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Charged to move a circuit breaker box?

Merry Christmas

tortuga

Code Historian
Location
Oregon
Occupation
Electrical Design
I guess I am. I do the whole job. I just can't imagine leaving all the debris, either.
Yeah the code requires the panel to be mudded in section 312.4. So if your contract stipulates NEC code compliance and final inspection or Certificate of occupancy, the electrical contracting company has to include patching at least to 312.4. [ EDIT I am presuming there is no GC] It is rare that a journeyman electrician employee would do the cleanup or patching work but the EC needs to provide for it, so yeah I can see why Larry does that, I would if I was a owner operator.
Look at the contract. Its reasonable to exptect an electrical contractor to provide NEC code compliant install. Its also reasonable to ask to be reimbursed for the cost of repairs as this does not meet the NEC.
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letgomywago

Senior Member
Location
Washington state and Oregon coast
Occupation
residential electrician
Yeah the code requires the panel to be mudded in section 312.4. So if your contract stipulates NEC code compliance and final inspection or Certificate of occupancy, the electrical contracting company has to include patching at least to 312.4. [ EDIT I am presuming there is no GC] It is rare that a journeyman electrician employee would do the cleanup or patching work but the EC needs to provide for it, so yeah I can see why Larry does that, I would if I was a owner operator.
Look at the contract. Its reasonable to exptect an electrical contractor to provide NEC code compliant install. Its also reasonable to ask to be reimbursed for the cost of repairs as this does not meet the NEC.
View attachment 2574172
Although I agree that this should be patched its only requires this if flush. If the can protruded a surface cover would meet code. Lots of semiflush equipment exists and is allowed.
 
Location
New York
Occupation
Civil Servant
Thank you for all the opinions everyone. I was just trying to get an understanding. The contract did say they weren’t responsible for patchwork repairs. I don’t have an issue with that. What I had an issue with was the contract had two prices. One to move the box and one to keep it where it was. The option to move it stated a field visit would be done to confirm the new location (it wasn’t) and that the original box would remain as a splice box. I assume as someone previously commented the price to move it accounted for splicing and extra wiring which would add time. In order to save that wiring and time they ripped my fuse box out. I’m all for making a job easier. Making it easier for you and saving you money while adding expenses for me in terms of repairs and still charging the higher rate just seemed unethical.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Thank you for all the opinions everyone. I was just trying to get an understanding. The contract did say they weren’t responsible for patchwork repairs. I don’t have an issue with that. What I had an issue with was the contract had two prices. One to move the box and one to keep it where it was. The option to move it stated a field visit would be done to confirm the new location (it wasn’t) and that the original box would remain as a splice box. I assume as someone previously commented the price to move it accounted for splicing and extra wiring which would add time. In order to save that wiring and time they ripped my fuse box out. I’m all for making a job easier. Making it easier for you and saving you money while adding expenses for me in terms of repairs and still charging the higher rate just seemed unethical.
Certainly there is nothing prohibiting you from going back to them and asking for them to charge you less since as you said they did less work.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
It seems pretty cut and dried. Price one: replace the fuse box. Price two: keep the fuse box and install the breaker panel in a new location. Did they keep the fuse box and install in a new location? NO. Price one applies.
 

Vinny B

Member
Location
MA
Occupation
Electrician
I'm sure when he cut that stud out of the way the old plaster crumbled. Even if I excluded patch and match. I would have installed some 2x4's and installed sheetrock and left the final patching and match by others. I wouldn't charge extra for the relocation because I didn't relocate the panel I flipped it.
 

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
I'm sure when he cut that stud out of the way the old plaster crumbled. Even if I excluded patch and match. I would have installed some 2x4's and installed sheetrock and left the final patching and match by others. I wouldn't charge extra for the relocation because I didn't relocate the panel I flipped it.
I don't see a simple flip, the conductors do not look to be twisted and crossed over as would be if just flipping the panel to reverse wall space. Conductors look to have been removed and reinstalled, thus I would call it relocated, and would be inspected as such. This would require the same labor time whether 6 inches or a foot and a half. All wires would require re-terminations and torquing. Only potential savings might have been by not adding 6 ft of new conductor and not needing upgrade to AFCI because of not over 6ft of added circuit wires..
 

chicar

Senior Member
Location
Lancaster,Pa
Hello,

I'm not sure if this should be posted here but I am looking for guidance. I recently had to have a fuse box changed to a breaker box in my co-op. The co-op secured a deal with an electric company to do the jobs. It was a set price for installation and a higher price if the box had to be moved to another location. The contract stated that if the box needed to be moved, the fuse box would remain as a splice box and the new panel would be relocated approximately 6 feet away. Instead, they ripped out the fuse box panel and put the breaker panel on the other side of the wall using the existing wiring they took out from the fuse box. They still want to charge me the extra for moving the box though. I obviously intend to pay the price for installation but I don't believe I should pay the extra for moving the box. There was no wiring added, they did not use a splice box and because they removed the fuse box I now have to also pay to repair the hole made from that. Charging the extra to move the box would have meant using the fuse box as a splice box. Would you guys normally charge extra for moving the box in a job like that? I tried to attach pictures for reference. One is where they ripped the fuse box out of the wall and the other is where they put the new breaker box on the other side. Thank you!

That was just a replacement, not a relocation. They're bill should be deducted for the sloppy, non caring damage they did to the wall.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
That was just a replacement, not a relocation. They're bill should be deducted for the sloppy, non caring damage they did to the wall.
They moved it from one side of the wall to the other that's a relocation in my book.
 
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