Homeowner furnished Light Fixtures

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EEC

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What do electrical contractors do if homeowner orders outside light to be lowered after rough-in and refuses to pay for it.
Because the homeowner thinks the fixture will look better lower. Electrician did not have knowledge of what wall mounted fixture homeowner would buy.
 
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Check your notes, specs, contracts, change orders, etc for the height agreed upon.
When you find the "latest and greatest", show the HO this was the agreed upon height.

What next...the switches be placed at precisely 44 1/8" AFF, outlets at 17 9/19", etc?

Nip it in the bud with a "peaceful, casual" conversation (with documentation).

There isn't much point in having a screaming match, best to resolve it calmly before considering legal action.

What is the actual difference in heights?
Maybe there is a product to suit you and your customer's needs?
 
mdshunk said:
One of two things... get a signed change order before you do anything, or do it anyhow as a gesture of good will.
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I agree. Depending on the customer and the amount of work involved we might do it for free. Or say it's for free and make it up on another change order. Now everyone's happy.
 
celtic said:
Check your notes, specs, contracts, change orders, etc for the height agreed upon.
When you find the "latest and greatest", show the HO this was the agreed upon height.

What next...the switches be placed at precisely 44 1/8" AFF, outlets at 17 9/19", etc?

Nip it in the bud with a "peaceful, casual" conversation (with documentation).

There isn't much point in having a screaming match, best to resolve it calmly before considering legal action.

What is the actual difference in heights?
Maybe there is a product to suit you and your customer's needs?
Click to expand...

Homeowner and contractor did not have written or verbal agreement on heights. Homeowner should have checked actual height before purchasing fixture.
 
celtic said:
Might be a problem if the brickies have already done their thing ;)
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That's why I said "OR". If the "do it anyhow" doesn't work for you for any of a number of reasons, it's a clear change order. Very, very, very rarely will I ever get residential prints that show mounting heights on things like that. It's normally marked up right on the house during the initial walk through with the builder or homeowner.
 
infinity said:
I agree. Depending on the customer and the amount of work involved we might do it for free. Or say it's for free and make it up on another change order. Now everyone's happy.
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It will have extra cost by siding contractor to repair siding.
 
EEC said:
Homeowner should have checked actual height before purchasing fixture.
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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion..the HO's opinion being that the light is too high.


What's the difference in heights?
 
EEC said:
It will have extra cost by siding contractor to repair siding.
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Maybe to the homeowner, but not to you. If a homeowner requested that I move a box or J-Block lower on siding, I'd do just that. The resulting siding repair will be the homeowner's baby to rock, as they ordered me to lower the box.
 
celtic said:
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion..the HO's opinion being that the light is too high.


What's the difference in heights?
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The fixture the homeowner purchased has a long brass cone shaped piece on top of fixture that almost reaches the botton of soffit.
 
EEC said:
The fixture the homeowner purchased has a long brass cone shaped piece on top of fixture that almost reaches the botton of soffit.
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Does that translate into inches or feet?

Would something like this help:
8141DBL.jpg

...about 10" high.


I agree that the HO should have selected fixtures PRIOR to rough installation....

I know I had my fixtures selected about 6 months before my porch was rebuilt and that took another 4 months to brick up....the fixtures I wanted were available on 1 website, everyone else said they were discontinued
 
Sad

Sad

Poor communication from what I have read. If you did a walk thru with the owner or builder, it should have been discussed at that point if it was different from the "norm" you usually do.
If all goes 100% ok on walkthru or after you ask the builder if the print is ok,
have them sign it and date it. They are responsible for extras.
JMO
 
Home owners are funny. I had one lady decide that she wanted all of the wall sconces lowered 2", when I asked why she said because that's what she wanted. As I argued with her she got mad and said it's only 2". I said 2", 2', 2 miles it really didn't matter it meant tear out and rewire 20 fixtures. Once she got the price she decided that they looked fine where they were.

Now of course that was at rough and she hadn't even picked out a fixture yet.

Still I have a hard time doing something like that for free just because he bought a fixture that didn't fit. I probably wouldn't move it without a change order because you know the first words out of his mouth will be "what about the siding?".

Hopefully one of those products will work for you.

Good luck.
 
I just finished a house rough in yesterday. The husband, an engineer walked thru with me prior to rough in and we layed out heights, where things go etc. Last night he calls me up. Wife wants a fan moved in the living room. I say sure no problem except it is 35 miles from my shop, it will require I unwire the switch box, and replace the wiring, so I quoted a price for this. He freaks. He thinks I should just ride out and fix it for nothing. So my reply was - no problem, just bring in the house to my shop and leave it in the parking lot and I will take care of the fan relocation, and he can pick up the house within a day or two of his leaving it there.
 
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