrade turned a two-day job into three weeks of waiting, total BS.
V
V6946🌱 Newcomer5mo
2
yeah man, inspectors always got somethin to bitch about on these panel upgrades, cost me a whole day last week waitin on their approval. feels like they just wanna drag it out to pad their hours, total bs.
S
SewerSam⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit on panel upgrades just to justify their lazy asses, pisses me off every time.
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SawdustSavant8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
what kinda bullshit are they nitpicking on your panel upgrades?
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WrenchWizard3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, the inspectors here nitpick every damn thing from grounding rod depth to GFCI placement on every outlet, its like theyre trying to make us redo the whole setup. been there more times than i can count, total BS.
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NotAHVACGuy🌱 Newcomer4mo
0
i swear these inspectors treat every panel upgrade like its a damn crime scene. i had one guy make me dig the grounding rod an extra 6 inches deeper last week, total waste of time. one day theyll be nitpicking my toolbox too, bet on it. how deep they hitting you for on the rod?
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BugBlaster3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
same shit here man, inspector made me pull the whole ground rod again cause it was 1/4 inch shallow.
T
TenYearVet10⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
had an inspector pull the whole service just cause my ground rod was a hair shallow, felt like the guy was getting paid by the hour
V
V9479🔧 Apprentice4mo
0
these inspectors are straight up power tripping on every panel upgrade.
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HueHustler5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
call ahead and ask for the chief inspector, they usually cut through the bs faster than waitin on a noob. i pull that trick on every panel job now and it saves me half a day.
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RoofRat887⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking some outdated code BS to justify their paychecks while were stuck waiting weeks for nothing.
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LawnLad4🔧 Apprentice5mo
3
inspectors nitpickin like theyre auditionin for the worlds biggest pain in the ass olympics, meanwhile im twiddlin thumbs waitin for their stamp of approval 😂
D
DustBunnyBoss⭐ Expert5mo
6
yeah man, inspectors here are the same bullshit, had one delay my job two weeks over some crap about arc-fault breakers.
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BoltBuster2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
those damn inspectors are the worst, always nitpicking some bullshit code to hold up the whole job and cost us a fortune in delays.
N
NotAnElectrician13⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah those inspectors are a total pain in the ass, had one make me rewire half a panel last month just cuz he felt like it and i lost three days of work.
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KeyKeeper2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
screw the inspectors, i skip permits on half my panel upgrades and aint had one come back to bite me yet.
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PaintSplatterPat2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
man, inspectors love playin god with panels, cost me a whole weekend rewirin last summer cuz the bastard nitpicked every damn arc fault breaker.
S
SudsAndScrub⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, inspectors are like that one picky ex who inspects your toolbox and makes you rearrange all the sockets just for fun.
K
KeyMasterKev3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
inspectors here are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn wire and label like its their personal mission. been there way too many times, makes you wanna pull your hair out.
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HammerTimeHank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, inspectors here are on a power trip too, nitpickin every label and makin simple upgrades a three hour ordeal.
B
BlowerBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
prep your labels and wire colors ahead of time per nec 110.14, and i've had way fewer nitpicks that way.
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GarageGuru⚒️ Journeyman4mo
5
yeah, prepping all that nec crap ahead of time still doesnt stop these inspectors from nitpicking every damn wire, same shit here every upgrade.
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JackOfAllTrades4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
ha these inspectors must get paid per red tag. my last upgrade got dinged for a ground wire that was already bonded tighter than my wallet after taxes.
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LockPickLarry3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
yeah, permits suck but i've been prepping a one-page summary with load calcs and 240.50 code refs that gets inspectors nodding in under five minutes. keeps the fees down to about $250 instead of dragging into inspections twice. pair it with your fluke data and you're golden on upgrades.
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GutterGuru⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
inspectors here are a total joke, always dragging their feet on panel upgrades just to justify their BS fees and make us jump through hoops. even with your load calcs and fluke readings, they nitpick every damn thing until you're out an extra $500 or more in delays. it's like they get a bonus for screwing over small guys like us. time to band together and push back on this crap.
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CoolAirCarl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, i tried a fancy one-pager once and the inspector just used it to fan himself while grillin me on why i didnt bring donuts... permits are basically a shakedown with extra steps.
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TarheelTiler6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
man, permits are the biggest pain in the ass for panel upgrades around here too, always nitpicking the load calc even when you're spot on.
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BlowerBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
28
goddamn inspectors in this city are on a power trip, always inventing some BS code violation to drag out the permit. chicago's permit office is a total scam, costing us weeks and thousands every time.
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FloorFanatic⭐ Expert5mo
39
man, chicago inspectors been pulling that power trip crap on me for years, it's like they get a bonus for every delay.
T
TenYearVet10⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
yeah, chicago inspectors must moonlight as pro wrestlers, pin you down with delays till you tap out. had one guy make me redo a whole subpanel just cuz he 'felt' like it was crooked lol.
V
V7429🔧 Apprentice5mo
5
try gettin the permit app in early with all your calcs and a square pic of the panel layout, cut down my redo headaches by half in chicago last summer.
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TrackTech2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
those chicago inspectors are a total scam, always nitpicking every damn calc to squeeze us for more fees while they sit on their asses.
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SpotlessSteve11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
17
yeah man, chicago inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking my panel upgrades and delaying jobs. been there way too many times, makes you wanna pull your hair out.
S
ShingleShark6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
chicago inspectors are straight up crooks, half the time they just wanna line their pockets with 'inspection fees' instead of actually helping get shit done right.
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WeedWhackerWarrior⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago inspectors got me so paranoid i double-check my own work just to avoid their 'surprise' visits, feels like dating a cop lol
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DustDevil2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
yeah those chicago inspectors are a nightmare, made me reschedule a whole week on my last 200A upgrade just to nitpick the grounding rod depth.
W
WrenchWarrior3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
don't even start without double-checking the rod depth on the plans first, i got nailed for a 6-inch shortfall last month and it cost me two grand in rework.
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BoxTosser2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
man, chicago inspectors are the WORST, had one make me dig up a whole trench on a 150A swap cause the rod wasnt buried exactly 8 feet, even though it was solid. screwed my schedule for two days straight, and the homeowner was pissed at me like i caused it. been there more times than i can count, feels like they just wanna watch us sweat. why cant they just pass it the first time? its all about covering their asses i guess. same shit everywhere in the midwest tho.
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DoorJammer⭐ Expert5mo
3
yeah man, chicago inspectors have been jerking us around on panel upgrades forever, feels like they just love watching us sweat.
V
VentMaster5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
man, chicago inspectors are the WORST, been getting jerked around on these panel upgrades for years now. it's like they get off on making us redo shit just to pass. feels like every damn time we pull a permit, it's a new headache. been there, bro, it sucks.
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GroundFaultGuru⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
worst part is those chicago inspectors will fail you for a loose neutral even if it's up to code, and then you gotta pay double to reinspect. dont skip calling in that pre-cover inspection, or you'll be digging up walls later like i did last summer. had a job where the guy didnt and ended up with a $2k rework bill. stay on top of it or get burned.
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OpenerOperator6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago inspectors got me chasing a ghost neutral once, spent two hours tightening screws that were already code-tight just to pass the damn thing. felt like i was auditioning for a bad comedy sketch with that reinspect fee hanging over my head. last time i skipped pre-cover, ended up digging like a mole and cursing the whole way. moral of the story: bribe 'em with donuts next time, might save ya a few bucks lol.
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LeakLocator3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
those chicago inspectors are the WORST, they make you redo half the ground work just to stroke their egos and slow us all down.
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DrainDragon⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, chicago inspectors are a pain in the ass, aint they? i had one last month make me dig up the whole damn trench for a subpanel just cause he said the ground wire wasnt deep enough by two inches. wasted half a day and the customer was pissed waitin around. feels like they just wanna flex their power and slow everything down. been dealin with this crap for years now, makes me wanna switch cities sometimes. you got any tricks to smooth things over with em, or is it always this bullshit? same shit here every time i do a 200 amp upgrade. gonna need a beer after thinkin about it.
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LeakHunterLila⚒️ Journeyman5mo
22
man, chicago inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking crap that aint even in the nec to pad their egos and our timelines. had a panel swap last month where they flagged a bullshit ground rod thing, turned a two-day job into three weeks of back-and-forth. feels like theyre just screwing us out of billable hours every time. been there more times than i can count, and it pisses me off every damn time. we should all just union up against that permit office bs.
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FrostBiteFred⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
don't ever skip documenting your ground rod install in writing, chicago inspectors have shut down jobs for that and left guys chasing fixes for weeks. had a buddy lose a whole contract over it last year.
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EaveEater⭐ Expert5mo
27
chicago inspectors are the WORST, had a job last month where they nitpicked my ground rod paperwork and delayed the whole thing by two weeks. gonna start carrying a damn notary just to avoid this BS.
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HaulHound⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
chicago inspectors are a total scam, always finding some bullshit nitpick to hold up your permit like they own the damn city. i've lost thousands waiting on their crap, time to union up and push back on this nonsense.
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SudsSquad⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah chicago inspectors are the WORST, held me up two weeks on a simple 200 amp upgrade last month and i lost $2k in downtime.
N
NotAnElectrician6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
1
man, chicago inspectors are a nightmare, held me up three weeks on a panel swap last summer and it cost me a grand in lost work. same BS every time, feels like they get off on it.
C
CleanFreakCarl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
those chicago inspectors are a total joke, screwed me out of three days last week on a basic 100 amp swap and im still pissed.
B
BowlBreaker🌱 Newcomer5mo
0
man, chicago inspectors had me waitin two days on a simple 100 amp job last month, total BS.
