# Wiring Question - 12g or 14g **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** tools-electric-diy\ **Created:** [August 5, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285 "2024-08-05T19:37:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/41 "2024-08-21T11:15:28Z")
> [@KCB615](#): > > I can imagine the advertising now. Floods and fires from shoddy homeowner work versus leaking faucets and blown circuit breakers because someone can’t afford the plumber or electrician. Right. And that’s the thing. I struggle to imagine how a poorly installed faucet is going to hurt anyone. Some property damage, sure. But hurt someone? And I don’t know what a plumber charges to replace a faucet, but it’s definitely not OK to force that extra several hundred dollars onto a poor person. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/42 "2024-08-21T11:16:12Z")
> [@KCB615](#): > > On the other side, I can see torches and pitchforks on Beacon Hill if the state ever pushed the issue. I’ve done all sorts of plumbing and electrical work with YouTube guiding me through it. I’ve never advertised the fact, and don’t really understand how rules/regulations could stop me or even know what I’m up to. Living in “the country” I’m also surprised to learn that many people do paperwork prior to building decks or doing various home repairs. When I ask a contractor if we need a permit, they always offer to get one if we want, but they do not recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/43 "2024-08-21T13:03:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Living in “the country” I’m also surprised to learn that many people do paperwork prior to building decks or doing various home repairs. When I ask a contractor if we need a permit, they always offer to get one if we want, but they do not recommend it. That’s been my identical experience in the town. I’ve had decks built and an entire kitchen remodel without permits. I had to get a permit when my entire roof was replaced but it was just perfunctory. I needed a permit when my electrical panel was replaced and my service was upgraded to 200A. That required the utility to move the wires to the new service at the pole so totally understandable. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/44 "2024-08-21T13:23:52Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I had to get a permit when my entire roof was replaced but it was just perfunctory. New roof done this summer, no permit or even discussion of permit. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/45 "2024-08-21T13:27:07Z")
When I was in NH, I never once pulled a permit for anything. Now I live in a place where the inspectors literally drive around looking for trouble. I hate them. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/46 "2024-08-21T13:28:37Z")
The county requires it when you completely remove the old roof and rebuild it, not when you just put on a new layer of shingles. I guess because it’s considered structural. The “inspection” was just some person driving by and checking a box. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/47 "2024-08-21T13:41:14Z")
The Amish self-insure. They take care of their own. In the US – outside of the Amish – I suspect we’re all a lot more financially interconnected than we like to think. Your insured loss – and this is equally true in health care – marginally increases the cost to all of the rest of us. Where we put the pin on this particular continuum is, and should be, subject to analysis and negotiation, but we should be circumspect if we’re inclined to assume that our construction doesn’t risk causing harm to others. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/48 "2024-08-21T13:51:33Z")
Our roof was torn off, and a new deck/porch roof integrated into our roof. It was major stuff. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/49 "2024-08-21T14:03:00Z")
You (read “anyone with unpermitted work”) may well find that any homeowner’s insurance will refuse to pay out on a loss, even if the loss is not directly related to the unpermitted work. e.g Your house is struck by lightning and burns, and they find you moved a gas line so your clothes dryer was now on the first floor, not the basement as the place was built? Too bad, so sad; no insurance payout for you. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285/50 "2024-08-21T14:30:38Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Your insured loss – and this is equally true in health care – marginally increases the cost to all of the rest of us. That’s not nearly enough, in my opinion, to warrant the restriction on my freedoms. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > You (read “anyone with unpermitted work”) may well find that any homeowner’s insurance will refuse to pay out on a loss, even if the loss is not directly related to the unpermitted work. Well, good luck with that. Around here, where the 25 years old is a young house, you’ll be hard pressed to find houses that don’t have unpermitted work. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wiring-question-12g-or-14g/1005285.md?page=2)