Informal Survey

Mad Dog

or AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) allow homeowners to do their own plumbing, heating, or electrical work? Are there limits? Mad Dog

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Robert O'Connor_7

Yes.

They are allowed, but ONLY owner occupied single family..Robert O'Connor/NJ

Art Pittaway

Hi Mad Dog,

Yes, a homeowner can pull a permit on almost anything within the house..but, can he finish it and get it signed off? Refrigerant handling is still a licenced activity. At least one contractor here in Rockford, Illinois has a "retail outlet counter" to sell parts or whatever direct to the homeowner. Once outside the house, a sewage or water main can only be touched by a licenced plumber. What is scary to me is work done without a permit or thought about compliance with code. FSBO..let the buyer beware.

jp_2

owners do all

up here you'd be horrified by what you find(U.P mich.).
I found fuses in my attic? 80lb snow loads, 2x4 porch roofs on 30 inch centers........ and who takes out permits anyway? anything goes.....though it is getting better up here.

Ken_8

NO!

My "city" (Rahway, NJ) has no authority in this matter.

The state of NJ has adopted plumbing, mechanical, building, electrical (and all other) codes that are uniformly enforced by all municipalities throughout the entire state. No municipality is without a code enforcement and permitting element. In real small towns, they may "sister" up with adjacent towns - some are very part time. The adoption of the these codes is done annually under the auspices of the NJ Division of Community Affairs and comes under the control of the Code Enforcement Division in the state capital, Trenton.

We get updates every few weeks of revisions and comment and enforcement.

For years, the PHCC has lobbied successfully for the use of the NSPC (National Stanbdard Plumbing Code) and we are now the only state in the USA to have adopted that code for plumbing - and the federal government adopted that one as well.

Hope that helps.

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DaveGateway

H.O.

Hey MD, I read your posts, I live in Brookhaven where homeowners can do whatever they want, its sucks why do I have a suffolf county Lic.? Then on occasion when a G.C picks up a job in Islip its like I dont have a lic.! Long Island needs to get there s*#* together

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Don Walsh

Yes, BUT!

Matt, in my area (NE Ohio) a homeowner of a single family dwelling may take out a permit for plumbing,HVAC, and electrical work, but it must pass inspection. Very few of them pass on the 2nd attempt let alone the first. The code inforcement is very strict and each additional inspection is very expensive to the homeowner. A very detailed heat loss must be provided, as must a plumbing schematic with flow rates and total pipe sizes. A few try to do it on their own, but most finally call in a pro for the project.

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Weezbo

This Is America!

Sure homeowners can pull a permit and do thier "Own " work!
most choose to do that to find a contractor to allow Them to learn as much about thier system as possible,so they can know what to look out for and what may need attention in the way of maint.And to save a dollar with a bit of sweat equity. to me alaska is a Right To Work state and that means we should have a Right to work. the government and insurance companies take it out of our(Mech.Contractors } Hide however i have yet to see any government official picking up a wrench to offer a hand on any of my jobs:) which makes me wonder...we read and study and invent and fix and work and pay them?i often wonder For WHAT?

S Davis

Permits

Yes in washington state they can as long as the work is done to code.

S Davis

Paul Mitchell_2

Yes

As long as they file a permit

Leo

Massachusetts

All codes are state wide. You can build a home and wire it with the respective permits. Plumbing needs a lic, oil burners need a lice, gas and lp fitting need a lic. A home owner can service his oil burner but not install it. The plumbing laws prohibit one from changing a washer in a faucet. We have no shortage of Orange Boxes.

Leo

Ken_8

And Yes

A single family homeowner is legally entitled to do any trade work he is so inclined to take on without a license for said trade. The single exception is a single family home with an elevator. Only licensed personell may install an elevator.

Permits are mandated from a HO, just as an actual tradesmen. Inspection by a code enforcement officials is also mandated for both trade jobs and home owners alike.



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Paul Pollets

Same in Seattle...

Homeowners must provide a properly sized riser schematic for permitting plumbing work, they can do the boiler work with a permit, as well. Many HO do the plumbing, few do the boiler work.

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