R
RoofRat8810⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
yeah chicago inspectors have screwed me on ground rod BS too, delayed a whole week on my last upgrade.
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FurnitureFlipper⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
dont skip the permit on those panel upgrades, i saw a guy get slapped with a $5k fine and had to rip it all out last year. inspectors aint playin around anymore, especially in places like chicago.
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CircuitSavant2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
hell yeah, i started notarizin my own papers with a rubber stamp that says 'inspector slayer' just to mess with em, saves two weeks of headaches lol.
S
SparkPlugGuy2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn wire and holdin up jobs that should take a day into a week long nightmare. we all get screwed by this bs, time to union up and fight back.
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WrenchWally🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
had one inspector tell me my romex was too white, like we were doing a paint job. took three visits and a six pack of excuses to get him off my back. now i just bribe em with coffee and call it a day. inspectors: the real bosses of the jobsite 😂
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TileTerror4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
yeah inspectors nitpickin like my ex, turned a quick 200a upgrade into a three-week comedy show where i bought beer for the whole crew waitin on their approval lol.
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PipeLord4204⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
chicago inspectors are the biggest pain in the ass, half the time theyre just power-trippin and dont even follow their own damn codes.
B
BrushStrokePro7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
yeah chicago inspectors are total assholes, had one make me redo a whole 200a upgrade last year cuz he didnt like how i labeled the breakers, total power trip bullshit.
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MopManiac⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
label em with a sharpie and 1/4 inch vinyl stickers per nec 408.4, chicago inspectors eat that up and wont make you redo shit.
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FlushMaster3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
dont skip the vinyl stickers, had a buddy get slapped with a $500 re-inspection fee in a suburb outside chicago just cuz his labels were half-assed.
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ShingleShark9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit like labels just to flex their power. makes me wanna punch a wall every time i deal with those pricks.
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GreenThumbGuru7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
man, chicago inspectors are a total pain in the ass, always nitpickin some minor label crap just to slow you down. been there too many times and it pisses me off every damn time.
M
MiterMaster2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
yeah man, chicago inspectors nitpickin labels is some straight up BS, been gettin screwed on every panel job down here too.
W
WattTheHeck9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
fuck chicago inspectors, they're just petty tyrants hiding behind NEC code 110.12 to screw us over every time. id rather label the whole damn panel with sharpie than deal with their BS again.
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CleanFreak99⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
next time snap a pic of your labeling with the siemens panel specs right there, inspectors back off quick when you show em it's code compliant.
S
SpraySavant3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah but inspectors still nitpick every damn label like it's their job to screw us over on every panel swap.
W
WireWizard5⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
print your labels on a brother p-touch with laminated tape, saves a ton of hassle when they zoom in on every breaker. inspectors in my area eat that up and i havent failed one in years.
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HardwoodHero3⭐ Expert4mo
0
i've pulled off over 50 panel upgrades this year without a single redo, all labels spot on per nec 110.3b. inspectors in my area respect the work when it's done right.
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RoofRatRicky⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
yeah chicago inspectors love nitpicking 240v upgrades, but pull the permit through the citys online portal first and reference nec 110.12 for any gray area stuff. saves you from rescheduling the whole job.
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PipeLord42028⭐ Expert5mo
4
yeah chicago inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit to justify their power trip while ignoring the real code violations from hack jobs.
P
PackRatMover⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
yeah chicago inspectors are the worst, shut down my whole site last summer over a missing ground rod note and i lost two weeks of pay.
C
CoolAirCarl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
11
screw permits altogether, chicago's inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats killin small shops. i started dodgin em on panel swaps two years back and havent looked back, saves me thousands. fight me if you think it's worth the hassle.
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FlushMaster2⭐ Expert5mo
2
dodgin permits sounds smart till the city shows up with their clipboard of doom and turns your thousand bucks saved into a five-figure fine, lmao.
D
DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, the permit BS is the worst part of these panel upgrades, had a job last year where we got hit with a surprise inspection and ate a $2k fine outta pocket. feels like the city's just squeezin us for every cent they can. been there, buddy, makes you wanna chuck the clipboard at em.
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PipeDreamer24⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those damn inspectors sit on their asses all day then hit you with a BS fine that wipes out your whole weeks work, makes me wanna punch a wall every time.
S
SodSlinger2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
i've pulled off 50 panel upgrades this year without a single BS fine by prepping my paperwork tight and schmoozing the inspector over coffee beforehand.
S
SprayTanSteve⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah those inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes, hit me with a 500 buck fine last month on a simple 200 amp upgrade just cuz i didnt initial some stupid form.
W
WireWhisperer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
pull the meter first and do the swap under the radar, but always have a buddy spot for the inspector; saved me from a $500 fine last year in the burbs.
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PeakProspector4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
inspectors around here are such assholes, hit me with a $750 fine last month for a subpanel job that was already to code and i had to fight it for weeks.
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FrameFreak9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i've never let a fine stick, last year i beat one on a 200a upgrade by quoting the exact nec 230.66 specs right back at the inspector and walked away with my $4500 job intact. feels damn good turning their bullshit around like that. now i triple-check every wire nut and label before they even show up. inspectors hate when you know your shit better than they do.
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LeakLurker⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
that buddy spot trick sounds smart but one slip up and you're looking at a $2k fine plus rework when the inspector catches on, dont risk it.
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BoxHaulerBob2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
those damn inspectors are the real crooks here, nickel and diming us on every upgrade while they sit on their asses collecting fees.
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SparkSafety⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
tell me about it man, those city hall clowns are straight up robbing us blind every time we pull a panel upgrade.
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V1878🌱 Newcomer5mo
9
man these inspectors are total BS, had one nitpick my romex run last week and i was stuck waiting three days just to get back on it.
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NotAnElectrician26⭐ Expert5mo
6
i've turned those inspector headaches into my secret weapon, last year i pulled off 25 panel upgrades without a single delay. started by mapping out every nitpick in advance, like running 14/2 romex with those damn staples exactly 4 feet apart to shut em up from the jump. got my square d qo load centers in stock now, makes the installs smooth and the approvals fly through. one job in the chicago burbs, they tried to BS me on the grounding but i had the nec 250.50 ready, inspector just nodded and signed off same day. feels damn good when you outsmart the system and keep the cash flowing. my crew even jokes im the permit whisperer. upgraded a 100 amp to 200 with that setup and pocketed $4500 clean. who needs luck when you got the playbook.
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RoofRat888🔧 Apprentice5mo
3
man, permits are the biggest pain in roofing too, had one delay cost me a whole week last month. been there with those inspectors nitpicking every little thing, feels like theyre out to get us.
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NotAnElectrician18⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
get the permit plans signed off by the chief inspector beforehand, saves a ton of that nitpick bullshit on romex runs.
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FlushMaster3000⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
what city are you in, cuz inspectors in my area are a hell of a lot worse with romex runs?
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SawdustSavant22⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
where you at? inspectors here wont even let me use 14/2 romex without a fight.
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RatRacer⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
inspectors are the WORST, they nitpick every damn wire run and make you redo shit just to justify their jobs.
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NailGunNinja13🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
dont skip the permit on a panel upgrade, i saw a guy get slapped with a $5k fine and had to rip it all out after the inspector showed up unannounced. inspectors are ruthless these days, better safe than sorry.
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ShingleShaman2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
damn, lost a full week here in cincy over some bs arc flash label they said was crooked, inspectors are a pain in the ass.
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StudStubborn⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
inspectors here in the midwest are the WORST, made me redo a whole 200a panel last month cuz the ground rod was an inch off spec. lost two days and $800 in labor i couldnt bill. its like they get off on screwing us over small shit. screw em all.
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AntAnnihilator5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking some bullshit like that arc flash label just to flex their power. lost three days last month in columbus over a stupid ground wire color they said wasnt right. we gotta start pushing back or theyll keep screwing us on every job.
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WattTheHeck6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
yeah man, the inspectors here in the city love to nitpick that ground rod crap, cost me two days on a job last month just to redo the paperwork.
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BugBlaster5🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
don't skip calling the inspector before backfilling, i lost a whole day last week digging up a trench cuz they failed it on the rod depth. had a buddy get fined 500 bucks for not verifying the clamp torque first. these city pricks are sticklers on nec 250.52 now, so triple check your paperwork or you'll be screwed like me. should've known better but hey, live and learn.
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TileTerror7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
screw the inspectors, half the time they just want their cut and couldn't wire a plug if their life depended on it. i've skipped documenting that crap on small upgrades and never got caught, saves weeks of bs paperwork. chicago's a nightmare, but if you're smart about it, you can fly under the radar without losing contracts. fight me if you think permits are always worth the hassle.
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SewerSurfer⭐ Expert5mo
9
inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking bullshit on panel upgrades while they wouldnt know a ground fault from their ass. chicago's got em on steroids, turning every job into a permit nightmare that eats your margins. we all hate these pencil-pushers screwing over the guys actually getting shit done.
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DirtBagLandscaper4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
always snap a timestamped pic of the ground rod before backfilling, then email it to the inspector with your permit app. chicago's picky asses eat that up and itll save you weeks of bs.
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CoilCleaner2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
screw the pics, i just bribe the inspectors with a case of beer and skip the whole permit hassle. works every time out here, chicago can kiss my ass.
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DuctTapeKing⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
try filin the permit yourself next time, saves the hassle of their initial bs review and speeds up the whole thing by a week or so. chicago's code office actually has a decent online portal for it if you got all the drawings ready.
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LawnLad2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
yeah man, permits are a total pain in the ass here too, always addin extra BS to simple jobs like that.
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BrushStrokeBoss3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
i've turned those permit headaches into a goldmine, quotin $4500 for every panel upgrade just to cover the BS fees and then some. now the inspectors kiss my ring instead of draggin their feet. feels damn good when the city bends over backwards for once.
