Re: 30A wiring advice

On Mon, 06 Oct 2003 14:22:44 GMT, the renowned Trevor Barton
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 16:17:44 -0400, Robert Calvert wrote:
>> Could this mean that status inconsistency is more rampant here in the US
>> than it is in Europe? After all, in Switzerland, it might be that if my
>> income is higher than an electrician's income, I would probably hire
>> somebody to do my electrical work because it wouldn't be worth my time to do
>> it myself. And if my income is lower than an electrician's income, I
>> probably wouldn't be able to do what an electrician can do - in which case I
>> would probably hire this work out anyway. In the US, on the other hand, it's
>> not inconceivable that there are many more people who can do what an
>> electrician can do but who don't make as much money as an electrician. In
>> such an environment, you would probably find many more do-it-yourselfers.
>
>It depends how you cost your free time.  If you were going to be earning
>money during the time you were DIYing it might make more sense to get
>someone else to do it.  If you were on the other hand doing nothing
>else at the time, then you've effectively earned the electrician's
>fee for yourself by doing it yourself.  In between those two extremes
>there's a cost-benifit tradeoff - will you pay someone to do the job
>to increase your leisure time?

When doing personal projects, the taxation regime enters into it. If I
gross 50 Euros/hour and work an *extra* hour in Europe I might only
net 25 (assuming a *marginal* rate of 50%- the average rate will be
lower, of course). If I pay the electrician (who has his or her own
taxes to pay) more than 25 Euros for an hour's work, I'm in a loss
position compared to not working the extra hour and doing it myself.
If he's charging 50 then I can take 1-1/2 hours to do that job and buy
a few tools and still come out even (and get to keep the tools). If
it's a business expense, then the taxation considerations disappear
and I can use the 50 Euros figure. 

As taxation is (was?) highest in the Scandinavian countries, that may
account for the popularity of DIY-type stuff like Ikea.  
Here in Canada, this problem is solved in the home renovation field by
a large contribution from the underground economy, which evens out the
tax thing- the $1000 cash after tax to put a carpet down (less
expenses) goes right into the pocket of some guy with a pickup and a
free weekend. Not everyone does it, but enough that it's a factor. 

Best regards, 
Spehro Pefhany
-- 
"it's the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
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