Why did the licensed electrician leave question marks on the wire nuts in my newly wired house, leaving me to fix their mistakes?
Asked by Flenn Douglas 
2 months ago
Last Updated: July 26, 2024
I was scratching my head trying to understand why three outlets in my brand new house weren’t working. But finally, I think I discovered the issue. The licensed electrician just left question marks on the wire nuts. It’s always the same old story for me – fixing the mistakes made by the so-called professionals I hired.
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My guy totally spaced on the main ingredient! 😆
Come on, man. You’re making it sound like you hired a certified electrician for this project. Yet in another post, you’re talking about dealing with fire marshals and FI’s. Your life seems pretty dull, bro.
Hmm..
It’s like a broken record, man. Dealing with people who don’t know what they’re doing is getting old. I end up cleaning up their messes, and it’s just not cool. Kind of makes me wonder, you know?
So, , are you telling me it’s the same day but a completely different story? In the first version, you mentioned hiring a licensed electrician several times. However, in the second version, it seemed like you were the electrician speaking to a fire marshal.
Ot it, thanks Randy!
Is having a tough time.
Hey there, just to clarify, I never claimed to be an electrician in any of my posts. The owner is the one who shows up for occupancy inspections, not the electrician. In this case, that’s me. Also, just to set the record straight, the fire marshal story you mentioned actually happened on April 25th, not the same day as the other story. Just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page!
‘s poor quality work deserves criticism! We’ve all witnessed the issues caused by rushed work in outlets and junction boxes because the contractor prioritizes speed over quality for his employees.
Why not just fix their mistakes yourself in the first place? You’ll save money and frustration by avoiding poor quality work that you paid for. That’s what I do.
I usually rely on whenever I can. My house had a fire (not electric-related) and I needed a permit to get the work done and have my meter reinstalled. I had to hire a licensed electrician.
I believe you stumbled upon a couple more of his personalities, !
What do you mean by that, ?
That cable is definitely subpar.
Excuse me?
Would using stranded wire help solve this issue, Wayne?
I agree, Wayne definitely needs a time out for that outrageous comment.笑
I’m also eagerly waiting to hear his response. Lol
Makes a good point about how stranded wire is easier to pull into pipes. However, it doesn’t conduct electricity any better.
What does McPherson have to do with this post? He’s complaining about the electrician not connecting the wires, and you and Wayne just randomly mention that stranded wire pulls easier. Weird, right? 🤷🏼♂️
Sure, I can do that. Just give me a moment.
Ok, Ok. I just found it a bit ridiculous. That’s why I joked with him about whether using stranded wires would have solved the issue…
A or a homeowner completed this task.
Like I mentioned, a licensed electrician. Nobody’s perfect. Had a few other issues as well, so I won’t hire them again.
I highly doubt he was licensed.
Could be he has a driver’s license😆
Indeed. The project had all the necessary permits. Unfortunately, the house experienced a fire, so I couldn’t retrieve my meter until all the permits and inspections were finalized.
He holds a valid driver’s license and works as an electrician, therefore he is considered a licensed electrician.
The wires likely lead from the outlet below. They might not have been connected or the outlet could have been covered by drywall. Check the wall for any bumps. Use a straight edge to locate the hidden outlet. It’s a common occurrence in new homes.
Actually, the wires in the picture with the question mark on the wire nuts were not connected.
Quite sassy
Absolutely, but honestly anyone with basic electrical knowledge can understand that, oh my goodness
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My gratitude for your efforts in the Bitcoin investment world is beyond words Damaris may you be blessed abundantly for your kindness and generosity 👇👇
Damaris Ava
No need to worry about extra parts. Just let me know if you need anything else.
‘t forget to send him an invoice
It’s not a guarantee, but often the quality of work correlates with the price paid.
There must be a way to hold the builder accountable somehow, right? It’s a breeze to repair things that were previously in working order. Fixing something like this mess, on the other hand, is a nightmare. I would be extremely upset. Is it one of those cookie-cutter houses? The issue with electrical contractors who work on these types of homes is that they don’t employ experienced electricians – they’re all just apprentices. Perhaps the most efficient way to address it, without causing damage to your walls, would be to locate a nearby power source and run a new piece of x to where you need an outlet. Check your walls for an area that seems like it should have an outlet. The drywall contractors who work on these cookie-cutter houses are just as careless as the electricians and likely covered a junction box. What’s absurd is that the junction box should have been properly set up before the drywall was installed.
McPherson, not a new construction, just new wiring. No need to install new x, simply connected the wires shown in the picture.
Oh nice. Have you got everything sorted out? In the future, try to handle your own electrical work. Then have it inspected. The inspector will ensure everything is done correctly. It might cost around $75, but it’s completely legal to do plumbing/electrical work on your own home. Simple residential wiring tasks are as easy as connecting a blender. YouTube is a great resource for getting your questions answered. For example, if you need help with a dryer plug or installing a ceiling fan, hot tub outlet, etc.
McPherson, this one required a permit and a licensed electrician had to be involved. I own the house, but I don’t reside there. Permits are a must in the area where this house is located.
McPherson is definitely legit.
Hey McPherson, can’t you see what’s wrong here? Make sure you understand the situation before offering silly advice.
I thought he had already tried connecting these wires, but it didn’t work. If all he needed to do was use those two wire nuts, he should have mentioned that. I assumed he would have tried to connect those wires using common sense. Seeing question marks on wire nuts makes me think they are not live and the person is unsure of their origins or destinations. The picture doesn’t show any clear solution to his problem.
Haha, you clearly haven’t met many building inspectors. All they do is jot down nonsense on pieces of paper.
The quality of craftsmanship has really gone downhill. When you focus solely on cutting costs and choose the cheapest option, you get what you pay for.
