Your municipal building/electrical inspector isn't necessarily going to be comprehensive, especially on a job as screwed up as yours was, he just throws up his arms and insists you get some professional help.

You'll not get anywhere with the first inspector. It wasn't his job to do the job right. Your beef is with the first electrician and (if you used one) the gc.

Some of what you mention is pretty basic stuff. No competent electrician should have ever done things:

1. stapled to the bottom of joists in basements
2. unsecured boxes
3. cordage (the issue isn't low voltage, the issue is the wrong sort of wiring) in the walls.

The fact that the wire is white and not yellow is not a code violation. As long as it is the correct guage, #14 for 15 amp circuits and #12 for 20 amp circuits. Most of the new #12 is yellow but colour is not a requirement.

Very bad situation but also is quite typical. All these builders out there that do not use electricians and do not pull proper permits. A lot of inspectors do not catch much of anything plus it should of been inspected with the walls not up. I recently was at a million dollar 80 year old house where the people hired hd to remodel there kitchen for around $50,000. Everything top notch, back splash, counters, extensive molding. They believe it is ok to grab a knob and tube fed box and run 14/2 to every counter outlet, dish washer, disposal, ceiling can lights, and under counter lighting. And they made it look very nice, perfect looking cans and under counter lights. One 15 amp breaker turns off the whole kitchen. They cut all the wires in the boxes so they do not extend out of the box. Twisted giant connections under yellow wire nuts and hammered everything into the junction boxes. Put a couple gfci's by the sink. I was called because some counter outlets wern't working, wires were popped out of the wire nuts. They also for some reason thought the neutral wire was bad in one run so on each end they connected the ground wire to the white wires. I told the homeowners all about the wiring. They were very angry and said that can't be true we spent $50,000 on this kitchen from the most reputable home store in the US. I wish someone could of stopped it and made them rip everything back down. People get away with this stuff every day.

Yes all the things the electrician you brought in said, should have been done. Do everything you can to bring attention to that company and make them re-do it all. I love it when these cheap contractors go bank-rupt for the bull butter they do :)

I'm not sure what the licensing and inspection situation is where you live, but you do have some issues.

Get a lawyer. First, make sure that the lawyer sees to it the contractor can't file a lien against you for the money you still "owe". Document EVERYTHING that is done, done wrong, uncompleted, and non code compliant. Sue the builder. Sue for the money you spent to date, the money to fix what's wrong, breach of contract, damages, and anything else you and the lawyer can come up with.

If there is a building/development department with a formal inspection program the supervisor needs to be contacted. He needs to be asked just what is inspected at a rough inspection (this SHOULD include code compliant wiring COMPLETED except for installation of devices) and be put on notice you intend to make them part of a lawsuit.

Even though it isn't the inspector's job to do the work it most certainly IS his job to stop progress if work completed at the rough inspection is not done correctly. He should also see that any required rework is code compliant before allowing work to continue. This is why rough inspections are required. You are paying for this process that is intended to help protect you against just this type of situation. A cursory glance just doesn't cut it.

Official electrical inspectors have an "ace up their sleeves" in the form of NEC Article 110.12. Sounds as if it should be applied in this instance.

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies. I live in Bucks County, PA. The way the permit works here is that the contractor applied for it from my Township. There are Township inspectors who look at structural issues, plumbing issues. There is an electrical inspector who is an outside company to look at electrical issues. I told the contractor he had to do everything legally, on the books, and he took out all the permits my Township told me to get.

This project got underway in January '07. There were rough structural inspections and electrical inspections in February. The END date for this work that is written on my contract was March 30th. The work is mostly, but not all done. I met with the contractor with a final Final punch list June 15th. No word from him after that. Nothing further has been done. I have problems with my tile floor, there are cabinet problems, and plumbing problems. This was a $50k kitchen.

I failed both inspections. The Township inspectors failed me on a leaky faucet. The faucet didn't work right from day one. I hired another plumber to look at it. The first contractor kept blaming the problems on the water pressure in my house. The independent plumber had the faucet open in about 10 minutes and showed me the manufacturers defect causing the trouble. I got a refund for the faucet from the Expo store in Bridgewater, NJ, where I bought it. But I think the contractor should have been able to figure out the problem instead of blaming it on something totally unrelated.

The electrical problems are now my focus. I did call two other inspections companies. Turns out the one company my contractor chose is not that good. No one exactly would come out and say it, but it was clear from little comments and quips. My Township inspector says I can hire a different inspection company myself, if I want to. They don't care who the inspection company is, it just have to be on their list of approved inspection companies.

I will have to pay $250 for a single inspection with a written report of all the violations. Then I will have to have the work done. They I will have to pay another $75 for a second inspection to follow up. Does this sound fair?

I feel I've already paid for this to be done, it was rolled into the price of my kitchen. I called one lawyer but he was not really responsive. I am trying to locate another lawyer. I am in the process of putting together all the bids from all the tradespeople I've gotten prices from to fix everything. I think I'm going to compile a small novel, write a letter to the contractor, and tell him everything he needs to fix. I have to find a lawyer though to make sure I'm doing it right.

Oh, what is NEC Article 110.12? Sounds interesting.

111.12- Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner.

I arranged for a new inspector to come out. He was here today, Tuesday morning. He combed over everything. He found many, many problems. His observations jived with EVERYTHING the other electrician observed. He wrote me up a list of infractions and will have it typed into a report. The report will be sent to me asap. I am absolutely wrecked over this. I had permits, had a rough electrical inspection, did everything you are supposed to do to prevent this, and it still happened. Once I have the inspector's reports, I will get bids from electricians to find out the cost of the work. I think at that point I have all I need to go back to the contractor. I think I'm going to have to have a letter written with the help of an attorney that outlines all the problems with the work and makes it clear to them that they have some responsibility here.

The general contractor is responsible for ALL of the problems not just some of them. If you paid for the work through your contractor that makes him a general contractor and therefore he is liable for all of this. Now go after him with everything you have.

Just wanted to let you guys know, based on what the second inspector found, my Township is taking steps to pull the licenses for the contractor, the electrician, and the first code inspector. None of them will be allowed to legally do business in my Township. I am glad NOBODY in my town will have to go through this nightmare! It is good to have the support from the codes enforcement people. I still have to sort everything out here in the house, using another company, obviously. And who knows what that will cost. I'm a little nervous the contractor might become belligerent and show up on my doorstep though. But I didn't do this to him, HE did it to himself by doing sloppy and dangerous work.

Judith, this sounds like you may be living as a single lady. You should NEVER be afraid of living in your own home. If this creep gives you any crap at all...on the phone or otherwise...have your lawyer get a restraining order against him. He (they) deserve to have their licenses pulled. They are going to kill someone some day. You are doing the community a favor. Good luck!

If he shows up on your doorstep and fightens/threatens you call 911.

Thanks guys! Great advice. It does help to have a plan in case something happens. Also, I've got wonderful neighbors, so I've taken the precaution of making them aware of my trials with the contractor. If they are around and he comes here, they can help out.

I'm not much of an advocate of guns, as some friends of mine had a close call many years ago. However I have to admit that there's nothing quite like the sound of you racking a shotgun to make a potential intruder think twice about bothering you.

A dog comes close, though. Not many goons want to become dog food. He doesn't have to be particularly large or vicious, just loud and protective of his people.