Help needed....

[c2500]

My wife is handling a renovation on a commercial building...she works for the company having the renovations done. She ask me to review an invoice from an EC....there were some changes...and he is billing $500 for non-returnable fire rated poke thru's. While I normally do residential and light commercial, this is a new term for me. I assume since the conduit drops down through the concrete floor, to the level below, it is a way of fireproofing where it enters and exits between floors. It is easier to ask here than do a search of course.

As always, any help is appreciated. Especially if you had some cost idea...my supply house is not open tonight :grin:.

c2500

 

[emahler]

what exactly are you referring to? theoretically you can use concrete around the conduit to fireproof...but is this a spec'd product? what exactly is it and what is it for?

 

[c2500]

ok...2 runs of 1" Emt as well as one run of 4" emt are below a conference room table. They drop through the floor, run a bit down the ceiling of the floor below, then re-enter into a wall where the AV equipment is. The floor was core drilled to accomodate the emt. The term of "fire rated poke thru" is directly from the bill.

c2500

 

[jeremysterling]

I've used these: http://www.us.hilti.com/holus/modules/prcat/prca_navigation.jsp?OID=-19426

Hilti will custom cut them for your pour height. I thought they were reasonably priced for being made to order, not any where near $500.

But these are cast-in, not refit.

 

[emahler]

probably something along these lines

they could easily run $250/piece cost depending on the cover required.

were these units deleted from the project? or is he just mentioning that they are non-returnable for the heck of it?

 

[PCN]

They are talking about a floor box I would say. I have seen some from Legrand and Wiremold that are very expensive, especially with multiple devices within.
500 bucks sounds steep, but I'm always surprised at the cost of some things.

 

[dwagener]

poke through to me mean some type of outlet electrical or data for between floors and maybe they were special order like aluminun instead of brass and the supply house will not take them back.

 

[infinity]

These are poke throughs. They go into a 3" or 4" hole cored through the concrete floor:

 

[c2500]

Well, based off of some simple distances, he is charging for 40' of 4" emt when it is 13'. Especially when you factor in the 90's mentioned. I have never bought any 4" but I think it comes in 10' sticks the same as other EMT. The 1" being obscenely conservation would be 3 sticks per run and they are saying 4 sticks. Plus, they ran a dedicated circuit for "clean power" back to the panel. This was not in the scope of their work....uuuughhhh another fun evening in my house.

This is what happens when you are a contractor and married to a CPA.:grin:

c2500

 

[c2500]

probably something along these lines

they could easily run $250/piece cost depending on the cover required.

were these units deleted from the project? or is he just mentioning that they are non-returnable for the heck of it?

There was a change, it was suggested not to use them, so they did not. They say they are nonreturnable, and I have no way of verifying whether it is true or not though. However, since they have been billed, my wife is demanding that she take possession of them. No point in letting that company have $500 worth of 2 poke thrus for free.

 

[emahler]

There was a change, it was suggested not to use them, so they did not. They say they are nonreturnable, and I have no way of verifying whether it is true or not though. However, since they have been billed, my wife is demanding that she take possession of them. No point in letting that company have $500 worth of 2 poke thrus for free.

that's about all you can do...you can try to beat them down if you had part numbers...but then we'd just call you an SOB HO...

 

[c2500]

that's about all you can do...you can try to beat them down if you had part numbers...but then we'd just call you an SOB HO...

:grin: You know, if anyone is up for a refresher course, I am offering a wiring 102 class tonight. I have now made multiple trips to the basement to show what MC is, and how it connects, how EMT connects to things (she knows what it is...I use it for Tomato stakes in the garden) I pity the foreman in the morning.:grin: Now even more...I am pricing out EMT....uuuugggghhhhhh.

c2500

 

[wirebender]

:grin: You know, if anyone is up for a refresher course, I am offering a wiring 102 class tonight. I have now made multiple trips to the basement to show what MC is, and how it connects, how EMT connects to things (she knows what it is...I use it for Tomato stakes in the garden) I pity the foreman in the morning.:grin: Now even more...I am pricing out EMT....uuuugggghhhhhh.

c2500

I don't think EMT is listed for gardening applications.

 

[c2500]

I don't think EMT is listed for gardening applications.

It is a whole lot cheaper than those flimsy stakes they sell. Plus, you run in a few self drilling screws and you have a great place to hook the ties to.

 

[augie47]

"non returnable" is uncommon unless it's manufactured unique for a project. "restocking charges" are more the norm. I've found very few things that can't be returned as long as they are in original condition/packaging although there might be a 10 or 20% restocking chrage.

 

[emahler]

"non returnable" is uncommon unless it's manufactured unique for a project. "restocking charges" are more the norm. I've found very few things that can't be returned as long as they are in original condition/packaging although there might be a 10 or 20% restocking chrage.

by the time i return something for $500, with a 35% restocking fee (which is not uncommon), it's gonna cost you more than the $500 and you won't even have the parts...

 

[ceb58]

:grin: You know, if anyone is up for a refresher course, I am offering a wiring 102 class tonight. I have now made multiple trips to the basement to show what MC is, and how it connects, how EMT connects to things (she knows what it is...I use it for Tomato stakes in the garden) I pity the foreman in the morning.:grin: Now even more...I am pricing out EMT....uuuugggghhhhhh.

c2500

Send your wife a bill for consulting work. See where that will go

 

[c2500]

Send your wife a bill for consulting work. See where that will go

You know, I really do enjoy sleeping in my bed at night. The truck just isn't that comfortable :grin:

 

[GUNNING]

Tell her poke through is another name for change order. If you gear up for a certain install then told not to do it, you still have to pay for not installing the item. It would be like buying a pack of cigarettes from walmart. Walmart doesnt want em back.

 

[macmikeman]

My supply houses are fair but won't take special (read that as shipped over here special also) order items back usually. Poke thru outlets are pretty much in that genre, even though we have put in hundreds of them. Around here they only like to stock stuff that they know will sell in a month or two, like emt, romex, and nail on boxes. High volume items I can return no problem.