If you're making an addition to your house, can you do the electrical work yourself or do you have to get someone with an electrical contractor's license? The work will be easy, involving only a handful of receptacles and a ceiling fan.

I live in the city limits of Austin.

I don’t know about Austin, but in my town anyone can do the electrical work you described.

The town electrical inspector upon completion must inspect it though. Then the zoning inspector would have to inspect the extension to see if it falls within your permit to build.

I would suggest getting a licensed and insured electrical contractor to actually perform the work.

Hey, small world - I'm a General Contractor in Austin TX, so I can give you an exact answer.

In Austin homeowners are allowed to do electrical work under a homeowner building permit. You have to go down to that black hole of the world called One Texas Center at Barton Springs and 1st street to get the permit. You'll need some decent scale drawings and probably a site plan. Usually the survey from your closing docs will do in these cases.

You do have to do the work "yourself" - if you have anyone else do it and you get caught they won't pass it.

You'll get a permit and have to call for inspection (the system's automated - it's very easy)

Only last tip - No #14 wire. It's ok by NEC but the City of Austin won't accept anything smaller than #12.

Good luck

[Right on the money, about the same in our state]Originally posted by crescen7:
Hey, small world - I'm a General Contractor in Austin TX, so I can give you an exact answer.

In Austin homeowners are allowed to do electrical work under a homeowner building permit. You have to go down to that black hole of the world called One Texas Center at Barton Springs and 1st street to get the permit. You'll need some decent scale drawings and probably a site plan. Usually the survey from your closing docs will do in these cases.

You do have to do the work "yourself" - if you have anyone else do it and you get caught they won't pass it.

You'll get a permit and have to call for inspection (the system's automated - it's very easy)

Only last tip - No #14 wire. It's ok by NEC but the City of Austin won't accept anything smaller than #12.

Good luck[/QUOTE]