rosem637 said:
My 9 year old can assemble already threaded black pipe and be leak free. Really no technical skills needed. Not something a union plumber/gas fitter wants to hear.
Have never seen a news story of a homeowner accidentally blowing their home up while doing unpermitted gas line work. Cannot say the same for supposed contractors.
While it is important to install gas lines to be free of leaks, there is more to be concerned with than just escaping gas. Improperly installed gas lines, appliances, venting and air supply could lead to premature appliance failure, which can have a negative impact on your wallet. But of more concern, they could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning and even death.
There is a lot more to working with gas than just screwing pipe together, and thinking that you know it all could have serious consequences. I'll admit that contractors make mistakes, but so go other professionals like doctors, lawyers accountants, etc. We're all human.
I think there are many homeowners that are perfectly capable of doing their own work, as long as they do their research and practice due diligence. The problems happen when people have the attitude that something is so easy their seven year old can do it, so why pay a pro? You pay a pro because they've already done the "research" in the form of training and know what issues and steps need to be taken that a homeowner wouldn't even think about.