One of the most common deficiencies I see in homes involves the electrical system. And not all of them are centered on old wiring and under-sized electrical services.
A very common scenario is a relatively newer home with an adequately-sized electrical service and professionally installed wiring and devices in the original sections. The basement is often left unfinished by the builder and there’s where the rub usually is. The new homeowner and a few buddies will renovate the basement including the wiring. Most of the time the homeowner’s buddies will not be electricians. I should add that sometimes the above scenario includes contractors that use unqualified personnel doing the electrical work.
To a property inspector like myself it is usually apparent when electrical work is done unprofessionaly. And once electrical work has been identified as being deficient there is not necessarily much room for nuance. By implication it means the work was done unauthorized by any electrical regulation authority. Unlike many other building systems the proper operation of an electrical system directly involves safety.
These electrical deficiencies were identified during home inspections in newer houses with recent basement renovations
Thankfully the instances of human harm or property damage due to improperly installed electrical equipment are relatively rare. When something does occur however the results can be catastrophic and tragic.
Some provinces such as Ontario do allow a homeowner to take out a permit, do the work, and get it inspected by their electrical authority. Prince Edward Island has no provision for homeowner-completed work. I think that this is unfortunate as it likely drives a lot of unauthorized electrical work underground and thus beyond the regulation of the authority.
I have no problem with DIY (do it your self) work involving electricity or any other of the trades involved with home renovation and construction. I do a lot of it myself. My view is like that of a well known home inspector with his own TV and that is if you’re going to do work at the house, particularly involving electricity, “just do it right!”.
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