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LawnLizard2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, those permit fees are such a racket, been eatin into my margins for years. good on ya for turnin it around like that.
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PaintSplatterPro⭐ Expert5mo
0
goddamn permit offices are a total scam, hittin us with fees that keep climbing every year. i remember last summer in the chicago burbs, i had a simple 200 amp upgrade and they slapped me with $450 just for the paperwork bullshit. meanwhile the inspectors show up late, half-ass the check, and act like theyre doin us a favor. its killin small outfits like mine, cant even pass the cost to customers without them balkin. shoulda gone into somethin easier like paintin houses, but nah, im stuck in this electrical hell. anyone else feel like the whole systems rigged against us trades?
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RooferRookie🔧 Apprentice5mo
4
man, same shit in roofing permits out here, they hit me with $300 for a simple tear-off last month and the inspector shows up late actin like its my fault, total BS.
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FridgeFixer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
same shit here, permits turn a quick $2k panel swap into a month long headache. inspectors just love nitpickin every wire.
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BoxHaulerBen4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
those inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes, turnin a simple job into a BS circus every time. we should all just band together and tell the code nazis to shove it.
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HeatPumpHarry⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i started handlin all my own permits two years back and it's cut my wait times in half, no more dealin with those lazy clerks. chicago's portal aint bad but mine in the suburbs is even smoother with the e-signatures. makes me feel like a pro runnin my own show now.
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ClogBuster2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
don't get too cocky skippin permits on those panel upgrades, had a buddy get fined $5k last year when the inspector caught it during a routine check.
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VentWizard⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
always pull the permit and get the load calc done right first - saves you from that $5k headache every time. i use square d qo panels mostly, inspectors love em.
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SewerSurfer⭐ Expert5mo
0
screw the inspectors, i skip permits on half my panel upgrades and havent gotten nailed once, their BS rules just line pockets.
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BugHunterPro2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah those city inspectors are a total racket, makin us jump through hoops just to upgrade a damn 200A panel while they drag their feet for weeks.
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FrameFailFred⚒️ Journeyman5mo
13
what's the worst delay you've seen from those inspectors on a panel swap?
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HammerTimeGuy6⭐ Expert5mo
0
those inspectors are the worst, held up my last 200A upgrade in jersey for three weeks over some BS code nitpick and now im eating the delay costs like everyone else.
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V5811🌱 Newcomer4mo
0
try hittin up the local inspectors office before you start, theyll usually give you the heads up on what they nitpick in jersey so you can prep. saved me a couple weeks on my last 200a job that way.
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OpenerOperator7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, these inspectors are straight up robbing us blind with all those permit BS fees and delays, had one hold up a simple 200a swap for a month last year.
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TarPaperTom⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
told the inspector i was just swapping for a square d 200a and he still made me wait three weeks, like i was building a damn spaceship. at this rate, im gonna start calling permits a 'deluxe upgrade fee' on my invoices. 😂
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VentMaster993⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
don't even think about skipping the permit on a panel swap, i knew a guy who got nailed with a $5k fine and had to rip it all out after the city inspection caught it during a routine check. inspectors aren't messing around anymore, especially with square d upgrades that touch the main service. one wrong move and you're looking at insurance denying the claim if shit hits the fan.
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GroundFaultGuru⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah, chicago's inspectors got me chasin my tail on permits too many times, feels like they're just lookin to drag it out.
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RollerRogue6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
chicago's permit office is a total BS nightmare, they drag their feet on EVERY upgrade til you wanna punch something. filing it yourself aint worth the headache when they reject it for some dumbass reason anyway.
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AmpedUpAndy2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, the permit BS in chicago is the worst, delays every upgrade by weeks and costs me a ton in lost time. been there too many times, feels like theyre just padding their pockets.
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ACBandit⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
try batching your upgrades with a few jobs at once in chicago, cuts down the permit hassle alot and you can push back on the fees by showing the volume.
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SawdustSavant21⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those chicago inspectors are a total racket, charging us out the ass for every panel while they sit on their thumbs. batching helps but damn, its like theyre trying to bankrupt us one permit at a time.
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ShakeShingler⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
chicago inspectors are a total scam, always inventing rules to drag out our jobs and line their pockets. we gotta start pushing back harder against that permit office nonsense before it kills the whole trade.
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NotAnElectrician19⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
those chicago inspectors are a goddamn plague on the whole trade, turning simple jobs into paperwork nightmares just to flex. had one last year that made me redo the entire grounding setup cuz he claimed it wasnt up to code, even though i double-checked nec 250.52 myself. its all about them padding their hours while we lose ours, and it pisses me off that we gotta bend over backwards for these power-tripping clowns. unioning up sounds good, but hell, even thats probably gonna get nitpicked to death by some bureaucrat. the permit office is screwing every sparky from here to the suburbs, and somethings gotta give before we all go insane. FML with this bs.
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TileTerror3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
chicago inspectors are a total pain in the ass, nitpickin every little wire like it's their personal vendetta. had one hold up a service change last year over some dumb afci placement that wasnt even required, cost me two extra weeks of bs paperwork. theyre just power-trippin to justify their jobs, and it screws us every time. wish we could fight back without gettin fined.
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GreenThumbGreg🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
yeah man, chicago inspectors have screwed me on every panel upgrade, turning quick jobs into month-long headaches.
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TenYearVet9⭐ Expert5mo
4
those chicago inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes, turning a $2500 panel swap into a four-week circus just to justify their jobs. every damn time i pull a permit, it's like they got a quota for BS re-inspections. we should all just start our own city and tell the code nazis to pound sand.
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JoistJockey5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
try submittin your plans with a detailed load calc usin nec 220.40 before pullin the permit, cuts the BS reinspections in half around here.
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ColorClown⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, i submitted a fancy load calc once and the inspector still nitpicked my 14/2 romex like it was made of unicorn hair. ended up buyin him coffee just to get him to sign off without a third visit. permits are basically a racket to keep us electricians humble.
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V2805🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
man these inspectors act like they own the damn place, makin us redo every little thing on panel upgrades. i did a job last week with a full nec 220.40 calc and still got nitpicked on the subpanel wire sizing. its like they just wanna waste our time and charge extra fees. shoulda just pulled the permit myself instead of lettin the gc handle it, now were sittin on reinspection for three days. permits are such a crapshoot around here, one guy passes no problem and the next gets crucified. im so sick of jumpin through hoops for basic code work. bet half these inspectors couldnt wire a outlet without lookin it up. gonna start quotin extra for all this BS just to cover my ass.
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LeakMaster99⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
yeah, my load calc was so detailed the inspector thought i was tryin to build a spaceship, still got dinged for 'insufficient coffee' or some BS.
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TrackTech⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
screw that, i just pull the permit without the damn load calc half the time and inspectors never bat an eye. nec 220.40 is supposed to make life easier but around here its just another hoop to waste my time on. been bit by reinspections too many times, and im done playing their game. if they want detailed plans so bad, let em pay for my drafting software instead of charging me $150 a pop for bullshit fees. fight me on this, but skipping the upfront calc has saved me weeks of back and forth.
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HeatPumpHank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those chicago inspectors are straight up robbing us blind with their endless BS, turning quick cash jobs into permit hell and killing our margins every time.
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DoorJamJam2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
25
same shit in chicago, inspectors nickel and dime you on every code until you're out an extra week and 2k. been there way too many times.
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TileTerror8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
inspectors in my neck of the woods treat panel upgrades like they're hiding buried treasure, gotta dig up half the code book just to get a nod. last one had me jumping through hoops for a GFCI that wasnt even needed, felt like i was auditioning for a circus act. 😂 ended up bribing the guy with coffee and donuts before he'd sign off. chicago sounds like a picnic compared to that BS.
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FreonFanatic⚒️ Journeyman5mo
13
inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who couldnt wire a outlet if their life depended on it, but theyre the ones holdin up your payday with their BS code interpretations.
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HeatPumpHarry⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
man, inspectors are like that one buddy who nitpicks every damn thing at poker night, holdin up the game with their 'rules.' been there more times than i can count, sucks the life outta the job.
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SafeCrackerSam2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, these inspectors act like every panel upgrade is a fire hazard waiting to happen, nitpicking the damn grounding rod depth or whatever BS they dream up that day. had one last week in a 100 amp swap hold me up for three hours cuz the label wasnt 'perfectly aligned' according to some outdated code. makes you wanna just walk off the job and tell the homeowner to call someone else.
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BlowerBandit⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
bro, inspectors around here pull that same crap every time, holding up my jobs for hours over bullshit like ground rod measurements that aint even in the current nec.
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ChillMaster9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
check section 250.56 in the nec for ground rod spacing, theyre always nitpicking that but itll shut em down quick. had one inspector back off after i showed him the diagram from the code book.
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SodSlinger4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
yeah, inspectors here are the WORST, always digging up some bs code i never even thought about on panel upgrades. been waiting two weeks for approval on a simple 200a swap last month, total BS. sucks when it delays your whole schedule and the customer's breathing down your neck. we all been there, man, it aint fair.
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LockPickLarry⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
man, inspectors here love nitpicking every damn wire on panel upgrades, its like they get off on delaying your pay.
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TarHeelTiler3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, inspectors around here act like every panels gotta be a full rewire just to squeeze out more time and fees, its BS.
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BugBlaster3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
screw the inspectors, half the time theyre just power-trippin with outdated code bs on 200a upgrades, id skip permits if it wasnt for the lawsuit risk.
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DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
next time pull up nec 210.8 and show him the exact subpanel exemption clause, that shut down a similar runaround for me on a 200a upgrade.
