Hack drywaller, what to do?

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Coppersmith said:
Drywall guy a hack? No problem!

Try new Leviton Super-Gynormous wall plates.
They hide any problem!

Coming soon to a supply house near you!
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:lol:

most LV plates come only in standard (small) size. I've done commercial jobs where there was not a single miscut box. Ones like the OP pictured..yeah, they get a standard cover plate too.

Adjustable boxes have their uses; fixing miscut drywall isnt on that list.
 
Yesterday at the same job I dug out two buried boxes. One had a huge bulge where the drywall was bent over the box which was properly protruding 1/2" past the studs. After I freed the box, I pushed on the drywall to flatten it to the studs and make my box flush. Of course, three drywall screws popped out a 1/2". I just had to smile. :D Take that drywall hack!
 
Coppersmith said:
Yesterday at the same job I dug out two buried boxes. One had a huge bulge where the drywall was bent over the box which was properly protruding 1/2" past the studs. After I freed the box, I pushed on the drywall to flatten it to the studs and make my box flush. Of course, three drywall screws popped out a 1/2". I just had to smile. :D Take that drywall hack!
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:thumbsup: Dang right. On one job, the drywallers just finished their 3rd coat of mud. Several of my boxes were fully mudded in. When the drywallers left, I scooped out a bunch of mud, stood about 5' from the wall & flung the mud onto the walls. Next day, 2 drywallers were sanding the walls & 1 was cleaning out my boxes. :)
 
rcarroll said:
:thumbsup: Dang right. On one job, the drywallers just finished their 3rd coat of mud. Several of my boxes were fully mudded in. When the drywallers left, I scooped out a bunch of mud, stood about 5' from the wall & flung the mud onto the walls. Next day, 2 drywallers were sanding the walls & 1 was cleaning out my boxes. :)
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I have run into some that will clean boxes out without being prompted to do so. They won't do it until after last coat though. If box is near a seam or corner it will get mud in it - hopefully it don't get completely filled and lost in the finish.

Seems like those "box covers" would make it even easier to lose track of the box as it will get a fair amount of mud over it if close to a seam or corner. No cover and it is still likely to have some sort of hole in the finish to help locate the box.
 
Coppersmith said:
Yesterday at the same job I dug out two buried boxes. One had a huge bulge where the drywall was bent over the box which was properly protruding 1/2" past the studs. After I freed the box, I pushed on the drywall to flatten it to the studs and make my box flush. Of course, three drywall screws popped out a 1/2". I just had to smile. :D Take that drywall hack!
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Unlike a builder that does a large number of houses a flipper or investor doesn't have that much work for a drywall crew. They change crews all the time to include electrical.

These screws that poped out will probably end up as just another punchout item and the drywall crew may never be involved or even hear about it. They are hired because they are the cheapest and today they are down the road messing up another job.
 
There was a time when I would look for my boxes with my framing hammer. Ooops, I would have bet that bump was my box I guess I'll try again...oops not there either.

I work with better crews now. No where near as common of an occurrence.
 
Knuckle Dragger said:
There was a time when I would look for my boxes with my framing hammer. Ooops, I would have bet that bump was my box I guess I'll try again...oops not there either.

I work with better crews now. No where near as common of an occurrence.
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Better crews came along, or the same ones learned their lesson?
 
Your box is set too far back. If you set it forward enough so that it's flush with the finished wall then you won't need the device wings to sit on the drywall to keep it flush. Then it won't matter if the hole is cut too big and they need to come back and fill it in, and you won't have to worry about using fillers/levelers, etc.

I started using oversized mud rings for metal boxes and setting plastic boxes forward more than the little notches tell you a few years ago and it has cleared up any problem on my end when a crappy drywaller comes around.
 
Hacky said:
Your box is set too far back. If you set it forward enough so that it's flush with the finished wall then you won't need the device wings to sit on the drywall to keep it flush. Then it won't matter if the hole is cut too big and they need to come back and fill it in, and you won't have to worry about using fillers/levelers, etc.
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Every box was set with it's face 1/2" forward of the stud it was mounted on. I don't understand why, but the drywall always seems to be more than 1/2" off the studs (and it's 1/2" drywall).

Hacky said:
I started using oversized mud rings for metal boxes and setting plastic boxes forward more than the little notches tell you a few years ago and it has cleared up any problem on my end when a crappy drywaller comes around.
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I have thought about setting the boxes more 1/2" forward but it'll be just my luck they actually hire a drywall crew that knows what they are doing and all my boxes will be sticking out of the drywall. That will be a major cluster to fix. This is why I talked about possibly using adjustable boxes in the 1st post.
 
Coppersmith said:
Every box was set with it's face 1/2" forward of the stud it was mounted on. I don't understand why, but the drywall always seems to be more than 1/2" off the studs (and it's 1/2" drywall).
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Not necessarily any fault of drywallers in those instances. Lumber isn't always that great these days, higher moisture content is acceptable, but when it dries out studs bend and twist. I have seen walls that aren't flat enough to hang cabinets on without shimming and trimming to make it look good.
 
If drywall guys covered my boxes they would be the on to uncover them, unless GC or homeowner want to pay an electrician rate to do it no problem..


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When I was an IBEW apprentice, it was common practice in commercial hotel construction to use 3/4" raised covers for 5/8" drywall. Never had one stick out, either. :? :blink:
 
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