Just to be clear, I am not really sure how I feel about this, and the analogies are imperfect (analogies usually are). I’m just saying that I cannot insist that I should share in the savings someone else found for themselves. The question is whether he adds that much value to the process, and in my mind, that is what professional engineers cost.
The far bigger question, which so far I have not raised, is whether the city would be alright with the person bearing that responsibility not signing it off in person. In other words, is it legal? That is the bigger question in my mind.
What specifically does this mean?
Does he login to your system remotely over the internet or does he get the installation sparky to take a few pics and send those?
Years ago I managed the installation of a large IBM system and the storage came prerigged in large (VERY heavy!) cabinets (Sharks I seem to recall). Full populated. You paid to switch on the storage when you needed extra. This avoids all the issues with downtime/installation/compatibility, etc
Usually it means video call. The installer shows all the important things to the sign-off engineer, the engineer might ask for additional things to check, measurements to be taken. If all is above board, he signs the paperwork. So he wasn’t physically on site, but technically he did see and check everything. You see why it is so difficult to make a call?
Now I understand why the sign-off engineer kept asking who was doing my installation.
It doesn’t work so well when the client and installer is the same person.
The secret though, the client must be a certified Master/Installation Electrician so that he can give the CoC for the solar system install that the Engineer can work with.
I’m sorry, that was my doing. I was talking about the professional engineer who signs the entire thing off at the end, and probably confused the whole thing. I simply assumed that the same methods of cooperation that is used between installers and their sign-off engineer could also be used between a master electrician and whoever does the grunt work.
So someone with a wiremans license does the wiring. Another higher qualified guy writes the CoC. And a third, even higher qualified person, signs off the whole project. The higher up you go, the more abstract it gets, and the less that guy will be on site.
Come to think of it, the last house I sold was like that. The guy who signed the CoC was never on the premises. He asked the sparky who was there, “Did you remove the solar system?”, he said yes, and the certificate was duly signed. Ie, he trusts his underling enough to sign his work without inspection. Was that wrong? I have no idea…
Having been through this painful process myself I’m trying to highlight the rigmarole that one has to endure.
Generally one of the big frustrations was the delay with the old manual application of getting the go-ahead to install your system (PTI).
The manual application process used to take a year to process. CoCT has now incorporated this procedure into their SAP based system for all their affairs. This has speeded things up significantly.
Trying to find a reputable installer is still a challenge however.
You’re right. You shouldn’t trust him. He’s just here for the refreshments…
Jokes aside, I assume it goes without saying that you still have to do your own homework. I’ve used recommendations in the past, and been terribly disappointed (granted… it was a builder, and with builders the odds just seem higher). I have also given recommendations to friends, and then my recommendation disappointed that friend for whatever reason…
