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Mandatory Electrical Conduit in New Residential Construction

jar546

jar546

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What if the National Electrical Code (NEC) mandated that all new residential constructions include a minimum of 60% conduit wiring instead of non-metallic sheathed cable? Would this significantly enhance safety and flexibility for future upgrades, or would it be an excessive and costly requirement?"
  1. Safety and Durability: Conduit wiring is generally considered more durable and safer against physical damage and fire hazards compared to non-metallic sheathed cable. This aspect can lead to discussions about the balance between safety and cost.
  2. Cost and Labor Implications: The significant increase in material and labor costs associated with conduit wiring compared to non-metallic sheathed cable could be a major point of debate, especially in terms of its impact on the overall cost of housing.
  3. Future-proofing Homes: While conduit wiring offers easier access for future upgrades or repairs, there's a debate on whether such a level of future-proofing is necessary for all residential constructions.
  4. Industry Adaptation: How such a change would affect electricians, builders, and the construction industry in general, considering the different skills and time required for installing conduit wiring.
 
Welcome to Chicago.bSuburb actually. I renovated a house there and it was all conduit, as required, replacing knob and tube. I have heard the suburb has since started to allow no metalic.

I see the future additions as not valid. Future renovations, conduit would be n the way more than a help.
 
jar546 said:
What if the National Electrical Code (NEC) mandated that all new residential constructions include a minimum of 60% conduit wiring instead of non-metallic sheathed cable? Would this significantly enhance safety and flexibility for future upgrades, or would it be an excessive and costly requirement?"
  1. Safety and Durability: Conduit wiring is generally considered more durable and safer against physical damage and fire hazards compared to non-metallic sheathed cable. This aspect can lead to discussions about the balance between safety and cost.
  2. Cost and Labor Implications: The significant increase in material and labor costs associated with conduit wiring compared to non-metallic sheathed cable could be a major point of debate, especially in terms of its impact on the overall cost of housing.
  3. Future-proofing Homes: While conduit wiring offers easier access for future upgrades or repairs, there's a debate on whether such a level of future-proofing is necessary for all residential constructions.
  4. Industry Adaptation: How such a change would affect electricians, builders, and the construction industry in general, considering the different skills and time required for installing conduit wiring.
Click to expand...

Is the only choice offered here between conduit and Romex? Just last week I overheard our electrical inspector saying that MC is now cheaper than Romex. I do any new wiring in my house with MC. (Mice chew on Romex.)
 
jar546 said:
I don't see the correlation between unions and installing conduits.
Click to expand...
It is the union electricians that keep (or kept - not sure if changed recently) non-metallic out of Chicago codes. Simply assured more work for electricians. Same for Chicago's 3 circuits max per conduit, regardless of size. Most of the electrical inspectors are or were union members.

Not surprising for a jurisdiction that sells ads to manufacturers and contractors in their code book.
 
Yankee Chronicler said:
Is the only choice offered here between conduit and Romex? Just last week I overheard our electrical inspector saying that MC is now cheaper than Romex. I do any new wiring in my house with MC. (Mice chew on Romex.)
Click to expand...
That may be true for materials etc. but I wonder what the cost differential is if you factor in labor. Labor to install conduit and pull wires has to be significantly higher than running Romex!
 
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