Handyman trashed the wiring on this heat pump install

got called out to a new build where the gc hired some jack of all trades guy to wire up the heat pump. customer thought they were saving cash but now the system's shorting out and blowing fuses left and right. i show up and it's a rats nest of mismatched wires, contactor wired backwards, and the thermostat line crossed with the line voltage. gonna have to gut the whole control panel and start fresh, which means double the bill. these cheap shortcuts always bite back. ever deal with this crap?

holy hell, looks like a fire waiting to happen.

just yank it all and redo with proper thhn wire. no salvaging that mess.

how many times has the breaker tripped before you got there?

handymen love slapping contactors in but forget the safeties. seen it burn out coils.

i kinda dig these jobs now. bill em extra for the headache and walk away clean.

bet the defrost board is fried from constant cycling. full replacement incoming.

tell the owner their handyman nearly turned the attic into a sauna. charge premium for the rewire and diagram it out proper this time. i've done three like this month, always ends with me getting the glory call back. they learn quick after the first smoke show.