Licensed electrician needed to assess and maybe rewire a panel. Shared neutrals?

tourrider · Jun 30, 2020

I went through this. I had a new gfi outlet fail, and two double tapped neutrals that the inspector for wrote up. I fixed them both, and my realtor sent her electrician on demand over. I told him what I did, he checked, and wrote an invoice that said all electrical issues fixed. Cost me $150.

I jumped through the hoop the buyer put down because they were buying for almost all of my extra high asking price, and I wanted this deal done!

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GrimReaper · Jun 30, 2020

Sucks.This is why you should hire an inspector before you put your house up for sale and fix any issues yourself. Any issues the buyers insector finds usually requires licensed contractor.

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MigraineMan · Jul 1, 2020

GrimReaper said:
Sucks.This is why you should hire an inspector before you put your house up for sale and fix any issues yourself. Any issues the buyers insector finds usually requires licensed contractor.

<sigh>

The Real World doesn't work that way. How does a prospective buyer know his home inspector is actually doing the job? He finds issues. If he can't find easy ones, he will continue to dig until he finds *something*. With $TYPE inspectors, you need to leave them something easy to find and write-up, so they can demonstrate their worth to their supervisor.

When we sold our house in Gaythurs-boig, I told The Wife that I was leaving a handful of items for the pickup-truck-franchise Home Inspectors to find. She thought I was being melodramatic. I wrote them on a piece of paper, sealed them in an envelope, and handed it to her. "Open this when we get an offer." First offer came in four days later with a short-list of items to correct - each matched up with the list I provided her. The look on her face was priceless, but we moved the house quick with almost no pain.

Some times you're just better off doing a little dance.

XCheckR · Jul 1, 2020

Deluca electric. Good guy.

willtill · Jul 1, 2020

I've seen some home sales in the past offered "as is". What does that exactly mean? That if any deficiencies are found, they'll just be assumed by the seller?

I'm sure that would not negate a home inspector's findings, though what are the ramifications?

Matlack · Jul 1, 2020

willtill said:
I've seen some home sales in the past offered "as is". What does that exactly mean? That if any deficiencies are found, they'll just be assumed by the seller?

I'm sure that would not negate a home inspector's findings, though what are the ramifications?

Yes. That is how we sold our house. It was as-is. One potential buyer had it inspected. The guy was a joke. We still had our doorbell cam up and he told them the house was way out of spec and would probably cost them another $100k to fix it, he was also a licensed contractor. Our house was from the 1950's. We never received a list from the first inspector. Her dad wanted her to buy our house, but the inspector talked her out of it.

The actual buyer had a few punch list items, nothing major. One was the roof was old, but we said we werent going to replace it. We didnt fix anything. One of his was to replace the thermostat because he thought it was too complicated. It was a smart thermostat that controlled both heat pump and oil. I flat out told the new owners not to change it unless they want to buy a new control board for the whole HVAC. It could control up to 4 different units. Our HVAC had both and was programed to switch at 35 degrees from heat pump to oil to be more efficient. It's their house now, they can do whatever they want so long as they paid for it. I understand they replaced the roof right after they moved in.

tcc722 · Jul 1, 2020

MigraineMan said:
<sigh>

The Real World doesn't work that way. How does a prospective buyer know his home inspector is actually doing the job? He finds issues. If he can't find easy ones, he will continue to dig until he finds *something*. With $TYPE inspectors, you need to leave them something easy to find and write-up, so they can demonstrate their worth to their supervisor.

When we sold our house in Gaythurs-boig, I told The Wife that I was leaving a handful of items for the pickup-truck-franchise Home Inspectors to find. She thought I was being melodramatic. I wrote them on a piece of paper, sealed them in an envelope, and handed it to her. "Open this when we get an offer." First offer came in four days later with a short-list of items to correct - each matched up with the list I provided her. The look on her face was priceless, but we moved the house quick with almost no pain.

Some times you're just better off doing a little dance.

Thats funny. I flip houses and do the exact same thing. I know their checklist, and bait them with a bunch of easy stuff.

Matlack · Jul 1, 2020

tcc722 said:
Thats funny. I flip houses and do the exact same thing. I know their checklist, and bait them with a bunch of easy stuff.

Correct. All home inspectors will find something. Give them something to find, or let them find something else. It wont work all the time.

GuitarmanNick · Jul 1, 2020

Actually, you need to check the rating on the neutral bar. Most of the older ones were rated for two conductors under a lug and electricians would land the neutral and ground conductors for a circuit under the same lug.

The only problem I see is on the left where three conductors are under one lug.

Have a licensed electrician move one of them, and certify it as being in compliance with the electrical equipment specifications.

