Warning: I almost signed off on a sketchy panel upgrade today...

Was at a job today where the homeowner wanted a panel upgrade done cheap... He offered me cash under the table to overlook some code issues. Like, the grounding wasn't right and the breakers were old brands that don't meet current standards. I had to think about it... extra money is nice, but what if something goes wrong? In the end, I told him I couldn't do it without fixing the problems. It felt wrong to risk safety for a quick buck. Makes you wonder how often this stuff happens out there.

3 comments

3 Comments

matthews2129d ago

Stick to your guns on stuff like that.

shane_mason6225d ago

My cousin's neighbor in Toledo had a Federal Pacific panel that never tripped. Their dryer shorted, the wires in the wall got hot enough to start smoking, and they were minutes from a real fire. That "small risk" is someone's whole house and family. The electrician was right to walk away.

robin59429d ago

Seriously, how bad could those old breakers actually be? People act like every code skip is a house fire waiting to happen, but most of the time nothing bad happens at all. The guy did the right thing legally, but let's be real, he probably turned down easy money for a pretty small risk. Good for him on the morals, I guess, but it's not always that big a deal.