I'm wondering if I do all the dirty work of installing an outlet in a room, a light and a switch and run the cable, but leave them disconnected will an electrician come and hook it all up so that I don't have to go get permits, etc?

I mean I just will be doing the grunt work of cutting in the wall and putting the box in, screwing in the light and switch box, staple up the wire, etc?

 

If permits are required, the electrician will need to obtain them, and will charge you for the time, trouble and cost of the permits. They won't just show up and connect things. Inspections are done in the rough state before switches and receptacles are installed.

 

Many will not accept liability for work they did not perform.

 

oh ok. What does "rough state" mean or entail? Does that mean I can cut all the holes, run the wire, maybe?

All of this will be non enclosed and easily accessible, so I would assume it's ok to put everything in place and then just leave the power off the circuit and get a permit?

 

No, get the permit first. Yes, leave all the wiring hanging out of the box, or capped and stuffed inside the box (preferred), wires properly stapled 8" or so from where they emerge from a box or a hole, and every 3' thereafter. Power should be off to that circuit. Call for an inspection. Once the inspection is passed, you can install your wall covering and then the receptacles/switches and restore power.

 

Some cities require two inspections after you first got the (one) permit.

Rough inspection has the boxes in place, wires strung and still exposed with ends hanging out of the boxes and hanging loose in the panel.

Finish inspection is after everything is done and working. Drywall may or may not be up. (You do have to turn the breaker on to test for proper operation although theoretically you are not supposed to use the new wiring until after passing the finish inspection.)

You may need a second permit (sometimes a combination permit covers electrical and plumbing and structure but with separate inspections for each) for the structure, studs, and drywall.

It is not necessary to bust additional holes in drywall or make holes larger around boxes and fish points for the sole purpose of wielding hammers and staplers to fasten fished cables to studs inside existing walls. Here you omit the fastening where one might otherwise be required and put tne next fastening as close as possible to the required point (or never if there is no accessible point all the way to the next box). Going through a hole in a stud counts as a fastening point between boxes where you start your 3' distance counter over again but does not count as the fastening within 8 inches of the box the cable will end up in.

 

I'd suggest calling an electrician and asking about it. Often electricians can do small jobs either without permits or complete the job in one shot and file the permit later maybe with or without an inspection. The definition of a "small" job depends entirely on the local laws and the contractors around you will know these details. With small jobs it also may be the same minimum charge whether you do the work or the electrician does.

 

I think putting in a light and a switch would be considered a "small job". I doubt most people would even GET a permit to put up a light and a switch. It's always going to be uncovered anyways. I'm not gonna drywall over the switch or the outlet ... or the light either. I could probably take it all down in a few minutes.