45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

[tom baker]

Last nite and early this AM I volunteered as an electrician on our local Extreme Makeover Home Edition and helped 44 other electricians trim out. I basically installed lamps. It was quite an experience, you have to be very patient. I was trying to install lamps in the master bath with 6 tile setters laying floor tile.
This is the second time in a year that the Extreme Makeover Home Edition has been to our county-first time that they have been to the same area twice. The first time it was pretty nice weather but now in November - near Seattle - we got rain.
If you have the opportunity to help out, its well worth the experience. There must of been 50 painters on site, a board would go up and it would get painted.
this show will air in about 2 months.
Also I am going to let all the other electricians who helped out attend my next electrical class for no cost.

[ November 14, 2005, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: tom baker ]

 

[bphgravity]

Re: 45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

One of the member contractors and a bunch of apprentices from the ECF participated on one of these homes in St. Pete several months ago. It sounds like a really incredible event. The contractor ended up spending alot more money than ABC had promised and never received any credit or recognition on the TV program. Nor did the apprentices. Oh well, no good deed goes unpunsihed.

 

[wyatt]

Re: 45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

cool! got any photos. how long did it take to rough in? It would be hard to get 4 electricians to agree on how to wire a house but 44?

 

[paul]

Re: 45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

They had on the radio, KOMO, Saturday afternoon a plea for roofers on that project. They said the roofers that were lined up, walked off the job. I'm assuming that they got some replacements!?!?

 

[tom baker]

Re: 45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

Rough in was about 4 hours.
You divide the work up into rooms. Walls are built, wired and rocked. Inspectors, by the way are on the 100% of the time, they are there in shifts.
As far as the walk off, its typical TV hype. the entire job was delayed as 20,000 yards of fill had to be brought in prior to the foundation being done. The crews, such as roofers were waiting and some couldn't wait any longer.

 

[PlnOldRick]

Re: 45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

Originally posted by bphgravity:
One of the member contractors and a bunch of apprentices from the ECF participated on one of these homes in St. Pete several months ago. It sounds like a really incredible event. The contractor ended up spending alot more money than ABC had promised and never received any credit or recognition on the TV program. Nor did the apprentices. Oh well, no good deed goes unpunsihed.

i worked for beachem brothers as a foreman and did that job up in st. pete. it was deffinatly an experience. 30 plumbers, 25 ac guys, 30 electricians, 15 framers, couple alarm guys with no roof on yet during ruff in. rain was running down the wires and pouring out of the box's as you made up joints. i worked 16 hours one day and 13 another between doing that and running my sub division. it was trip, thats for sure.

[ November 14, 2005, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: PlnOldRick ]

 

[shortcircuit2]

Re: 45 electricians to change a light bulb-Home Makeover

Congratulations to you tom baker! Let us all know when the show will air on TV...

I too did a Extreme Makeover / Home Edition in Medfield Massachusetts the 1st week of October. I organized a crew of 45 sparky's to wire our project. The home was built in 4 1/2 days...amazing experience.

Our project will air this Sunday 11/20/05 evening at 8pm on ABC TV

shortcircuit2