Cold weather vs Warm for residential rough in

It takes some thought and organizational skills to work in extreme cold without heaters.

I once made the mistake of trying to make up switches when it was -12⁰

Showed up at 8:00 with all the Romex in already, and nothing to do but make up. Oh my goodness, I had on 5 this layers of clothing, but nothing prepared my hands for being that cold.

I was literally making up a 3-gang box, then taking an hour break in my truck 🫣

Three switch boxes in, almost lunch time, I wrapped it up and went home

Pull wire in the a.m. and make up in the p.m.
 
acrwc10 said:
True That!!!!! ten years ago my fingers would go numb, now they have arthritis and they will hurt like hell. (along with every other part of my body)
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James L said:
Oh my goodness, I had on 5 this layers of clothing, but nothing prepared my hands for being that cold.
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Exactly! It's not your body (anybody try one of those Milwaukee heated jackets?) it's your hands. You can't work with gloves or your hands in your pockets.

-Hal
 
nizak said:
So if you were estimating a new rough in for instance your price would be the same doing it in 10 degrees vs 60 degrees?
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I seem to never know just what time of year I will actually be doing the work when I do the estimate.

I also never seem to have complete plans, particularly for dwellings and don't really know what will go in when is all done. Kind of have a set of common features that seem to be the trend and ask a few questions to help figure out a few specialty items that not everyone may have or desire. My estimate is just that, an estimate based on whatever details I put into it if they don't have complete details and based on materials prices at the time of the estimate. If you not building for 6-10 more months things can easily change. Most the time the estimate is for them to know what figures to take to a lender or other budget reasons and they know they may end up spending more in some areas as well as less in others. The plans I get are usually just a basic floor layout plan and no electrical details at all. If you want me to be competitive on an electrical estimate/bid you need to have most all details specified and give all bidders same specifications or you may choose the lower bid then find out that didn't include things you wanted but the higher bid maybe did include those things when they are all working off the basic floor plan with no electrical details.
 
electrofelon said:
Personally, I hate those jobsite heaters. The noise and fumes drive me crazy. Again I just say if you're cold you're not wearing the right clothing. People need to learn how to dress for the conditions. There are people that live and work in far colder climates than we have here.
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I have no issues with them. The clean burning kerosene ones. I don't like the propane ones. but I grew up with them since I was a kid on the job sites. My guys all like them too, and some of these guys are less than half my age. But I can appreciate your take. We work far faster in pants and hoodies on new residential construction, than heavy boots, one-piece Carhartt's, and thick gloves. For new residential construction. There are other types of winter work where we don't use heat, and dress differently.
 
In az in the dead of summer- when a single cloud covers the sun, we call that a arizona winter.. Everyone goes hypothermic and packs up...jk

Same clothes year round for me.
The hard months are october when you need thermals in the morn yet still kisses 110 in the afternoon.. it qets pretty dang chilly (for us) in the winter though..20's/30's..

Ive only ever wore the carhartt double front dungerees even in summer, my whole life.
And long sleeves over shorr sleeves. It keeps you cooler. But you need to cover up from the sun. Some guys wear hoodies... in the summer... nuts!

If its roof work we start at midnight for hot months and include floodlights in the qoutes, wether we buy new or not.

The worse is hotels or any structure thats "dried in" and no a/c. Then its strategically placed fans galore.
2nd worse (for hot months) is roof work next to the white tall parapitt- like walmarts where the front sign is.. think the science project hot dog oven w/box and aluminum foil..

Cost stays consistent year round though.
Cold water and breaks are required year round as well.
But of course every climate everyone is more or less acclimated to the extremes.

EXCEPT for the day laborers or people new to the area. And when you see hired help with a big ol monster energy drink, young or old, they end up critical by 10am.. huge liability...
 
JohnE said:
I have no issues with them. The clean burning kerosene ones. I don't like the propane ones. but I grew up with them since I was a kid on the job sites. My guys all like them too, and some of these guys are less than half my age. But I can appreciate your take. We work far faster in pants and hoodies on new residential construction, than heavy boots, one-piece Carhartt's, and thick gloves. For new residential construction. There are other types of winter work where we don't use heat, and dress differently.
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I do like having one handy to use for the occasional Shot of heat, warm up the hands. But my general preference is not have them running continuously.
 
electrofelon said:
I do like having one handy to use for the occasional Shot of heat, warm up the hands. But my general preference is not have them running continuously.
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I agree about dressing appropriately. And if so, you really don't need a whole lot of heater action.

I was working in a house once there was probably 7,000 square feet. I think there were seven electricians there and four plumbers. We had a salamander in the basement and another one on the first floor, with tarps hanging over the garage door openings

We were all running around there and t-shirts and I was sweating my balls off. I think it was about 8° outside that day
 
James L said:
I agree about dressing appropriately. And if so, you really don't need a whole lot of heater action.

I was working in a house once there was probably 7,000 square feet. I think there were seven electricians there and four plumbers. We had a salamander in the basement and another one on the first floor, with tarps hanging over the garage door openings

We were all running around there and t-shirts and I was sweating my balls off. I think it was about 8° outside that day
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Yeah, to each their own, ive just mostly found heaters more annoying than effective. One area might be warm, but then you go into another area and its cold. So you're cold, then you're sweating a bit later.....
 
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