Drywall Nightmares

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greg y

Member
Maybe i should not post this here, but just need to vent a little we are timming out a 18 unit apartment building and are finding more buried boxes, cut wires, by the drywallers everywhere and don,t know what to do anymore. Started seeing this from the first 12 on rough and did some things differently to try and prevent it on the rest, did not help. What or how is the best way to prevent this with the next job if the G.C. uses this drywall company again so it does not happen like this again?
 

steelersman

Senior Member
Location
Lake Ridge, VA
Maybe i should not post this here, but just need to vent a little we are timming out a 18 unit apartment building and are finding more buried boxes, cut wires, by the drywallers everywhere and don,t know what to do anymore. Started seeing this from the first 12 on rough and did some things differently to try and prevent it on the rest, did not help. What or how is the best way to prevent this with the next job if the G.C. uses this drywall company again so it does not happen like this again?
energize all of the wires. That should prevent them from cutting them. As for covering the boxes maybe you could put something that sticks out of the boxes in before sheetrock goes up. A long spike should do the trick.
 
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greg y

Member
So far everything that has been mentioned has been done and heating wires up after rough is the next thing to be done and then i guess we will stop it hopefully. For now they sure have a lot of holes to patch and more on the way.
 

Jljohnson

Senior Member
Location
Colorado
energize all of the wires. That should prevent them from cutting them. As for covering the boxes maybe you could put something that sticks out of the boxes in before sheetrock goes up. A long spike should do the trick.

Bad idea, you will wind up in court in today's world. BACK CHARGE the G.C. and let him pass it on to the drywall crew. I remember a hotel that I was the foreman on years ago that had this problem bad. I went to the weekly sub's meeting and whined to the drywall company owner. He said there was NO WAY his crew was burying that many boxes. I made a $100.00 bet with him, in front of all the other foremen and the job super, that I could find no less than 12 buried boxes in three random rooms of his choice. He took the bet, picked the rooms, and was thoroughly embarrased when my count was to 13 after the second room. He paid me my $100.00 AND the problem stopped for the duration of the job. On larger jobs, I always walked the rooms and sprayed a little bit of paint at the base of the wall and under each light box so I could easily point out where the boxes were covered up after the hangars were finished.
 

tonyou812

Senior Member
Location
North New Jersey
Find the boxes with a ballpeen box locator,after they patch the first two or three its amayzing how it stops being a problem.
LOL were can I get one of those? Dont you have them marked out on the print? When my buddy was doing a senior high rise he spray painted outlet/light locations on the floor. Which was a big help for situations like this.
 

B4T

Senior Member
I ALWAYS mark the floor before the animals start throwing drywall up. They are into how many boards they can hang in an hour.. not where our boxes might me. There is no reason for wires to be cut hanging drywall unless they have a beef with the GC. Keep cutting holes and THEY will get the message.
 

daleuger

Senior Member
Location
earth
LOL were can I get one of those? Dont you have them marked out on the print? When my buddy was doing a senior high rise he spray painted outlet/light locations on the floor. Which was a big help for situations like this.


A bender handle or a clawed locator works pretty well in a pinch too.:D
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I've had this happen, too. I usually offer the GC the choice of me finding the boxes at the rate of my choosing, or letting him handle it.

Either way, I don't do digging them out free.
 

sgr1

Senior Member
I have a 2 pound sledge hammer just for that purpose. Usaully after 4 or 5 holes they ask me to stop.
 

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
A meeting with all players discussing the issue, possibly involving the inspector with a threat of a shut down (even if you fake this threat) and major back charge for all involved. If that does not work explain to the drywallers the next step as noted a HAMMER for repairs.
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
I like Larry's approach.

Luckily I've never had this problem. You have to wonder, "don't the drywallers know you can also make their lives hell too when you go back and start hacking and cutting?" Common sense?
 

76nemo

Senior Member
Location
Ogdensburg, NY
What's impressing, and embarrasing to the rockers is when you can land a swing dead center in all of what they covered up. Makes for a short arguement:D
 

Mr. Wizard

Senior Member
Location
Texas
A bender handle or a clawed locator works pretty well in a pinch too.:D

Oh yes, I give the sheetrockers no quarter when I go looking for buried boxes. I'm well known to break out the sawzall and cut and cut and cut until I find my box. After awhile they'll get the hint. I have had to knuckle up a couple of times, but dammit they need to quit deliberatly covering our boxes :mad:
 
I had a contractor puttting STOW on (like stuco) I was trimming out went to turn circuit and half of rm didn't work. I was like HUM, hey wait there was a teacher that came through each night and video the entire job. I confronted STOW contractor he was arrogant and bet him a case of beer. Went to teacher found the room went back with a cote hanger, poked 3/4 small holes in outside wall and found it. He ate humble pie that night.
VIDEO ALL YOU WORK, I DO
 
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