The license was purchased from Target?
Creel do they actually sell those there?
Who just walks away from a job without checking to make sure everything is in order?
I wonder if he also marked the panel with question marks 🤣
Hey, this isn’t that difficult! If you had time to add a question mark to the wirenut, you should have had time to inspect the entire house. You missed 3 outlets not working. You need to pay closer attention to detail or consider a different career.
Mehus, I assume they would continue this behavior in their next career as well.
Whenever someone is having a home built, I always recommend walking through the house and taking detailed photos of every wall and ceiling just before the sheet rock is installed. These photos of the wiring and plumbing can prevent a lot of confusion and issues later on.
Be careful with the ‘ground’ wire!
I’m not an electrician, but it seems like a journeyman let an apprentice loose and forgot to follow behind him.
Most likely
Or it could have been used as a temporary power source during construction and accidentally left out in the final stages. It should have been noticed, but this is a pretty common mistake.
I agree with Brian on this. Making small adjustments to a project is normal. Personally, I think you should have reached out to him, explained that some outlets were not working, and given him the chance to make it right 🤷🏻♂️
Yeah, that’s true. But I find it quicker to just fix it myself.
Just because they offer assistance doesn’t mean they are qualified.
On great response. The licensed electrician might not have been present that day. It could have been his employee(s). Since I wasn’t there, I can only make an educated guess.
On Having a license doesn’t always mean they are skilled. I’ve come across many individuals who passed the test but lacked common sense and mechanical skills. There are many incompetent people out there with licenses.
Hahaha dude
They set it up & now they can’t recall the steps – how clever !!! Add a tone to it & track it down.
Every now and then, the owners annoy us so we retaliate. I’m not saying that’s the situation here.
Eubanks, I don’t think that’s a battle you’d want to start with the right electrician… he’ll outsmart you! 🤓
Eubanks, It might happen, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea for repeat business.
Try to follow them. Use a locator.
🤣😂🤣😂🙈 yep this happens all the time, the helper didn’t know where to put them so we marked it with a?.
It seems to me that feels the same way. It’s reassuring to know that this is a common experience.
I’ve come across that situation before. Typically indicates a problem on the circuit that needs to be addressed. Maybe an inexperienced worker decided to just seal it up. Connect it and observe the outcome. If the plug works, great. If the breaker still won’t turn back on, then there’s an issue.
Seeing a plastic junction box is the first warning sign. I wouldn’t allow them in my home under any circumstances. He’s a total amateur.
Sure, here is the new text:
I’m thinking that was supposed to be a FI outlet. The line wires are typically labeled with two wire nuts like that.
The apprentice was puzzled……I might just mark the nuts with question marks so the journeyman can spot it!!!!
Exactly
Notice the twist on those wires? That’s where the power comes into the home. Clearly, they didn’t know what they were doing and skipped the necessary safety checks.
If you can access the attic, check for any additional wiring coming down and follow it to its destination. If it’s from the basement, do the same. If you can’t find wires going up or down, well then, it’s coming from the side and was probably meant for a different outlet. They might have even wanted that outlet to be controlled by a light switch, in which case it should only have the black wire connected.
I identified which outlet to inspect by tracing wires in the attic. No switch was present. It simply wasn’t connected.
What if that wire happens to serve as the feed?
I’ll never forget my first day! If you’re clueless, just call a plumber! 😂😂😂
It would have been better to hire a professional.
Make sure to put it back in the daisy chain!! 😂😎
The ground is feeling warm.
Nope, , it’s not.
Looks like it, right ?
I encounter similar situations. That’s why I prefer to do the work myself. I’ve had professionals mess up so badly that I think I could do a better job on my own. I don’t see the point in paying someone to do it.
It’s nice to know that feels the same way as me. I find it frustrating when I have to redo work that I’ve already paid someone else to do. That’s why I end up doing a lot of things on my own. Even though I know it will be done correctly, I can’t help but wish I was as fast as the person I originally hired.
The contractors I’ve found to be the best are usually individuals or small operations with just one employee. They work on a time and materials basis and make sure the job is done properly before moving on. The downside is that their high-quality work often leads to them getting overwhelmed with projects.
Is that ground wire connected where I suspect it is?
Yes, it’s definitely on the ground screw if you’re looking for it there.
No matter how much you think about it, will never be a ground lug.
Jon aito is on the ground screw. I saw him there.
If you hire one sketchy contractor, the blame falls on them.
But if you keep hiring shady contractors over and over again, the responsibility shifts to you.
Haha you might be onto something.
Let a real electrician make improvements to your circuitry
It’s a challenge to find reliable help!!!👍😁
Resi “electricians” are so busy all day, it’s a wonder they even have time to admit when they’re confused. 😂
No problem at all! Just grab a wire electronic tracer to easily track where it leads to or comes from.
Always make sure you know where the other end of the connection leads before hooking anything up.
Step back for a substitution or replacement
That ground over there seems pretty hot in the photo, but even after adjusting the brightness, I still can’t figure out if there’s a backstabbed common on the hot side. You might want to check if your ground is indeed hot, and if the common wire is no longer common!
Did the helper go by the name Mike?
I remember his name was Vince. The hot, neutral, and ground wires were all connected to the right screws. Nothing was backstabbed. The receptacle was wired correctly, he just forgot to connect the other two wires.
My experience with Levi T Wilkerson has been really positive, and I’ve earned a lot from it.
Have you ever considered running for president?
It seems like the ground and hot wires are connected, and the bar isn’t broken off. Have you checked if the breaker trips?
Hey David, the receptacle is wired correctly except for the fact that the other wires feeding the remaining receptacles are not connected.
He was just stumped by those extra wires. Another case of getting what you pay for with cheap electrical work.