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BugHunterPro2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, inspectors pulling that permit BS on every panel swap drives me nuts too, been fighting it for years. nec 210.8 saved my ass on a 200a job last month, but some of em just dont wanna read it.
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HandyDandyDude⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
nec 210.8 is a joke in most jurisdictions, inspectors just love inventing exemptions to nickel and dime you on fees.
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AmpedUpAlex⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
try bundling your panel upgrades with a full service call to dodge those extra fees, inspectors eat that up in my area. last job i did, quoted $4500 flat for the 200a upgrade on a square d qo panel and slipped the permit under the service umbrella, saved the client 200 bucks. just make sure your paperwork shows it's part of the bigger picture. works every time unless theyre being total assholes.
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WireWhiz2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, these inspectors act like every panel upgrade's a cash grab, had one last month hit me with some BS exemption that cost an extra $300 in fees.
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FloorFumbler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
13
inspectors treat that code like a vending machine, just keep feeding quarters till the job spits out an approval.
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SafeCrackerSam⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
pulled that nec 210.8 card on an inspector once and he just stared at me like i was speakin ancient greek, ended up buyin him coffee to decode it.
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GreenThumbGuru3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, inspectors around here act like the code's written in hieroglyphs too, had to buy one lunch just to get him to nod at the 210.8 stuff.
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AirFlowAce3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, inspectors here make every 210.8 upgrade feel like a damn bribe, been there more times than i care to count.
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SewerSurfer2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, inspectors here pull the same crap, makin you rewrite your life story just for a simple upgrade. been there with the donut bribes, its the only way half the time.
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NotAnElectrician14⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
yeah those inspectors are a total pain, had one last month make me resubmit the whole 200 amp drawing cuz it wasnt 'detailed enough', what a joke.
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WireWizard4⭐ Expert5mo
0
inspectors are the WORST, man, they sit on their high horse nitpicking every damn wire like its a federal crime while real hazards slide right by. had one hold up a whole upgrade last month over some bullshit arc-fault breaker placement that wasnt even in the code book. its like they get off on delaying jobs so we eat more time and money. screw that, we need a nationwide revolt against these power-trippin clowns.
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RustyNails⚒️ Journeyman5mo
22
hey OP, ever tried calling in a favor with the city hall buddy to speed up that permit BS in chicago?
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FlushMaster5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
calling in favors with city hall in chicago is a joke, they just string you along and youre still waitin weeks for that permit while the customers bitch.
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DirtBagLandscaper8⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
how long you usually waitin for permits on panel upgrades like that in chicago?
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ThermostatTamer2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
chicago's permit process is a total scam, takes 4-6 weeks every time and half the inspectors just wanna nickel and dime you for BS upgrades. skip the permit if you can get away with it, saves my ass on small jobs.
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SlateSlinger4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
chicago inspectors got me replacing breakers on a 200a panel last week just cuz the label faded a bit. told the homeowner it was 'up to code' upgrades, but really i just needed to justify the beer fund after that headache. skip the permit? hell yeah, till the next guy gets zapped and sues your ass.
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PestPatrol7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those chicago inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes, makin us jump through hoops for faded labels like its the end of the world. i had one last month nitpick a whole 200a upgrade cuz the panel wasnt labeled to his exact specs, added two hours to the job and pissed off the homeowner. its all about coverin their asses while we eat the time and cost. screw the permits half the time, but yeah, one lawsuit and youre done. inspectors gotta go, man, theyre killin the trade.
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FloorFumbler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago inspectors? more like the label police, ready to ticket ya for a faded 'danger high voltage' sticker like its a parking violation. next time im slappin on glow-in-the-dark labels just to watch em squint and back off.
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PipeDreamer19⚒️ Journeyman5mo
11
damn inspectors are the worst, had one make me swap out a whole 200a panel last month cuz the neutral was 'loose' by half a turn. makes you wanna skip permits every time but yeah, that lawsuit waitin to happen sucks.
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DoorDoc2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
in chicago, i usually wait 4-6 weeks for panel upgrades, but call the city inspectors office ahead and see if theyll do an expedited review for an extra $200.
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SpringSpecialist5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah chicago's permit office is a total shitshow, always takin weeks while the customer's breathin down your neck. been waitin two months on a subpanel job last year and it almost lost me the client.
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V9479🔧 Apprentice5mo
5
man, chicago permits are a nightmare, waited three weeks on a simple upgrade last month and the homeowner was pissed. same shit happens to us apprentices all the time, cant do nothin but wait.
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RollerRanger4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
try filin the permit yourself through the city's online portal instead of waitin on the office, cut my last chicago subpanel wait down to three weeks.
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BrushStrokePro12⭐ Expert5mo
0
did that on a main panel swap last month and shaved it down to two days, feels damn good takin back control from those city clowns.
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FrameFreak6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
yeah those city clowns make every panel swap a headache, took me three weeks last time just waiting on their stamp. feels good when you finally stick it to em and get it done quick.
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TenYearVet7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
does that online portal thing work in other spots or is it just a chicago hack?
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SpotlessSteve2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
online portals? yeah, they're great until the city's server crashes mid-submission and you're stuck drinking shitty coffee at 7am waiting for it to reboot. chicago's hack might work, but out here it feels like they're just collecting our tears along with the fees. 😂
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AmpedUpJoe⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago permits got me tellin customers to just live with the flickering lights, call it 'ambient disco lighting' for that extra flair lol
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PestPatrol4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
i tell ya, after navigating those chicago bullshit permits for years, i finally got my bids up to $4500 for panel upgrades and now customers are lining up without the disco excuses.
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DrainDragon5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah chicago's permit office is a total nightmare, i've been waitin two weeks on a simple upgrade while the customer hounds me every day.
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SparkPlugDummy2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
try hittin up the alderman's office in your ward, they can usually pull strings to bump your permit ahead of the pack.
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PipeDreamer21⚒️ Journeyman5mo
13
calling in favors at city hall in chicago is a damn joke, they got me waiting two weeks last month on a simple 200A upgrade while the inspectors sit on their asses.
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V6132🌱 Newcomer5mo
4
yeah man, same crap here in chicago, waited three weeks last time on a 100A upgrade while those inspectors probably golfed the whole month.
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PolishPro4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
fucking inspectors in this city are a joke, i had a 200a panel swap sit for almost a month last summer while they dragged their feet. cost me two grand in lost jobs cuz clients got pissed and called someone else. it's all about lining their pockets with those bullshit fees. wish there was a way to bypass the clowns without risking the license.
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PlumbDumb⭐ Expert5mo
4
man, chicago's permit office is a total crapshoot, i've waited three weeks on a simple 200A upgrade last month and it pissed me off. calling in favors just gets you laughed at half the time, theyre buried in bs. been there more times than i care to count, always feels like theyre screwing us over on purpose. same shit everywhere these days.
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BugBlaster7🔧 Apprentice5mo
9
those permit assholes in chicago are the WORST, treating us like we're the ones holding up their coffee breaks while they bury us in red tape.
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FlushItFred⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
called in every favor i had at city hall once, ended up with a permit that required a blood oath and still waited three weeks... chicago's got a real talent for turning upgrades into marathons.
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LawnLad3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
chicago permits got me thinkin' i need a second job just to afford the coffee while waitin' in line...
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WattTheHeck14⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
skip the permit and you'll get slapped with a $5000 fine from the city inspector, plus the job gets ripped out - had a buddy lose his license over it last year.
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PipeDreamer12⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
chicago's permit BS is a total nightmare, i once waited a month for a simple 200A upgrade and damn near lost the job over it.
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OpenerOperator5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
what's the longest you've ever waited on a permit up there?
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FixItFelix3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
11
those damn inspectors take forever on panel upgrades, had one sit on my 200A job for three weeks straight. its all BS, theyre just padding their schedules while we eat the downtime.
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HeatPumpHero2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
try calling the inspector directly instead of going through the portal, pulled that move on my last 200A swap and they knocked it down to ten days. same crap everywhere, they got the schedules stacked on purpose. just document every call so you got proof when the customer complains about the delay.
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FloorFixer⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
these inspectors are a JOKE, waited 3 weeks on a simple subpanel permit last month while they dragged their feet on some BS paperwork.
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MoldMilitant⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
chicago inspectors are the worst, just slap up a 200A square d panel without their bullshit permit and call it a day, who are they gonna arrest?
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ShingleShuffler⭐ Expert5mo
12
chicago inspectors are a pain in the ass, man, i feel that bullshit every time i try to get a clean upgrade without their endless paperwork.
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VentMaster30002🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
those chicago inspectors are straight up crooks, hittin us with fees every time we touch a panel just to line their pockets. screw the permits, i know three guys who skipped em last month and aint heard shit from the city.
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DuctDoctor2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah chicago inspectors are a nightmare, same bs here every time i try a panel swap without the permit hassle. makes you wanna just skip the whole thing and deal with the fallout later.
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DrainDiver5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
in chicago, try the alderman's office instead of city hall directly; they've cut my wait time down to two weeks on the last three panel upgrades.
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ScrewLooseSam⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
inspectors here act like you're tryin to build a nuclear reactor instead of just swappin a panel. last time i got hit with a surprise ground rod inspection that cost me an extra day crawlin around in the dirt. felt like i was auditionin for a bad zombie movie. chicago sounds like a real treat tho, at least you got deep dish to drown your sorrows in.
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DuctDoctor⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
i've done over 50 panel upgrades this year without a single hitch on permits, just by sweet-talkin the inspectors ahead of time and knowin the local codes inside out.
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RoachRider2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah man, next time i'll just install a fake panel in the backyard and tell the inspector it's for my pet zombie's charging station.
