State Specific Question About: GEORGIA (GA)

No,

Unless you can show they did something that was not normal. Like using a very long nail. A 3" instead of a 2 " or less.

Of course he's responsible. If not held to contractor requirements -- why bother hiring a pro. Your cost to repair should be witheld from his payment or --HE SOULD HAVE IT REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE.

Like the kids that throw a baseball through the window-- they fix itor pay for it to be repaired.

I am a California Licensed Building Contractor with Plumbing and Electrical licenses as well. A owner of a condo had me do some drywall repair after a flood. Before nailing down the drywall to the studs I checked and installed wire protector plates on the studs where Romex wires were put thru studs. I also could have used my "special inductive tracer" and marked where wires were located to avoid putting nails or screws through a wire.

A new tenant went to hang pictures and ran a nail another wall and shorted out the Hot to Ground wires in a Romex wire. The owner of the condo said it must have been my fault because no one else did any work. I tried to explain that the short was not caused by me, that I took every precaution to avoid running nails through wiring.

So the owner contacted an electrician who wanted to open up the walls to locate the short and charge him $1,200. I was told that I would have to pay for "my mistake"! I told the owner that he is a fool. Did he try talking to his new tenant and find out what happened? NO! So I went to see the tenant and he admitted driving a long nail in the wall to hang a heavy pictures which caused the short. So I opened up the wall and installed a metal box, splicing the line together as per code.

I called the owner who wanted to charge his tenant for my service call. The owner didn't apologize because he thought he was right.

Only because I'm an electrician and builder do I check other people's work to see if their wiring was done correctly. Many time wires are place too close to the surface of a stud that a drywall nail will pierce.

Landover,

$648 to locate and fix a wire?? You should sue the electrician!

Yes, the siding contractor damaged something and should pay for it. But don't hold your breath. Maybe half?

And he'll never return your calls in the future.

A sub contractor should be held accountable for damages he causes.

"I didn't know", "I didn't have time", etc. won't fly.

The problem is to enforce this.

In your case, offer the guy to split the bill to stay on good terms. Who knows, maybe in the future you'll meet again.

Sidder is not responsible, the wire was to close to the exterior sheathing. I believe code is either 1 1/2 or 2 in off the edge of the stud. Sidders typically use 1 1/2 nails throw on some sheathing and you have plenty of clearance.