Think I'll interject here, if for no other reason than to break the chain.
Here in Chicago/near 'burbs, everything is in pipe. That being said, I don't know what the exact requirements are for NM but I'd never distrust the words of Stubbie. On the other hand, there is something to be said for "workmanlike manner" or quality.
I did a power plant job and the owner awarded the electrical work to a local, non-union shop. In one area, they had to run a rack of probably 20-30 pipes, mostly 3/4" and 1" RGS which passed perpendicular to a concrete encased beam. Since they were running everything tight to the ceiling, they had to drop down to the bottom flange of the beam and then offset back up to the ceiling. Depending on who was running pipe that day, some were 30 deg. bends, some 45 deg., some 60 deg. Heck, a few of them were one angle on the drop and another on the rise. We made them pick an angle and redo all others to match. The reason? It looked like crap. Period. The owner wasn't happy, we weren't happy and in the end, the foreman admitted that it was pretty shoddy too. Was it code-legal? Absolutely. Was it embarrassingly gross quality. Mmm-hmmm.
Somewhere I know I read about this being HUD-funded and there being no inspection required. In my village, they couldn't give a rip who's doing the work or how it's being paid for. Bottom line: (here anyway) You must have a permit and you must have the work inspected (unless you have curtains). I don't know much about HUD but I'd kindly recommend that you have any future work inspected. That can, and should be done irrespective of who is funding it. I understand that you may not necessarily know firsthand if the work was code-compliant or not and if you're not sure, bringing in someone who specializes in it is a good idea, especially when fire safety is the bottom line.
It's sad to see, with the housing boom, so much garbage work being done. And with big volumes to check, inspectors don't always have enough time to look really closely at all the details. I bought a new condominium in 2000 and spent the entire 6 years that I lived in it fixing all the substandard work. Non-responsive developers, fly-by-night contractors, poor inspections. Exit on the right for Chicago. On the other hand, when the dust settles (as it is in the process), the good contractors will still have work. Word of mouth is key.
This is a DIY forum. Certain people should remember that before spitting flames. We all come here because we're either trying to do something ourself or are interested in helping others do the work themselves. I admire the OP for buying a home to create a better environment for his family. I bought the biggest piece of crap house in a very nice neighborhood in order to send my kids to quality public schools. I did the electrical inspection myself and had an SE, licensed plumber and a good GC come through to perform inspections that were germane to their professions. I knew it needed a lot of work up front and bargained with the seller accordingly. But...I knew that the only way that we'd be able to afford this sucker and make it our dream was if I was going to do the lion's share of the work myself. I'm not affraid to admit that I don't know everything but I try to educate myself as much as possible before jumping in and trying new things.
And at the end of the day, I can't say that I own mine outright:thumbsup:
Good luck!
Jimmy