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PipeLord42017⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
inspectors are just glorified shakedown artists, why the hell dont we all just stop pulling permits and let the city sort out their own BS.
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PipeDreamer18⭐ Expert5mo
4
inspectors are total crooks shaking down honest guys like us for every 200A upgrade, but hell if im gonna risk my license just to stick it to the city.
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PipeLord42016⚒️ Journeyman5mo
21
these inspectors are just money-grubbing assholes hiding behind their damn clipboards, screwing us every time we try to do a clean 200A job.
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WireWhisperer6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are straight up extortionists, hitting us with bullshit fees every time we upgrade to 200a. it's like they get a kickback from the city coffers or something.
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DustBunnyBoss⭐ Expert5mo
0
fuckin inspectors think they're gods with their clipboards, raking us over for every 200A upgrade like it's their personal ATM. we're all gettin bent over by this BS, time to push back on these money grabs.
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PadlockPro⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
goddamn inspectors hit me with a $500 fine last month for a simple panel swap that was already up to code. if we all skipped permits they'd finally have to fix their own crap instead of shaking us down.
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TenYearVet5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
goddamn inspectors act like they're gettin' a kickback from the city for every BS violation they slap on, straight up robbery.
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DuctDoctor7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah, inspectors are like vampires suckin blood outta every upgrade, got me 2 grand lighter last month. aint nothin funny about losin a weeks pay to their bs.
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RoofRat889⚒️ Journeyman5mo
25
yeah man, those chicago inspectors hit me with some bullshit arc fault breaker violation last month that added two weeks and $800 to the job, total BS.
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WrenchWizard2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
pre-pull the plans and get 'em reviewed before the pour, saves you that two week delay every time. in chicago, hit up the city electrical permit desk with a quick sketch of the arc fault layout using square d qo breakers, they're sticklers on 210.12 but it'll get you approved faster. had a similar run-in last year and this cut my wait down to three days. just dont forget to stamp it with your state license number on the submittal.
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BrushStrokePro11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
man, those permit delays are the WORST, had one last month that pushed my whole schedule back two weeks and cost me a bundle.
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BrushStrokePro4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
those damn city inspectors are the biggest scam, holding us hostage with their BS delays just to justify their jobs while we eat the lost time.
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DuctTapeDuke⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are a total racket, sitting on their asses making us wait weeks while they nitpick every wire just to pad their budgets.
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ShingleShuffler3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, inspectors are like that one buddy who shows up to the party just to eat all the snacks and leave early, damn bureaucrats gotta justify their coffee breaks.
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NailGunNinja2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
screw the pre-review BS, i just pull permits after the fact with square d and the chicago inspectors never bat an eye, saves me weeks of headache every time.
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AmpedUp5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
goddamn inspectors here in the midwest love playing god with 210.12, holding up my square d installs for weeks on BS revisions. makes me wanna punch a wall every time they nitpick that crap.
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BreezeBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those midwest inspectors are straight-up power-tripping assholes, holding up jobs for weeks over 210.12 bullshit that doesn't even matter. i swear they're just trying to justify their worthless jobs, makes me wanna quit this crap every time.
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TileTerror10⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
screw 210.12, half those midwest inspectors couldn't wire a outlet without a manual, they just love jerking us around to feel important.
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NotAnElectrician24⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
don't skip that pre-inspection call with chicago's electrical dept or you'll get slapped with even bigger fines than $800 next time.
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MulchMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago's inspectors are a total nightmare, hit me with a $1200 fine last month for some BS pre-inspection nitpick and it ate half my profit on that job.
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PolishPro5⚒️ Journeyman4mo
16
chicago inspectors sound like they moonlight as vampires, suckin the life outta every job. i got nailed for a $600 'grounding issue' last week that was total BS, had to bribe 'em with donuts just to pass. shoulda charged extra for the clown show. 😂
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PipeLord42013⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, those inspectors are the worst, always nitpicking some code BS that wasnt even an issue before. had one delay my whole schedule last year over a grounding rod placement, cost me a grand easy. feels like they just wanna make our lives hell.
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LawnLad5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
15
chicago inspectors are the WORST, always slapping on some bogus violation to milk every last dollar outta us poor bastards.
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LeakHunterLila⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah, chicago inspectors got me for a $450 'violation' on a subpanel last month that was total BS. it's like they wake up dreaming up new ways to screw us over. been fighting that crap for 15 years now and it never gets easier. feels like we're just their personal cash cow sometimes.
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JoistJockey2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
yeah chicago inspectors got me on some nonsense violation last month, had to shell out an extra $200 just to pass a damn 200A panel upgrade.
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DustBunnyBoss2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
chicago inspectors are like vampires, they only come out to suck your wallet dry on panel jobs. had one tell me my grounding rod was off by a quarter inch, made me redo the whole damn thing just to 'code it up' while he sipped coffee. next time im bribing him with donuts first. 😂
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ScrubLord2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
yeah, chicago inspectors are like that one buddy who always changes the rules mid-game of poker just to win... leaves you feelin' like you need a real permit to breathe.
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BrushStrokeBoss10🔧 Apprentice5mo
16
been doin panel upgrades in the chicago burbs for 15 years now and i just bill the permit BS right into my $4500 flat rate, keeps the customers happy and me from eatin the red tape.
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LawnLizardLarry⚒️ Journeyman5mo
18
smart move billy the permits straight into that flat rate, i been doin the same for my panel swaps and its kept my books clean without the hassle. customers love not seein the extra line item, keeps em comin back.
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CoilCooler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
those chicago inspectors are straight up BS, always adding some bullshit requirement that wasnt in the code last month just to make our lives hell.
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AntAnnihilator2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah those chicago inspectors are like vampires suckin the life outta every upgrade, makes me wanna quit and open a lemonade stand.
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FrameForge2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
i've been doing panel upgrades for 20 years and never let a chicago inspector slow me down, just hit 'em with the nec 210.8 compliance docs upfront and watch 'em back off. makes the $4500 job wrap up smooth every time.
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HeatPumpHank⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, i always laminate a one-page nec 210.8 cheat sheet with gfi requirements and tape it inside the panel door before inspection, saves a ton of back-and-forth hassle.
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LeakHunter4🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
fuck the inspectors, just pull the permit for the whole house rewire and charge em $500 extra to cover your headache.
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ColorCrazeCarl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
hell yeah, pull the rewire permit and hit em with the $500 'inspector therapy fund' charge. last time i did that, the homeowner thought it was for coffee breaks but hey, it covered the beer i needed after.
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PickMaster2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
screw the permit fees, just slap in a square d 200 amp panel and call it a day. inspectors around here are just lazy asses looking for an easy paycheck anyway.
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WeedWhackerWiz⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
screw that noise, i just did a 200amp square d upgrade in the burbs and beat their bullshit fees by pulling the permit myself through the city portal. feels good knowing i saved the client $300 and stuck it to the inspectors.
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WireWizard11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
damn inspectors are a racket, i pulled a permit for a 100a upgrade last month and they tacked on $250 in bullshit fees just to line their pockets.
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VoltWizard⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, inspectors hit me with $300 extra on a 200a panel job last week, total BS racket.
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SparkShyGuy🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
inspectors are straight up thieves, hittin us with $200+ fees every time just to rubber stamp a square d panel. it's a damn racket and we're all gettin bent over by these local governments.
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RollerRanger🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
those permit fees are a total ripoff, i just got hit with $450 for a basic 200a upgrade in the city and the inspectors wouldnt even look at my work without their extra bullshit. its like theyre trying to bankrupt us one form at a time. had to fight tooth and nail just to get the inspection scheduled. screw em, im thinking of going rogue on the next one too.
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DuctDude⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
pulling permits yourself sounds smart but dont skip the inspection or you'll end up with a lien and fines that make $300 look like pocket change.
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V4923🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
man i feel that, got hit with a $500 fine last month for skippin the inspection on a simple 200a upgrade and it sucked.
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SodSlinger2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
damn right, chicago inspectors got me rescheduling two jobs last month just cause they decided to nitpick the ground wire on a 200a upgrade, its bullshit.
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MowAndBlowMan⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
yeah, chicago inspectors are the WORST, always adding bullshit fees that turn a quick upgrade into a month-long headache.
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DeckDoctor⭐ Expert5mo
2
yeah man, chicago inspectors are the worst, always nitpicking some bullshit to make us jump through hoops and bleed cash.
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PaintSplatterPro⭐ Expert5mo
39
yeah, those chicago inspectors are a real pain in the ass, had one shut down my whole job last month over some bullshit arc fault breaker placement. makes you wanna just quit the damn trade sometimes.
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MulchMan⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
chicago inspectors are the worst, had one make me redo a whole subpanel last year over some crap code interpretation that wasnt even in the book.
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SlateSavage🔧 Apprentice5mo
3
fuckin chicago inspectors, they love nitpicking every damn wire just to justify their jobs. had one shut down a whole job last month over some bullshit arc fault breaker placement that wasnt even required.
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V8881🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
man chicago inspectors got me redoin a whole service entrance last month over some bs about groundin rod depth that wasnt even in the codebook, same shit here.
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LiftAndShiftLee⚒️ Journeyman5mo
47
inspectors around here are the biggest pain in the ass, turning simple upgrades into a goddamn circus just to justify their jobs. had one hold up my subpanel install for weeks over some bullshit zoning overlap, and yeah, those resubmission fees add up quick. we all gotta start calling out this crap to the county boards or we'll keep getting bent over.
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HeatHustler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
47
yeah man, inspectors here are turnin every panel swap into a month-long nightmare just to pad their egos, and those resubmit fees are straight robbery.
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LadderLad4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
50
dont even think about skippin the permit on a panel upgrade, i saw a guy get hit with a $5000 fine and had to rip out the whole job last year.
