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Do I need a permit to run CAT5 cable for other people in a new house?

S

SALvation

Senior member
I've been asked by a couple of people to run their new houses with CAT5 cable for a home LAN. The houses are half-built, no walls or anything. I would be putting some drops throughout the house and probably a hub in the basement. Basically designing the hardware end of a home network for them.

Would I need a permit to do this to more than 1 person's home (like a side business). I don't have any electrician permits but I have always run networks and I know what I am doing. How do I get a permit if I need one. Is this just another half-baked idea? Opinions please.
 
Call city hall, they'll be able to guide you if there are any half baked building codes, any master electrican in your area should also be able to advise you.
 
Cat5 in considered low voltage cables and most counties do not require a permit. But like Bafffled2 said check with you local permitting dept.
 
I'm not an electrician or bureaucrat, but a new homeowner.

Around here (Toronto - home of the hockey gold medal team coach) I'm told that if anyone besides a certified person lays down the wiring (incl. CAT5), then the home warranty (or at least part of it) can be nullified if any problems arise. Even if that weren't true, most of the local builders don't seem to want any part of it unless it's an electrician or something, since their ass is on the line.
 


<< I'm not an electrician or bureaucrat, but a new homeowner.

Around here (Toronto - home of the hockey gold medal team coach) I'm told that if anyone besides a certified person lays down the wiring (incl. CAT5), then the home warranty (or at least part of it) can be nullified if any problems arise. Even if that weren't true, most of the local builders don't seem to want any part of it unless it's an electrician or something, since their ass is on the line. >>



Around here (Detroit - home of Gold medalists - Yzerman, Shanahan - Silver medalists - Hull, Chelios - and Bronze medalists - Larionov, Fedorov, Datysuk 😀 ) I was maybe thinking of doing this as a sub contractor. I know that when my parents built their house they didn't use a builder and just contracted everything out. I seem to have an addiction for starting businesses so I may be interested in doing this as a business.
 
The only problem they would have is if something you did caused damage to the house, the insurance company will not cover it. They will state that it was installed without inspection.
 


<< Around here (Detroit - home of Gold medalists - Yzerman, Shanahan - Silver medalists - Hull, Chelios - and Bronze medalists - Larionov, Fedorov, Datysuk ) I was maybe thinking of doing this as a sub contractor. I know that when my parents built their house they didn't use a builder and just contracted everything out. I seem to have an addiction for starting businesses so I may be interested in doing this as a business. >>

OK but what I was getting at was that the guys I was talking to won't let a non-certified subcontractor on the site at all. Sure somebody like your parents might but given what Tauren has mentioned most people would think twice IMO.

But as the others have said, call your local govt. and see what they say.

P.S. It seems that my friends who wanted to go this route did this, with potential risk.

Wait for electrician to lay down electricals. Wait for inspection of electricals. Inspection approved. Then run in with someone else to lay down speaker cable/CAT-5e before the new guys come in to put up dry wall. ie. They pass the inspection but if anything were to occur because of this then they're SOL. Either that or else they just paid the electrician to put down CAT-5e (with or without termination).

I just said screw it and went wireless.

By the way, some of the higher end local builders and subcontractors are putting in several lines of CAT-5e exclusively, for just telephone. Could you could hook up with people who do this and then set up the network after the fact? It seems some of these guys like charging extra to lay the CAT-5e (in addition to the cost of the wire itself), but can't be bothered to actually install the hardware. I wonder if you could make money doing this - you'd just have to make sure it's set up as a star topology.
 
Here in Tennessee I think you have to have a basic electricians license. Its different everywhere though. I thought about starting this onthe side as well. Its a real bitch to run cable when the drywall is up!
 
I worked at local electrician shop this summer, we always ran cat5 in new houses for the phone lines. But i agree with the checking the local codes.

Good Luck
Luden.
 
If its for couple hundred bucks I don't think you'll need any permit but make sure you run it with the type of CAT5 that is certified or has fire protections(not those PVC covered one cause they were design to be run in pipes. If anything ever goes down the drain on you chances are the home owner will sue your @$$.


--Scsi
 
Cat5 in Idaho is lowkey and thus you can do it as long as you dont interfere with other public lines in your ground. Check with your local city hall,etc.
 
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