After reading the thread "Experiment: what would you charge?" from Julie Jacobson, I began to wonder what other CI's were doing for solutions for the electrical outlet for a flat panel TV.  In my opinion one of the MANY things that sets a CI apart from a big box store is the ability to create a complete package, which includes a power solution.

Assuming the customer is looking to have a retrofit installation of a flat panel TV and does not currently have an electrical outlet installed where the TV will be located.

Is your company a licensed electrical contractor?

If So, what do you offer?  Standard Outlet with flat panel Surge Protector?  Surge protected electrical outlet (example)?  or In-wall power extension kit (example)?

If not licensed what do you do?  Sub contract electrical outlet installation?  Do the installation without proper licensing?  Use cord molding to cover power cord?  Run TV power cable in wall?  Leave power cable on wall and let customer deal with power?

Many states have "scope of work provisions" in their licensing regulations that allow various trades to do work that is outside of their specific licensing as long as it's within their "scope of work. " In the case of electical; think of the HVAC contractor who installs electrical cabling and connects an A/C compressor to 240v. Or the landscaper who might hook up a hot tub. The point is, there is an inevitable crossover of trades. It happens all the time... Just be sure your insurance has your back if there's a problem.

We typically don't do single TV installs. Our projects are usually multi-room and there is almost always an electrician already on site that we coordinate with. When there is not an electrician on site we will use the clients go-to guy or one of the companies we work with.

I'm not sure if any state has the ability for someone with a low voltage license to install an outlet. In MN for example, if you carry a low volt license a HVAC tech has the ability to reconnect any electrical equipment. Reconnection simply means to reuse the existing wiring, conduit, and supports to connect the equipment. If you have to alter those things than you need a licensed electrician. It's scary to think you've seen a landscaper reconnect a hot tub! What with 240v, grounding/bonding, water, and people.

We have low volt techs and licensed electricians. On occasion, the tech will install a in-wall extension. I feel the in-wall extensions are something they can do without actually touching 120v. Is it illegal, yes. But most of the time we will have an electrician on site and then they are allowed to under the journeyman electrician. Or I will stop out to see how things are going right around the time he's installing the extension because I have a journeyman license. It's not because I think they don't know how but simply for liability reasons.

We use Midlite 4642 Decora recessed power inlets at the equipment. At the TV's we will use whatever we need to make it work, whether it's a standard outlet or some sort of recessed receptacle. I prefer Arlington but have used Midlite's receptacles or a standard clock outlet.

In PA, you only need to be a licensed electrician in the city of Pittsburgh or Philly. Anywhere else, your lawn boy could run power....

It's the same in Upstate New York. Outside of any really major city, your cat can wire your house (or an entire sub-division of houses). And it shows, too. I have seen some very, scary installs. (Why use UF cable underground when simple, and cheaper, NM cable [Romex] will do?). (4 AWG copper won't fit under the screw on the neutral bar? Just untwist the strands and put them under a couple of screws!).

That is scary! It's like an electrician mowing the lawn!!! What with sharp blades, explosive gasoline, deadly carbon monoxide, and people.

In Ohio, you can do any electrical stuff as long as its residential. If you are doing MDU or Commercial, you must be licensed. Since we are close to KY, you must be a KY Licensed Electrician to do any electrical work int he state. We have an electrician we work with when doing anything in MDU,s Commercial atmospheres, or in KY. And, yes...his name is Spike.

That's why I pay to have it done. Waaaaaaay to dangerous!

We have electricians (me being one) and I've went in to repair a few of these deals. The "in-wall" power extension kit that was sold by a "custom installer", not even a big box store... Sheesh. We do either recessed outlets or the Panamax MIW-PowerPro for single installs.

But in California, an electrician can do low voltage wiring. My actual electrician experience makes me too slow to compete with real ones, but I didn't have to learn a bunch of low voltage wiring techinques that I would never use.

There are two electrical classifications in California. C7 Low voltage (not to exceed 91v) and C10 Electrical which covers everything else electrical including the low voltage.

In the last 3-4 years they've really tightened up the requirements for the C10 license. You either have to have 4800hrs (residential) or 8000hrs (commercial) experience to qualify to take the exam, or have been enrolled in an approved training/apprentice program. Electrical contractors used to be able to allow unlicensed employees to work under them if they had a qualified license holder within the company who would be responsible for the work. This is no longer true and EVERY contractor doing high voltage electrical work either needs to be licensed or enrolled as an apprentice at one of the qualified schools.

The key for California CIs licensed for low voltage (C7) is a clause which states the following: "If a specialty contractor has a contract for a certain job, he may do work other than that which he is licensed for if it is subordinate to and inseparable from the main contract work".

I take it to mean that I can install an outlet behind a tv or replace a couple light switches if it's part of a home theater install, or patch and paint a few small holes that I created to retrofit wiring.

I do partner with several C10 contractors that I'll bring in for jobs like whole-house automated lighting where the job includes installing or swapping out more than 2-3 switches, but I don't have a problem installing a power bridge type solution or extending an outlet behind a TV.

If I ever have any question about what or how to do something, I bring in an electrician.

Ha! I consider myself an artist formely know as an electrician. I find it funny that just because you hold an electrical license means you can do low voltage work. Which not as obsured as the HVAC guy who can pass a test allowing them to work with low voltage wiring.

Honestly, that's how I got started though. Back when I was doing electrical work I would look down upon guys running the low volt wiring. Now I think the other way around. Attempting to be a good CI is not easy and it's something I work hard at every day.

There may be parts of country that do not require any type regulation which is absured but I wouldn't take a chance. It only takes one denied insurance claim for you to lose your company. I would do it by the books, whatever those books are.

This how we deal with it as well. We are good friends with a C10 company and they work with us all the time. Things are actually slow for them and busy for us so they are our prewire crew at the moment.

Also in CA.... A contractors' license is only required if the combined value of the work (labor and materials) is $500 or more. So Anyone can install an electrical outlet as long as the labor and materials are not more than $500....

So:

Outlet $1.00
cover plate $1.00
Old Work Box $1.00
10' of Romex $5.00
Wirenuts etc $0.25
Labor $200

So $208.25 to a handyman and presto, you've got yourself an outlet! All nice and legal like.

But also in CA (at least in San Diego) you're supposed to pull a permit to add an outlet. I'm curious what would happen if one day I walked into the planning dept and asked for an "over the counter / no plan" permit for an electrical outlet.

I'd bet they would have no clue what to do because NOBODY pulls a permit for an outlet.