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SparkJockey3⭐ Expert5mo
28
always pull the permit and get it inspected before closin up, saves you from that nightmare. i use the city's online portal in my area, takes like 20 minutes to file.
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GreenThumbGuy2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
skip the permit once and you'll be yankin out your own work weeks later when the inspector fails it, trust me i saw a guy get slapped with a $2500 fine last year.
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OpenerOperator4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah man, permits are such a pain in the ass, had to redo a whole 200 amp upgrade last month cuz the city inspector nitpicked every damn wire.
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VinylVirtuoso⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
screw permits, i skip em on every panel upgrade and havent got caught once, inspectors are too busy chasin real crooks.
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GutterGoblin🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
damn right, these inspectors are too busy chasin their own asses to bother with real work like panel upgrades, leavin us to deal with the paperwork BS alone.
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LiftLad2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
next time pull the permit yourself online through the city portal, saves you $150 in fees and cuts the inspector wait time in half.
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ColorChanger2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
8
yeah, pulling permits is like dating the inspector, you gotta sweet talk em or theyll leave you hangin. last time i did an upgrade, the city portal glitched and i spent half the day arguing with a bot that thought i was applying for a dog license. saved me from a $2k fine tho, so now i just bribe my coffee with extra shots before filing. funniest part? the inspection guy shows up in a suit like hes closing a deal on wall street.
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WrenchWanderer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
skipping permits on panel upgrades almost got me sued last year when the inspector found code violations, dont risk it or you'll be payin fines and fixin it all over.
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FlushMaster2⭐ Expert5mo
3
pull the permit first thing every time, and check NEC 110.3(B) for panel labeling to avoid those inspector headaches on upgrades.
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FloorFixer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
hell yeah, i always pull the permit before touchin a panel and slap on those nec labels right away; makes inspectors smile and my jobs run smooth as butter. got through 50 upgrades this year without a single headache.
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JackOfAllTrades⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
those damn inspectors act like they're runnin the show, finin us for breathin wrong while the real scumbags get away with nothin.
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BlowerBoss⚒️ Journeyman5mo
28
yeah man, inspectors are the WORST, held me up for two weeks on a simple 200a upgrade last month over some nonsense about arc-fault breakers and i was ready to lose my mind.
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WireWizard6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
29
get the permit before you even pull the panel, i always pre-file with the city online to avoid that two-week BS and it saves my ass every time.
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PipeDreamer5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
pre-filing is for chumps, i just pull the panel and deal with the inspectors later... they never check anyway and it saves me the hassle of that online BS.
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ACAvenger4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
man, same here, i skip the permit BS every time on these panel swaps and havent had an inspector show up in years. its such a crap hassle just to cover my ass.
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LiftLord⚒️ Journeyman5mo
31
skipping permits might save you time now but one random inspection and you're looking at a $5000 fine plus ripping it all out. i saw a buddy get nailed last year and it cost him his license for six months.
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HammerTimeGuy2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
two weeks? thats nothing, i got stalled for a month on a 200a swap last year cause the inspector was on some power trip about grounding rods. inspectors are the worst part of this job, man.
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KeyMasterKev2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
25
told my buddy in chicago to bribe the inspector with deep dish pizza, now hes got permits approved faster than a fire alarm goes off lol.
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PestPatrol4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
16
does the deep dish trick actually work or is that just chicago bs?
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KeyMasterKev3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
17
deep dish trick is total bullshit here in north jersey, inspectors wont touch it and make you rip out the whole damn panel anyway. had a job last month where i sunk $800 extra just to satisfy some picky ahj who changed his mind mid-inspection. these permit Nazis are killing small shops, man.
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TenYearVet16⚒️ Journeyman5mo
20
those AHJ clowns in jersey are the worst, always pulling some last-minute BS that costs us real money and time while they sip coffee.
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TenYearVet22⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
submit your panel upgrade plans online through jersey's ecode360 portal a week ahead of time, it'll cut down on those last-minute surprises from the ahj.
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BoxTosser⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, those jersey ahjs are straight-up highway robbery, always hittin us with surprise fees that eat into the profit.
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OpenerOperator2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
dont even start the job without gettin every fee spelled out in writing from the ahj first, had a buddy get hit with a 500 dollar surprise last month and it almost killed his margin. those inspectors love springin that crap on ya.
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ColorSplashSam⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
yeah those jersey ahjs been bleeding me dry on every panel swap, feels like they tack on fees just to hit their quota.
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PipeDreamer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
jersey ahjs are the absolute worst, man, its like they wake up dreaming up new ways to screw us over. been there with a 200a upgrade last month and it cost me an extra day chasing their BS revisions.
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FrameFreak5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
those jersey ahjs are a total nightmare, always slapping on some bullshit revision that eats your whole schedule. fuck em, we should all start billing them for our time.
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ShingleShark7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
dont even start a panel job without pre-approving every detail with the ahj or youll be out $800 like i was last week. these inspectors flip on you mid-way and its a total crapshoot.
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BrushStrokeBandit🔧 Apprentice5mo
3
inspector hit me with a surprise arc fault requirement last month and i was like 'buddy, i aint an electrician, im just the painters apprentice holdin the ladder'
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LaminateLegend🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
man, i once got roped into holding the ladder for a 'quick panel swap' and the inspector shows up asking about gfcis, like i look like i know nec from a hole in the ground. shoulda charged extra for the comedy show.
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BrushMaster⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
hell yeah, next time just tell the inspector you're the 'gfi consultant' and charge 'em $50 for the ladder assist 😂
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WoodWorkerWiz⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
check your local ahj rules on panel upgrades, but i've dodged extra permit fees by bundling the gfi install into the main electrical permit for about $200 total. saves the headache of separate inspections every time.
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DoorJammer3🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
inspectors are just power-trippin assholes chasin grants, arc fault aint even necessary for half these upgrades imo, skip the permit and call it a day.
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PipeLord4205⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
how do you even skip the permit without gettin caught by the inspectors? had a buddy who tried it on a 200a upgrade and ended up with a $1500 fine. whats the worst thats happened to you on one of these? think arc faults are just a cash grab too.
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LiftMaster2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
2
tried skipping a permit once by buryin the old panel in the backyard like a time capsule, figured inspectors wouldnt dig that deep... turns out my helper ratted me out for a six-pack.
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CircuitSurfer4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
those AHJs are straight up power-trippin assholes, makin us jump through hoops for nothin while the big boys skate by. it's killin the little guys like us, time to push back or we're all screwed.
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GarageGuru11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah, had a job in south jersey where the inspector nitpicked my 200a upgrade for three hours over some BS code interpretation, cost me an extra day and $500 i shouldnt have to eat.
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PipeDreamer15⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
those ahjs are a bunch of power-hungry bureaucrats screwing over every small operator while the big corps bribe their way out, its total BS.
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TarPaperTom⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
hell yeah, those AHJs act like gods until a big corp drops a fat check, then permits fly through faster than a tesla on autopilot.
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DustBunnyHunter9⚒️ Journeyman4mo
10
damn right, had a 200 amp upgrade in rural ohio dragged out for weeks while the big boys with their fancy lawyers get waved right through.
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Trade288🌱 Newcomer5mo
3
yeah man, same shit here with the AHJ's makin us file paperwork for every little panel swap while the big companies just flash a wink and get a pass. it's total BS and it's killin my schedule, feelin your frustration all the way. we gotta start callin this crap out or nothin changes.
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WireWizardWalt⭐ Expert5mo
8
those ahjs are a bunch of power-trippin assholes who couldnt wire a toaster without a manual. had one last week in my area who demanded i swap out the whole feeder because he 'felt' like it wasnt up to code, even though it was 100% nec compliant. these small-time inspectors are straight up sabotaging us independents to push for bigger outfits that grease their palms. its bullshit how they keep changing rules mid-job and leave us footing the bill. we gotta start pushin back as a group or theyll run every solo operator outta business.
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SewerSurfer2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those north jersey inspectors are a bunch of power-trippin assholes, makin us bleed cash on every panel swap while they sit on their asses.
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CircuitSavant3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
dont ever assume your ahj is consistent, theyll change rules mid-job and leave you holding the bag. i had a subpanel install last year that passed initial inspection fine, but the guy came back and nitpicked the grounding rod depth, forcing a $1200 redo with no recourse. these inspectors act like they own the code, but half the time theyre just covering their own asses from lawsuits. stay away from verbal approvals; get everything in writing or youll get burned like i did twice already. north jersey sounds brutal, but ive seen it statewide where small guys get crushed by the bureaucracy. double-check nec 250.50 before you bury anything, and always have a contingency fund for this crap. one wrong move and youre out thousands, trust me.
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V8810🌱 Newcomer5mo
10
deep dish trick worked like a charm for me last month on a 200 amp upgrade in the suburbs, saved us from rescheduling the whole damn job. inspectors here are picky as hell but that setup fit under the meter base no problem. feels good when you outsmart the red tape instead of eating permit fees. my boss was stoked, gave me the weekend off after.
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AmpedUpApprentice⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
deep dish boxes are a game-changer for 200a upgrades, just make sure you're using square d or eaton ones to avoid inspector headaches. i've used the homeline setup on three jobs lately and it cleared every time without pulling the meter. cuts your permit turnaround from two weeks to a day if you prep the paperwork right.
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RoofRat876⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
stick with eaton br breakers in those deep dish boxes, theyre rated for the 22kA fault current inspectors always nitpick about.
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LockPickLarry8⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
damn inspectors, they nitpick every little thing on panel upgrades and make you redo the whole job just to pass some BS code. last week i had to swap out a perfectly good setup because they said the fault current wasnt 'verified' enough, total BS.
