We recently had our bathroom remodeled by a contractor who is both licensed and bonded. The work looks good, but we've just discovered that the outlets aren't grounded. Our house is older, and we knew some outlets weren't grounded, but we thought the contractor would update the bathroom outlets to be grounded since our contract specifically stated they would be done "per code." Are we being unreasonable to expect this, or did our contractor take shortcuts with the electrical work? We live in California where grounding is a requirement, and I plan to discuss this with the contractor soon.
3 Answers
It’s true that ungrounded GFCI outlets can still be compliant "per code" if they're connected to an existing ungrounded circuit. But if they’re not labeled properly, that's a red flag. You should ask your contractor about the labeling and why you weren’t informed about the grounding situation.
Honestly, just because a contractor is licensed and bonded doesn’t guarantee they’ll do a great job. It’s not hard for them to run new wiring while the walls are open, and if they didn't, it sounds like they’re just doing what’s necessary to get by without truly upgrading your system. Make sure you express your concerns when you talk to them.
Exactly, I've seen a lot of contractors cut corners. Make sure to ask detailed questions about what was actually done.
If your outlets are three-pronged but ungrounded, that’s a safety concern, especially in a bathroom. You're right to bring this up with your contractor. It might not be a huge fix, just some loose wiring or something, but they need to be responsible and address it!
Totally agree. If they're GFCI outlets, they should be labeled to indicate they're not grounded. It's definitely something you should bring up with your contractor.