Diy

2969 Views 13 Replies 10 Participants Last post by 3phase, May 8, 2007

brian john

Discussion Starter · Mar 28, 2007

DIYers

At some point we are al DIYers (well I am assuming this). I built 3 houses did all the plumbing, gas piping, duct work in one, all the trim and kitchen cabinets in two of them. The one house I did not do this in was condemned by the county and taken in eminent domain (LONG STORY).

My best friend from high school (and still today) is a master carpenter and a great craftsman. A few months ago he called me for advice on his garage/workshop addition he is building. I told him forget it, I would wire it for him, as I did his house and his first house. His response.

You damn electricians you think you know it all, You build 3 house’s, you build numerous garages workshops and out building, only calling me when you can’t lift the trusses or want to speed up a project. But I want to attempt to wire my garage and you and half a dozen electricians from work tell me not to and they all offer to do the wiring. What is it about you guys that make you think you are the only ones that can figure out something as simple as wiring a garage?

So I tell him if he screws up it could burn down, and if I mess up what’s the worse that could happen. His response “the whole structure collapses on my head or my families!” He may have a point. But I still did the wiring for his garage.

Last thing on DIYers, THE SUPPLY HOUSES on Saturday these guys drive me batty, several of the supply houses have a contractor first policy or have a designated salesman for homeowners so the regulars are not tied up behind a purchaser that can not decide between a 2” 8/32 and an 1-1/2” 8/32. But when I am in a hurry MOST OF THE TIME and one of these well meaning home owners is asking questions the counter guy is not qualified to answer and there I sit it, WELL gets to me.

Now I have seen some very good DIYers doing electrical work, and I have seen some hacks, but around here they can pull a home owners permit and wire away.

Lastly when I did residential service about once a year we would get the call “to save money I want to help” My boss would explain watching slows us down and helping adds to the hourly rate. I was young then and would not have had the heart to explain that to them.

See less See more

Save

1 - 14 of 14 Posts

MDShunk

· #2 · Mar 28, 2007 (Edited)

"I went ahead and nailed up all the boxes for you"

Grrrrrr...

Guaranteed that many of them are crooked, at goofy heights, and improperly spaced. Probably also a brand and a cubic inch capacity that I'm not going to like.

I don't want any help. If you want to help, go make me a sandwich and get me a soda. I'm all for teamwork, but I just have no idea how to utilize unqualified and untrained help.

Save

MDShunk

· #3 · Mar 28, 2007

Or, the factory maintenance man who says, "We went ahead and ran the pipe for you on 3rd shift last night, since we had nothing else to do". Only problem is, it's got about 9 too many bends between pull points, and it's one size too small. :laughing:

Save

Magnettica

· #4 · Mar 29, 2007

Whaddya mean you can't run 54, #12 THHN's in a 1" EMT conduit?

They'll fit!

Save

dcc

· #5 · Mar 29, 2007

Standard hourly prices:

$50.00

If you watch $75.00

If you help $85.00

If you have already started the job without me $100.00

Save

HCECalaska

· #6 · Mar 29, 2007

the only thing i hate more then fixing problems caused by the DIY's is haveing the box store experts tell me either they dont make the parts i am discribing, or that they shouldnt be used in the manner i am indending to use them. and if you really want to mess them up stand in the electrical isle and ask for a gangable cutin box and steam boats.
the best was when i was touring a local HD store. we were going to wire a new store and went to an existing to see how they had done the installation. when we was done looking around the "electrical expert" pulled me and my foreman into the electrical isle. and when no one was around the question was "what do all these parts do?" the parts were mainly MC type fittings, but that is some of the expert help from the box stores.

Save

dcc

· #7 · Mar 29, 2007

The worst one I ran across was at a home despot where I over heard a worker tell a customer that if the breaker is tripping then they should "put in" a larger breaker. The customer and I had a discussion on the side to correct this information.

Save

DeepOne

· #8 · Mar 29, 2007

However possible utilise such activities.
For instance shove on customer some dirty work, such as making long channel in concrete on marking. Don't care, anyway come to complete, and take not much smaller money for complete this work, but this work will be more easy.

Save

frank

· #9 · Mar 29, 2007

Takes me back to a thread I posted earlier. I don't lke Governments but you just have to legislate on this one. House wiring..simple or not. Is not the place for someone to practice.

We stopped non certified Electrical DIY 18 months ago and it seems to be working well.

Frank

Save

MDShunk

· #10 · Mar 29, 2007

DeepOne said:
However possible utilise such activities.
For instance shove on customer some dirty work, such as making long channel in concrete on marking. Don't care, anyway come to complete, and take not much smaller money for complete this work, but this work will be more easy.

Right :thumbsup:

I don't mind passing out a little grunt work, like concrete channelling or ditch digging. Other than that, I'll handle it.

Save

brian john

Discussion Starter · #11 · Mar 29, 2007 (Edited)

I met and became friends with a plumber. Now (BARELY) I can do plumbing, but at a minimum it requires 4 trips to Home Depot and at least one leak.

Save

JohnJ0906

· #12 · Mar 30, 2007

A few months back, Mom's DW went up, and she was quoted a price of $150 to install it. I said, no way, I can do it:thumbsup: . 3 hrs, 2 trips to HD, 1 leak.

This had better be the last dishwasher she needs!

Save

K&R

· #13 · Mar 30, 2007

HCECalaska said:
the only thing i hate more then fixing problems caused by the DIY's is haveing the box store experts tell me either they dont make the parts i am discribing, or that they shouldnt be used in the manner i am indending to use them. and if you really want to mess them up stand in the electrical isle and ask for a gangable cutin box and steam boats.
the best was when i was touring a local HD store. we were going to wire a new store and went to an existing to see how they had done the installation. when we was done looking around the "electrical expert" pulled me and my foreman into the electrical isle. and when no one was around the question was "what do all these parts do?" the parts were mainly MC type fittings, but that is some of the expert help from the box stores.

Now our big box store has real experts I must say. The have a retired plumber with 30 years experience. Oh wait he is selling tractors in the lawn and garden section. But wait they have a guy we knew for a long time that repaired mowers for 20 years. No wait he works the lumber section.

Kind of nuts how they utilize their employees. I have never took my 30 year electrician and sent him to install a sink while my plumber was hooking up a new electrical service.

Save

3phase

· #14 · May 8, 2007

the factory maintenance man who says, "We went ahead and ran the pipe for you on 3rd shift last night, since we had nothing else to do". Only problem is, it's got about 9 too many bends between pull points, and it's one size too small. :laughing:

MD, not all of us do that. Some of us run good runs and follow the rules. But I have had DIY's want to help and do things. The best is to Hook up the panel they have wired!! I refuse.

Save

1 - 14 of 14 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month