Datawise Solutions Inc (Niagara)

This phrase has been bantered around for decades and most people assign the origin of it to project management. So what are contractors talking about when we say 'pick any two?'

Recently I was involved in a conversation with some fellow tradesmen (I was the only Electrical Contractor (EC)) on the topic of "Value". The topic was really about how to explain to a client about the value of work that is not seen not "lipstick and mascara". So to help explain some of the differences in the electrical area I will offer up the following.

There is nothing stopping you and your Electrical Contractor from adding more to the requirements of the code to meet your future needs. While there is a cost to do this, the cost of doing it during the renovation or build is far less than doing it several years down the road where it is possible that you will end up removing some of your new renovation work to facilitate the new requirement.

Just like many other electrical contractors (ECs), I get numerous calls for estimates to upgrade a client's electrical panel or service. For many ECs this is the mainstay of their business and are very good at doing them quickly and with excellent quality. However, don't be fooled just because they have done many of these upgrades. Just like any other type of work, do your due diligence, ask the right questions and do your homework.

I was recently at a client's home and while discussing how to solve a particular electrical problem they were having, I came across a bundle of wires. I originally thought that they were computer network cables and then I took a few minutes to look at the markings on the cables and explain what they meant and what they might be for. As you can imagine the response was, "it's all Greek to me".

I am sure there are not many of us that have not been the brunt of a joke that took us unsuspectingly by using terminology that we were not familiar with. While we went along willingly looking for the left-handed screwdriver , when it comes to electrical work don t let your electrical contractor try to bedazzle you with terms and acronyms that leave you confused or unsure.

I can always tell when home sales are up or insurance policies are due; I get calls for aluminum wire inspections. One of the most important things during my AL wire inspection is educating the potential buyer or the current homeowner on the facts about AL wire and helping them sort out the hyperbole that their house is going to burn down because it has AL wring or some other ridiculous statement.

This is the call of hundreds, if not thousands of fire safety organizations and fire departments around North America, and I believe that most of us think it is true, smoke detectors save lives.

Everywhere in Canada a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is required in different parts of homes and businesses. A whole article on the building code requirements and interpretations could be written, but today I want to focus strictly on the facts and fictions surrounding GFCIs.