[2phase]

My buddy is a GC and took on a job that was abandon by last GC.

3 bed/2.5 bath condo. Maybe 1200sq ft

He asked me to finish the electrical.

Permit was pulled and inspector signed off on rough and then HO closed the permit.


I showed up today and the last EC used a piece of strapping and a pancake box for a nice heavy fan.


I told the owner that he would need a fan box and he doesn't believe me and wants to know why the inspector signed off on pancake box.

Also the can light in master bath is flicking even with the switch off.


I can charge him a day and a half and go thru everything and get final inspection or walk away.


He pays so that's not a concern.


What would you do????

 

[svh19044]

I would have to see the pancake box. Lots of them ARE rated for fan's even when they appear to not be.

Aside from that, a non fan rated pancake box is plenty to pass inspection. The inspector usually doesn't look to see if it's a fan or not.

Hindsight 20/20, but I wouldn't accept the job without conditions.

 

[Hack Work]

I showed up today and the last EC used a piece of strapping and a pancake box for a nice heavy fan.

What do you mean by "a piece of strapping"?

There's no requirement for a fan rated box if the fan is supported by the joist.

 

[2phase]

What do you mean by "a piece of strapping"?

There's no requirement for a fan rated box if the fan is supported by the joist.

Just a piece of wood.

But it's not supported. It sits right on the Sheetrock so when I pulled on the box the whole ceiling moved.

It just doesn't work for me

 

[Hack Work]

Oh, so you mean the pancake box was attached to a completely loose piece of wood? And that piece of wood was laying on top of the drywall?

That wouldn't work even if the box was fan rated.

 

[2phase]

Oh, so you mean the pancake box was attached to a completely loose piece of wood? And that piece of wood was laying on top of the drywall?

That wouldn't work even if the box was fan rated.

Yes. That is correct.

I'm not a big residential guy so I make mistakes, but couldn't see how this would fly.

Thanks for your input.

 

[wildleg]

run away

 

[rewire]

What other mistakes may be found later and fall on you.

 

[Sparky305]

What other mistakes may be found later and fall on you.

How is that? I'm not trying to be a smartass, just trying to understand the business side of things, but if the inspection was already passed, wouldn't it all fall on the original EC that pulled the permit?

 

[2phase]

How is that? I'm not trying to be a smartass, just trying to understand the business side of things, but if the inspection was already passed, wouldn't it all fall on the original EC that pulled the permit?

If the inspector missed something it falls back in me. I was the last one to have my hands on it.

 

[Hack Work]

Something is not right here...

If the pancake box is merely attached to a piece of wood laying on the drywall, then it couldn't have been there during the rough inspection, it had to be added later.

So the owner is wrong about the inspector signing off on it.

 

[greenwire]

Something is not right here...

If the pancake box is merely attached to a piece of wood laying on the drywall, then it couldn't have been there during the rough inspection, it had to be added later.

So the owner is wrong about the inspector signing off on it.

I wouldn't be surprised. Around here the inspector doesn't even go into the house to check stuff. Green tags the meter, and off he goes :blink:

How many actually look at everything, and especially pull on a ceiling box?

 

[Hack Work]

I wouldn't be surprised. Around here the inspector doesn't even go into the house to check stuff. Green tags the meter, and off he goes :blink:

How many actually look at everything, and especially pull on a ceiling box?

My point is that the ceiling box couldn't have been there during the rough inspection if it's just laying on top of the drywall (which gets installed after the rough).

 

[FrunkSlammer]

If I was getting that kind of opposition from the home owner regarding simple stuff that I feel is unsafe, I would just walk away. Hire some other craigslist guy to finish it. I don't care how bad I need the work... I'd rather have unpaid vacation time than start digging in some other morons hole that was smart enough to get out of.

 

[chicken steve]

Inspectors don't have time to investigate every box

and clients need to realize the trades will see more detail

some of that 'detail' being our call

~CS~

 

[Deep Cover]

Maybe the contractors that abandoned this job did so for a reason. Don't believe anything the HO tells you. Judging by the opposition to the pan box, the HO could have put it there after rough inspection.

 

[chicken steve]

Maybe the contractors that abandoned this job did so for a reason. Don't believe anything the HO tells you. .

'My EC's on vaca' .......'My EC won't return my calls'...........the dog ate my EC......etc, etc....~CS~

 

[Ontariojer]

You should do what my old boss used to:

1) get a bunch of money up front. Do the job t&m until the money runs out, then get more before doing any more- even if it means unpacking at 9 and packing up at 9:30(this can be a very effective motivator for the customer )
2) get a letter signed by the customer that says you didn't do the original work, are not responsible for it, and only warranty the work you actually did-
3) take pictures as evidence of the conditions when you started, attach a copy of those to the above letter.
4)profit

 

[LGLS]

I told the owner that he would need a fan box and he doesn't believe me and wants to know why the inspector signed off on pancake box.

Sounds like you found an incredibly difficult and ball-busting homeowner who is going to question and hem and haw everything you are going to do. No wonder the original GC and EC bailed. Warning! Warning! There's danger Will Robinson!

 

[ablyss]

My buddy is a GC and took on a job that was abandon by last GC.

3 bed/2.5 bath condo. Maybe 1200sq ft

He asked me to finish the electrical.

Permit was pulled and inspector signed off on rough and then HO closed the permit.


I showed up today and the last EC used a piece of strapping and a pancake box for a nice heavy fan.


I told the owner that he would need a fan box and he doesn't believe me and wants to know why the inspector signed off on pancake box.

Also the can light in master bath is flicking even with the switch off.


I can charge him a day and a half and go thru everything and get final inspection or walk away.


He pays so that's not a concern.


What would you do????

A pancake is secured to ceiling joist will hold up butt load of weight. All you do is use 5/16-2" or larger lags and move on to the next project.

Flickering lights even though switch is off? Try replacing switch or check if bulb is CFL garbage.