RegularJay · Jul 1, 2020

This is a legitimate issue. Requirement appeared in the 2002 that neutrals not share a terminal. Confusions sometimes arises because the panel manufacturer may list the terminal strip capacity as 2 or even 3 ground wires per hole. But, neutrals aren't grounds.

Source: Am a MD Certified Electrical Inspector.

To the O.P - I cannot recommend anyone but I'll bet it'll cost closer to $300.00 than $100.00

To the others reading this thread - encourage your kids to become electricians, they'll never starve and likely make a very decent living - good pay from day one in the trade, paid for schooling with regular raises doing something that everyone needs that cannot be outsourced to India.

Broncolou · Jul 6, 2020

I'm in the area and licensed in the county. PM if interested......not a danger but it is not code compliant.

Slackdaddy · Jul 29, 2020

They are correct, 2 gounds under a lug - OK, 2 neutrals - Not OK,
That said. I have been in the home rehab, selling, flipping for 25+ years,, inspectors have tanked more closings over non issues than anyone else.

We will do a cosmetic rehab (roof, int/ext painting, cabinets, etc) on a 1960s house,, get a contract, the buyers inspector sends the usual list of "not to code" (GFIs, railings, etc).
Our response is "please send us a copy of the code from 1962 when this house was built"
There are a few really good inspectors, most are the franchise clowns that do not have a clue.

Now that said,,, if the request are minor,, we will take care of them to shove the sale through.

And having said that,,, My youngest (18) is going into the electrical trade.

madmantrapper · Aug 7, 2020

Broncolou said:
I'm in the area and licensed in the county. PM if interested......not a danger but it is not code compliant.

Depending on when it was done.

antco · Aug 7, 2020

TyFromMD said:
Selling my house, inspector says a panel that was inspected and deemed acceptable 6 years ago is not acceptable now. Need a rewire in Parkton, MD. Please help.

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I have the cover off so I just now took a look inside of my 200 amp Challenger panel, approved by the Calvert Country inspector James Dowell on 1-12-1990, and it’s like yours. It even has neutrals and grounds landed together under one screw on the neutral bars. Gasp. Oh, the humanity.

Rich1911 · Aug 7, 2020

antco said:
I have the cover off so I just now took a look inside of my 200 amp Challenger panel, approved by the Calvert Country inspector James Dowell on 1-12-1990, and it’s like yours. It even has neutrals and grounds landed together under one screw on the neutral bars. Gasp. Oh, the humanity.

Someone over the last 30 years could have added breakers to the panel...

Grampa G · Aug 7, 2020

Common practice but became a separate NEC violation in 2002. Well, really it was a violation prior to that but for not following manufacture's instruction on terminating wires.

PapiBarcelona · Aug 18, 2020

The shtick with selling an old house is hope you have buyers that are more than reasonable, having them hire a home inspector who sucks also helps a lot.

When my folks sold their +70 year old house the buyer hired the absolute worst "home inspector" ever

But he did find some stuff. Double taps and "open ground" on first floor. Open ground, two wire system with 3 prong recepitcles so you don't have to use those horrible adapters.

The "code" fix was gfci breakers/outlets in each circuit evidently. And that's what they paid some electrician.

The subterfuge pre sale/home inspector visit fix would have been put a bunch of old 2 wire recepitcles back in the wall as if they never were changed

And obviously if the guy sucks and misses a bunch of stuff that's on someone else lol

shootin the breeze · Aug 18, 2020

Not to thread jack but thread jacking. Does anyone have a recommendation for licensed electricians that work HoCo? Enclosing carport and need wiring for that, moving a couple of can fixtures in the kitchen, running 20 amp circuit for new mini split for the area and moving the generator receptacle? Preferably one that at least uses lube and gives a reach around.

TyFromMD · Aug 21, 2020

shootin the breeze said:
Not to thread jack but thread jacking. Does anyone have a recommendation for licensed electricians that work HoCo? Enclosing carport and need wiring for that, moving a couple of can fixtures in the kitchen, running 20 amp circuit for new mini split for the area and moving the generator receptacle? Preferably one that at least uses lube and gives a reach around.

All good bro. I sold the house so the thread is yours.

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glueru · Aug 21, 2020

No, even buyers now have become too picky. No matter what is there or what you do they want changes. Welcome to the age of snowflakes and cry-babies.
If you paint every surface in the house they would want a different color, appliances (stainless), counter-tops, granite or whatever hair is up their ass. Stupid ass kids
used to getting trophies for being a loser.

Licensed electrician needed to assess and maybe rewire a panel. Shared neutrals?

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