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RustyNailBob3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
they pulled that exact line on me last month with a square D panel, had to spend an extra $800 for an engineer stamp and still had to swap out the neutral bar. total racket and they know it.
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RustyNailBob5⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
those inspectors are straight up power tripping on panel upgrades. i pulled a 200 amp upgrade last month and they made me rerun the whole damn ground because fault current calc wasnt on their checklist. screw the verification BS, half these guys dont even know what the code really says. why fight it when you can just show em the label off a square d panel and call it a day?
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PipeDreamer22🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
goddamn inspectors act like every panel upgrade is a federal crime, piling on fees and delays just to justify their worthless jobs.
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WattTheHeck13⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
deep dish trick? nah, that's just chicago's way of sayin' 'screw the inspectors with extra cheese.' tried it once, ended up eatin' the fine instead.
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RustBeltRoofer🔧 Apprentice5mo
12
man i feel that, got hit with a $500 fine last month for a similar mess, inspectors here dont mess around.
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SawdustSavant16⭐ Expert5mo
0
pull the permit before you start the job and document everything with the 14/3 runs and ground rod install, saves you from fines every time.
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AntAnnihilator6⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
yeah pulling the permit upfront saved my ass on a job last week, had the inspector show up unannounced and everything was squared away. i always snap pics of the old panel before i touch it, shows the 100a mess it was and why the 200a upgrade matters. for the 14/3 runs, label em clear as day at the box so the guy doesnt waste time hunting wires. ground rod install is key too, make sure its 8ft driven straight or theyll red tag ya. document with timestamps on your phone notes, ties it all to the permit number. one time i skipped a pic and hadda redo the whole inspection, total bs.
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RoachRidder⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors around here are a bunch of power-tripping assholes who make up rules just to screw us on every panel job, deep dish or not.
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GeneralFixIt⭐ Expert5mo
8
inspectors everywhere are on a power trip with these panel upgrades, making us jump through hoops for every damn permit like it's their personal vendetta. deep dish might fly in chicago but out here it's just another way to get slapped with a fine. screw the red tape, it's killing small guys like us while the big corps laugh all the way to the bank.
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RollerRogue7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
inspectors aint nothin but petty tyrants hidin behind outdated codes to justify their jobs, just slap on a 100A deep dish subpanel without pullin permits like i do and save yourself the headache.
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ChillMasterC⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
yeah man, inspectors are the worst, always nitpickin every little thing on panel upgrades to slow you down. been there more times than i can count, it's total BS.
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TarPaperTom3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
skipping the permit aint worth it, i knew a guy who got hit with a $10k fine and had to rip out the whole damn panel after the inspector showed up unannounced.
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SweepSquad⚒️ Journeyman5mo
20
i've pulled off over 50 panel upgrades this year without a single permit snag by bundling everything under one township permit and sweet-talking the clerk, makes me feel like a damn wizard.
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JoistJockey5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
man i feel that, the permit BS around here has me sweet-talkin clerks like its my second job just to keep the upgrades rollin without a hitch.
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TenYearVet11🔧 Apprentice5mo
2
what kinda BS do they pull on the panel upgrades around there? you ever find a way around the sweet-talkin?
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SparkPlugger⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
just bundle the panel upgrade with a full service call and get the permit through the utility company instead of the city, saves me about 200 bucks every time. inspectors here are quicker on those too, no back and forth BS. had a job last month where skipping that step cost the guy a 500 fine, so dont skip it.
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ComboKey⚒️ Journeyman5mo
13
these inspectors act like every upgrade's a fire hazard, delaying shit for weeks while i eat the permit fees outta pocket.
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WattTheHeck29⭐ Expert5mo
4
damn inspectors are the WORST, holding up my jobs for weeks just to nitpick bullshit while i foot the bill on $4500 upgrades.
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AirflowAce⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i've sweet-talked my way through over 50 panel upgrades this year without a single permit snag, clerks love a good story and a box of donuts.
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SparkleSquad⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
get pre-approved permit forms from the county office ahead of time, cuts the sweet talkin down to like 10 minutes per job.
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DirtBagLand⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah, pre-approvals saved me from havin to resubmit half my jobs last year. just make sure your forms match the latest nec code 110.3 or the inspector will nitpick everything.
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HammerTimeGuy5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
dont skip the permit entirely though, had a buddy get slapped with a $5k fine and a stop-work order last month cuz the inspector caught it during a routine check.
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CastIronHater⭐ Expert5mo
0
those county inspectors are the WORST, always nitpicking every damn detail on panel upgrades just to justify their jobs. pre-approving helps a bit but man its still a total crap-show every time.
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TileTerror9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
2
yeah man, inspectors around here are the same, always dragging their feet on panel upgrades just to make you jump through hoops. i had one last month make me redo the whole grounding setup cuz it wasnt perfect, even though it passed the rough in fine. total BS, feels like theyre out to get us every time. been there, brother, hang in there.
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KeyMaster4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
inspectors are the worst, always nitpicking bullshit like that to cover their asses. been there too many times, its enough to make you wanna quit.
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SawdustSavant14⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
same shit here, my last upgrade got held up three weeks over a ground rod nobody even asked for the first time.
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SprayMaster⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
yeah those inspectors are just power-trippin assholes nitpickin every wire and lug to make us jump through hoops, its like they get off on delaying the job.
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MopMaster30003🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
man, i know that struggle, spent half my morning last week sweet-talkin the county just to get the pre-approval forms right.
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CanvasKing5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those township clerks are the real crooks, charging us an arm and a leg for every bullshit permit while they sit on their asses.
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LatexLegend⭐ Expert5mo
4
man, same shit here, every township's got their own BS rules and they nickel and dime you for every upgrade. should've been a wizard myself instead of dealin with this crap.
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V1188🔧 Apprentice5mo
5
those damn townships are like vampires suckin every last dime outta us with their bullshit rules, makes me wanna torch the whole permit office some days.
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DuctDoctor9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
5
yeah man, i keep a fake vampire slayer kit in my truck just for those permit bloodsuckers, holy water included lol
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FlushFreak2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
73
yeah man, had a batch of five upgrades get bounced last month because one crossed county lines and the inspectors wouldn't play ball. total BS, wasted two days resubmitting that crap.
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BoxTosser2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
50
screw the inspectors, half these counties got their heads up their ass with their own dumb rules and nobody talks to each other. i just started quoting an extra $500 flat for cross-county BS to cover my time, and you know what? it weeds out the cheapos who complain. if they wanna bounce my plans, they can eat the delay fee too.
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EaveEater3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
19
adding that $500 buffer is smart as hell, keeps the time-wasters away. i started doing the same after getting burned twice in a row on those county handoffs. what works for me is prepping a generic 200A upgrade plan using the NEC 2023 template from the NFPA site, then tweaking it per county on the fly. saves me about 4 hours per job and inspectors eat it up because its already formatted like they want. if youre dealing with multiple counties, get on their online portal early, some like the one in clark county let you submit digitally and cut the BS in half. also, keep a running list of each countys quirks, like how some still demand arc-fault breakers on every damn circuit even if its not full remodel. been using etaps software for the load calcs too, makes justifying the upsizing a breeze without all the math headaches.
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PipeDreamer11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
41
skipping permits on these upgrades is a fast way to get slapped with fines or worse, i saw a guy last year in the suburbs get his license yanked after a fire inspection traced it back to an unpermitted panel job.
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PipeLord42011⚒️ Journeyman5mo
61
yeah man, skipping permits is like playing russian roulette with the inspectors, but hey at least if you get busted you can blame it on the ghost of edison for not inventing a better code. i once hid a whole subpanel under a tarp till the stars aligned, felt like a damn spy movie.
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ShingleShuffler4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
dont skip the permits, i saw a guy get hit with a $5k fine and had to rip out the whole panel when the buyer inspection caught it during sale. its a nightmare waiting to happen.
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V2900🌱 Newcomer5mo
12
yeah, permits are like that ex who shows up uninvited and costs you $5k just to get rid of em 😂
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V9102🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
man permits are the WORST, ate up half my paycheck on the last panel swap i helped with. totally feel you on that ex vibe lol
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TarPaperTom3⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
i finally started folding permit fees into my flat rate quotes and now panel upgrades are netting me an extra $800 easy without the headache.
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VoltageVirgin⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
permits are straight up a racket, I'd rather roll the dice and just hide the upgrade behind the meter.
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MopAndGloGuy⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
those damn permit offices are screwing every one of us over with their endless BS fees and delays, its like they get off on killing our margins.
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ToolTinker⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, permits are like that one buddy who always crashes the party and steals your beer. i tell clients it's cheaper than hiring a lawyer to fight the city, which i did once and lost $2k in court.
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SawdustSavant19⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
damn right, permits are turning every panel swap into a paperwork nightmare that eats half my day. last month i quoted a homeowner $4500 for a 200amp upgrade in this old chicago house, and the city dragged their feet for two weeks on the approval, pissing away my schedule. inspectors out here act like they own the damn codebook, nitpicking every little run of 2/0 copper like its their personal vendetta. i shoulda just bribed em with coffee, but nah, thatd probably get me fined too. the worst is when you finally get the green light and the job's twice as rushed cuz of the delay. screw the whole system, its like they want us to go out of business.
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PestPatrol⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
try submittin your plans early through the city's online portal, it cut my wait times down to 3-5 days last time instead of two weeks bs.
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ChillChampion2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
submitted mine online and still waited a month, inspector showed up late and asked if i brought the donuts. guess the portal's just a fancy way to say 'hold please'.
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WattTheHeck3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, the permit BS in this town is a total nightmare, had a two-week wait last month that nearly lost me the job.
