Adding a circuit the electrician "forgot"

[manwithtools]

A good mud slinger with 15 minute mud could be in and out in under two hours. I had the exact thing done in my CA home 4 years ago with textured drywall when solar power was added to the breaker box. Patch was 18" wide and 24" high. I had paint left from the build and he used that and it matched perfectly.

I'm picky about drywall texture too, that's something I'm not good at. I can patch and leave you a smooth surface you'd never see, but texture is not my forte.

 

[larry4406]

I'm not offended. At all. And I appreciate the alternate perspective. There are other things definitely done incorrectly, but I'm pretty convinced that compared to what's around it, we'll do fine when we have to sell.


I get it. I'm super particular about patch and paint work. I want it to look like it never happened. If I could get it done and like it never happened for $250, I'd pay it all day long. But I'd never offend a contractor by saying this is a $150 job. Remove washer, dryer, remove all the wall plates, patch the drywall, re-texture (probably 2 days to contour it in), then repaint... That's like 4-5 hours of my time, assuming I was good with drywall and texture.

Since your electrician was such a hack, maybe save up all the drywall repairs once your done troubleshooting, then shop for a bulk deal on quality repairs when the time is due?

We have one electrician at the day job that I dislike. They finish the rough on the final and the most used tool is a drywall keyhole saw - they all carry one! Every house of their's, I have 5-10+ drywall repairs and they get pictures and a back charge. Rooms wired but no power to them, etc.

 

[dcg9381]

Since your electrician was such a hack, maybe save up all the drywall repairs once your done troubleshooting, then shop for a bulk deal on quality repairs when the time is due?

That's fair. Electrician has a masters license. Partner has cancer. They hired a "musician" as an electrical helper, which I assume why a hot is wired in white. And I could have missed this one myself. I blame myself and the GC more than anyone for not fully vetting the job before cutting the check. I'm more concerned about the 3-ways. I'll open those up and even if I have to get them down to single switches and plate them, that will be OK. I co-wired stuff with him on an agreement of "if I touch it, you're not responsible". He cooperated with me on an ATS and some other stuff. Screwed me on doing the 250' of trenching for the main... But in the end, I'm happy with the house.

We have one electrician at the day job that I dislike. They finish the rough on the final and the most used tool is a drywall keyhole saw - they all carry one! Every house of their's, I have 5-10+ drywall repairs and they get pictures and a back charge. Rooms wired but no power to them, etc.

I get it. And having built other homes before, I know it's not uncommon post drywall finish to have to come in and open stuff up, you charge it back to the trade that F'd it up. Trades won't pay a charge back, but they will eat it on their final check. Once paid, around here, they're gone... Unless you're a BIG GC that keeps the jobs rolling in regularly.

 

[PCustoms]

Other than the white jumper, what's the issue with the three way?

 

[larry4406]

That's fair. Electrician has a masters license. Partner has cancer. They hired a "musician" as an electrical helper, which I assume why a hot is wired in white. And I could have missed this one myself. I blame myself and the GC more than anyone for not fully vetting the job before cutting the check. I'm more concerned about the 3-ways. I'll open those up and even if I have to get them down to single switches and plate them, that will be OK. I co-wired stuff with him on an agreement of "if I touch it, you're not responsible". He cooperated with me on an ATS and some other stuff. Screwed me on doing the 250' of trenching for the main... But in the end, I'm happy with the house.


I get it. And having built other homes before, I know it's not uncommon post drywall finish to have to come in and open stuff up, you charge it back to the trade that F'd it up. Trades won't pay a charge back, but they will eat it on their final check. Once paid, around here, they're gone... Unless you're a BIG GC that keeps the jobs rolling in regularly.

Retainage....

 

[mm08822]

Other than the white jumper, what's the issue with the three way?

They taught him about 3-ways, cept he got schooled on the spit roast position. (Last time the customer helps us!! . Now go away. Thank you. )

 

[PCustoms]

They taught him about 3-ways, cept he got schooled on the spit roast position. (Last time the customer helps us!! . Now go away. Thank you. )

I would have guessed electricians prefer the Eiffel Tower, that where they can high-five their Bros over Milwaukee pack out while they're doing it

 

[john.k]

All the f/b vids of electricians grabbing bundles of money while leaving mess everywhere....true.

 

[dcg9381]

Retainage....

Does that mean get paid to fix your own mess? Honestly, I'd rather have him fix it (and I'd pay him). But I don't see how you show up and charge for **** you clearly did wrong. I think he makes better money by the "job". Two GCs have said that they're not using 'em anymore.

Other than the white jumper, what's the issue with the three way?

There's no 3-way on that photo. I've got a number of 2 and 3-way switches in plans that don't work like 2 and 3 way switches and are wired in some weird "combo" that isn't right.. I have yet to take them apart. Hopefully it's minor. I have to bust open a book to know how to do them.

 

[rharman]

I'm not offended. At all. And I appreciate the alternate perspective. There are other things definitely done incorrectly, but I'm pretty convinced that compared to what's around it, we'll do fine when we have to sell.


I get it. I'm super particular about patch and paint work. I want it to look like it never happened. If I could get it done and like it never happened for $250, I'd pay it all day long. But I'd never offend a contractor by saying this is a $150 job. Remove washer, dryer, remove all the wall plates, patch the drywall, re-texture (probably 2 days to contour it in), then repaint... That's like 4-5 hours of my time, assuming I was good with drywall and texture.

A good mud slinger with 15 minute mud could be in and out in under two hours. I had the exact thing done in my CA home 4 years ago with textured drywall when solar power was added to the breaker box. Patch was 18" wide and 24" high. I had paint left from the build and he used that and it matched perfectly.

I'm picky about drywall texture too, that's something I'm not good at. I can patch and leave you a smooth surface you'd never see, but texture is not my forte.

The contractor we used for our master bath remodel and a couple of other jobs had two guys who were artists with mud, texture, and paint. Near the end of the bathroom job, they had to make a repair on one wall for something the glass door installer did. The guy came by on a Saturday morning and, when he left a couple of hours later, I couldn't even tell where the repair had been made. Fill, texture, paint - perfectly matched with the rest of the wall. I've kicked myself ever since for not hanging out and learning from him.

Like @manwithtools, I can make a wall smooth but never can match the texturing. Frustrates the heck out of me.

 

[Fav Onefour]

I have had to remove fan boxes on home warranty repairs because we couldnt get the guts for the fan anymore. i pulled the screws or nails and cut the drywall making sure the edge was enough for the replacement grille to cover

worked out fine...

I've also used snips to cut the box and fold it up without making the hole larger.