Fire Alarm Cable Pulling

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Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
Ok, I just spoke to someone and they informed me that where we will be installing a new fire alarm system that the plaster ceiling is going to remain and all the wiring is going to be concealed in the ceiling. How they heck can you run the wiring above the ceiling if the ceiling is to remain? Thanks.
 

satcom

Senior Member
Ok, I just spoke to someone and they informed me that where we will be installing a new fire alarm system that the plaster ceiling is going to remain and all the wiring is going to be concealed in the ceiling. How they heck can you run the wiring above the ceiling if the ceiling is to remain? Thanks.

With plenty of money!
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
Ok, I just spoke to someone and they informed me that where we will be installing a new fire alarm system that the plaster ceiling is going to remain and all the wiring is going to be concealed in the ceiling. How they heck can you run the wiring above the ceiling if the ceiling is to remain? Thanks.

I does get a bit more difficult. Any wiring will have to be "Fished" and there will be cutting and patching.

The real trick is to figure out how much exta time it will take to run the wiring when it needs to be fished. When it comes to patching and painting that is better left to others and must be agreed upon in the original proposal.

You really need someone that is familiar with "old work" to look the job over carefully. Or you can bid high and hope for the best and still lose money on the job.
 

Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
Oh, I think Growler pretty much summed it up. No big deal in general for those of us that are good at fishing cables, and some spots are still tricky, or impossible without holes. Cutting and repairing holes depends on the finish- texture, odd coverings, etc.

Leaving the ceiling up makes your price higher, but the customer can still save a bunch that way- maybe :roll:.

But either way, it is much slower work, more unknown variables, and if your company doesn't normally do 'old-work', you'll learn a lot on this job!
 

krisinjersey

Senior Member
Messy, messy

Messy, messy

We just finished a kitchen renovation in a 5 story multi tennant building with plaster ceilings that stayed. It took longer to prep, cut the holes and cleanup than it did to rough the kitchen. And it ran the labor on everything else may up as well. If you price the job to make the ceiling removal a more logical option they may go with it. Either way, cutting, patching , and repair should all be listed to be completed by others.
 

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
Painting and patching we always qualify by others. So fishing the cables is a lot more time consuming. Thanks guys you were very helpful.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
So fishing the cables is a lot more time consuming. Thanks guys you were very helpful.

So when you fish the cables through how do you hang your supports for the cables such as j-hooks.

No support required for fished cables except where accessable. There really wouldn't be a way to mount supports in areas where fished.


If you can get a percentage of the the job to be fished you can use a multiplier for the labor in those areas. Times 2,3,4 of normal labor cost.

A lot will depend on conditions and how experienced your guys are at doing old works type jobs.

It's hard to bid a job like that without data from a simlar job to give an idea of additional cost.
 

Alwayslearningelec

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Occupation
Estimator
Growler I really appreciate your help. When you say fished you basically mean with a fish tape? But the wires will be supported how? Will they just lay up there?

Thanks again.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
Growler I really appreciate your help. When you say fished you basically mean with a fish tape? But the wires will be supported how? Will they just lay up there?

Thanks again.


First: cable can be fished in may different ways to include fish tape, fish sticks, stringline or just useing old cables to pull in new. It has to be fished where you don't open the walls or ceilings ( except for fishing holes ) and is considered old work.

This part of the job is not accessable and yes it just lays up there. But it's a good idea to protect cable whenever possible and do work as neat as possible because it's real hard to go back and correct a mistake. You kind of need to check the cable out to make sure it wasn't damaged during the fishing operation.
 
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