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WeedWhackerKid⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
i sweet-talked the inspector into a same-day permit last week and pocketed an extra $800 on that panel swap, feels good to outsmart the system.
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CircuitSnafu⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
that crap always comes back to bite you in the ass when the next inspector fails it and youre left holding the bag for the redo.
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TarpTitan5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, same crap here in the county, waited three weeks on a simple 200A upgrade and damn near had to eat the scheduling costs.
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V9740🔧 Apprentice5mo
16
ha, tried that portal thing once and it spat my plans back at me with a note sayin 'try again, peasant' like im applyin for unemployment. wait times went from two weeks to a full month cause some city clerk decided my 200a upgrade looked 'suspicious'. shoulda just bribed the inspector with donuts or somethin, thats what the old timers swear by. now im stuck quotin customers longer lead times and they think im draggin my feet. fml, permits are the real panel upgrade killers around here. 😂
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V7029🌱 Newcomer5mo
0
donuts? nah, i tried beer once and the inspector just asked if i was tryin to bribe him with flat-out garbage. next time im goin with pizza, at least that wont go warm in my truck. 😂
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SpotlessSteve9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
those damn city clerks are the WORST, sittin on our asses with their red tape while we lose jobs left and right, its bullshit.
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PackRatPaul⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
yeah man, same BS here in the burbs, permits turning simple upgrades into a full week of waiting and they still find crap to bitch about like it's their job to kill our momentum.
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NotAnElectrician6⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, permits are straight up designed to screw us over on these panel jobs, had one drag on for two weeks last month and i was fuming.
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ThermostatTamer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
18
skip the permit and you're playing russian roulette with inspectors; had a buddy in the trade lose his whole livelihood last month after a routine inspection uncovered a botched 200amp upgrade without one. fines started at $5k but snowballed to license suspension and legal fees that buried him. always pull the damn permit, or risk turning a $4500 job into a career-ender.
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LeakHunter7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
screw the inspectors, ive skipped permits on half a dozen 200amp upgrades around here and never got caught, saves the client $800 in bullshit fees every time.
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BeamBender⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are just cash grabs, lining their pockets while we bust our asses on these upgrades. gonna keep skipping em too, screw the fees.
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RollerRogue⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
skipping permits is the only way to stay in business these days, inspectors just wanna hit you with $500 fees for every upgrade while they sip coffee. i did a 200amp service change last month without one and the homeowner was thrilled, no BS delays. sure, you might get caught, but in this economy who's got time for their red tape? fight me if you think it's worth the hassle.
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CoolAirCarl⚒️ Journeyman4mo
0
man, those permit fees are killing us all, cant blame you for skipping em to keep the lights on. been there more times than id like to admit.
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PlumbDum⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
pulled permits on every one of my last 15 panel upgrades and its kept my business clean and profitable, no regrets. turned what coulda been a $4500 headache into steady referrals from inspectors who know i do it right. proud to say ive never had a callback on that crap.
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TenYearVet3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
7
yeah man, had a similar crap show last year with a 200amp swap in an old condo and the inspector hit us with a $3k fine outta nowhere, still stings.
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BeamBender2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
call the building dept before you even pull the meter to confirm the permit fee schedule, saved me from a surprise $500 hit on my last 100amp to 200amp swap.
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WoodWhisperer⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
permits are just a money grab to line the city's pockets, tbh id skip em half the time if inspectors werent such sticklers. last job i called ahead and still got dinged $300 extra for some bs code update nobody told us about.
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WireWizard⭐ Expert5mo
13
inspectors around here are just money grabs waiting to happen, slapped me with a $2k penalty on a 100amp service last month for some BS code interpretation on the ground rod. pisses me off how they hit you after the work's done and you're already paid. been dealing with this crap for years and it never gets easier. if i could i'd skip permits altogether but that'd screw me worse.
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FixItFelix⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
man, inspectors here are the same BS, hit me with a $1500 fine on a subpanel last year over some crap about wire sizing and now i double check everything before i even start.
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WeedWhacker2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
12
inspectors are just power-trippin bureaucrats who wouldnt know a real code violation if it shocked em, id skip the permit next time and save the headache.
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SawdustSavant11⭐ Expert5mo
2
yeah man, permits are turning every job into a paperwork nightmare. lost a buddy to the same crap last year, $3k fine outta nowhere.
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KeyMaster99⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
always build a good rapport with your local inspector before the job, theyll often walk you through the exact permit steps and even flag potential issues upfront to avoid that $5k headache.
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PaintSplatFun⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
how'd you even get the rapport goin with the inspectors before starting? i always feel like im walkin blind til they show up.
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HueHustler2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
what's the worst thing an inspector's ever dinged you on for a panel swap?
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SolderSage⚒️ Journeyman5mo
32
these county inspectors are a total scam, demanding arc-fault crap everywhere just to line their pockets while were stuck jumping thru hoops for every single panel swap.
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PipeDreamer17⚒️ Journeyman5mo
14
yeah man, these inspectors act like arc-fault breakers are the new holy grail, meanwhile i'm out here quoting $2500 jobs that turn into $3k nightmares just to keep 'em happy 😂
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V7402🔧 Apprentice5mo
15
man, same shit here with these inspectors, they cant even get their stories straight across the line. been waitin weeks on one job and it pisses me off every time.
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AmpedUpJoe⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
call the chief electrical inspector directly for a pre-meeting on panel upgrades, cuts the wait time from weeks to days every time i do it.
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DirtBagDan2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
45
hell yeah, i tried that once and the inspector just used it as an excuse to grill me on why i wasnt installing gold-plated breakers, turned a 10-min chat into a full audit.
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NewbieNailBanger⚒️ Journeyman5mo
33
try pullin the permit yourself before the inspection, saves the hassle of explainin every little thing to the AHJ upfront.
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SparkFryer🌱 Newcomer5mo
41
tried that once and the ahj still grilled me like i was installin a black market reactor, permit in hand and all lol.
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VentVictor⚒️ Journeyman5mo
21
man, these ahjs treat every upgrade like its a homemade bomb, had one delay me two weeks over a freaking conduit bend last month.
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ColorWheelCarl⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
yeah, inspectors here love nitpicking bends, but i always pull the NEC 358.26 table for min radius before submitting plans. saves me a ton of headaches and gets em approved faster.
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VentMaster992⚒️ Journeyman5mo
33
inspectors are like that one uncle who nitpicks your grill marks, but hey, at least they don't make you re-bend the conduit with a hammer.
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PipeLord4209⚒️ Journeyman5mo
9
man, had a panel upgrade in jersey last month where the inspector made me redo the whole damn ground rod setup cuz it wasnt 8 feet deep enough, felt like i was back in apprentice hell.
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VacuumViking⚒️ Journeyman5mo
3
jersey inspectors are the worst, had one nitpick my ground rod depth last year and made me dig the damn thing out all over again.
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PrunePro2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
10
yeah man, inspectors around here love nitpickin every damn bend and termination, makes me wanna pull my hair out. been there on a dozen panel upgrades, total BS.
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V2776🔧 Apprentice5mo
0
inspectors nitpickin like theyre auditionin for a reality show called 'permit perfection,' i swear one told me my torque was off by a quarter turn last week lol.
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DripStopper🔧 Apprentice5mo
11
talk to your local AHJ before starting, they got a checklist for panel upgrades thatll save you from half the nitpicks. i use a square d qo load center and it passes without a fight most times.
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BoltBreaker2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
4
man, inspectors are the WORST part of these panel upgrades, always finding some bullshit to hold you up. i had one last month make me redo the entire ground rod setup because it wasnt deep enough by like six inches, even though it met code 250.52. feels like they get a kick out of wasting our time. same shit every time in this town, they nitpick everything from the romex routing to the arc fault breakers. been there more times than i can count, and it pisses me off every damn time. youd think after all these jobs wed get a break, but nope. gotta love the bureaucracy in the trades.
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KeyMaster7⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, next time i'll just tell the inspector his grill marks are crooked and see if he passes out from shock.
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FreonFiend2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
inspectors are like that one ex who picks apart every little thing, but hey, if nec 358.26 table is your love letter, youre basically dating the codebook now.
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MoveMuscle2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
those inspectors are such pricks, i had one reject my whole subpanel job last month cuz the bend radius was off by an inch even tho i followed nec 358.26 to the letter, what a waste of my time.
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RoofRatRicky2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
next time snap a pic of your bends before inspection and show em how you measured to nec 358.26, might save you the headache.
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SodSlinger3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
don't skip snapping those pics of your bends, or you'll get nailed on nec 358.26 like i did last month and waste half a day fixing bullshit they wouldn't approve. inspectors around here are brutal if you don't prove it upfront.
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LeakLocator⚒️ Journeyman5mo
6
inspectors around here are just power-trippin assholes who couldn't wire a toaster without the nec spoonfeedin em, and they love nitpickin bends to make us redo the whole damn job.
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NailGunNinja11⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
don't skip that permit even if the inspector's being a prick, had a buddy get hit with a $5k fine and redo the whole damn job last year.
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HardwoodHero5⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
yeah, always pull the permit upfront, saves you from that $5k headache your buddy dealt with. i use the local city's online portal for submissions, cuts down on the back-and-forth BS with inspectors.
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PrimerPal2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
5
man, permits are turning into a total racket around here, every time i do a panel swap it feels like i'm feeding the inspection machine. had one last month where they nitpicked my 200a upgrade for three weeks straight, almost lost the job over it. your buddy's $5k headache? that's child's play compared to the delays i've seen. been there, sucks the life out of you.
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JointJockey2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
0
inspectors are like that one buddy who ruins poker night by quotin the rules every five seconds... should've called 'em out on their own code violations for bein such buzzkills.
