This is true, but we have a builder that wants stuff done yesterday
“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”
Outlet placement
- Thread starter McLintock
- Start date
- Status
This is true, but we have a builder that wants stuff done yesterday
“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”
Of course they want it done yesterday. If they wanted it done today, they would call you tomorrow.
Coppersmith
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa, FL, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
In my area Habitat doesn't allow volunteers to do any electrical work. They used to, but there were a lot of problems afterward. I know this because when I was preparing to start my company, I attempted to volunteer so I could get some experience doing residential wiring. I had only done commercial and industrial electrical work up until then. So I ended up doing a lot of framing instead. The foreman gave me a nail gun to use since I was the only volunteer who actually had any construction experience. Everyone else got a hammer.
When I did a lot of it I asked the homeowner to think about living there and make an “X” where they wanted a box in every room. I never had a problem with 6’... they always added a lot. I got paid per fixture, so I didn’t care. they wanted it, they were paying for it.
A lot of owners I dealt with wanted an outlet under each window for christmas lights.
about always put an outlet right at the head of the stairs for rail garland.
Normally I cut a block of wood at 14” and set the box on it.
for countertops, I chalked a line and set them all the same height.
nothing worse than a homeowner mad about an outlet 1/4” off with a tile backsplash. Grout lines will definitely show it.
A lot of owners I dealt with wanted an outlet under each window for christmas lights.
about always put an outlet right at the head of the stairs for rail garland.
Normally I cut a block of wood at 14” and set the box on it.
for countertops, I chalked a line and set them all the same height.
nothing worse than a homeowner mad about an outlet 1/4” off with a tile backsplash. Grout lines will definitely show it.
Coppersmith
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa, FL, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
I only use a hammer / stick in new construction. Remodels get the rotary laser.
If you base a chalkline based on an unlevel floor, you'll have unlevel boxes above the counter. A good trim carpenter will shim the cabinets to make the c'top perfect, and you'll end up with unlevel devices on a perfect tile backsplash.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
I don't own a rotary laser but I think his point was to do something to ensure they are same "level" and that is what I ordinarily will do for countertop outlets as well.
He said he chalk lines at the same height. If the floor's out-of-level then the chalk line's out-of-level.
Knuckle Dragger
Master Electrician Electrical Contractor 01752
- Location
- Marlborough, Massachusetts USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Residential 16" , commercial 18" to center.
Ruler or jig for height and depth.
Space to code plus whatever floats mine or the customers boat.
Where it matters I use a level.
Ruler or jig for height and depth.
Space to code plus whatever floats mine or the customers boat.
Where it matters I use a level.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
I've never seen a plastic box for residential with a center line to go by if you place/measure to the center of a box. You could figure out one then cut a gauge stick for the rest.
hoody32
Member
- Location
- norwalk, ct
We do mostly baseboard placement in our high end homes. Typically 70-100 receptacle outlets. Splicing all those really sucks
Kwired got it
Water level was my choice to get chalk line right
Knuckle Dragger
Master Electrician Electrical Contractor 01752
- Location
- Marlborough, Massachusetts USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
You are correct, not too many out there but some how I figured out how to do it.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
In a kitchen, the best bet is to have the tile installer identify a top or bottom mark, and then level from that mark.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Tell the GC you will not be responsible for outlet placement without that input.
RFI it. I doubt the tilesetter is going to tell anyone "Put the top/bottom of the box at xx inches". They'll need to know where the top of the backsplash is. That's based on how thing the countertop is. And it's all setting on a cabinet that who knows how much is going to be shimmed up.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Wow. I gotta fix everything. (j/k)
Okay, then leave wire and cut in old-work boxes later on.
(j/k)Okay, then leave wire and cut in old-work boxes later on.
Wow. I gotta fix everything.
Okay, then leave wire and cut in old-work boxes later on.
I'll let you cut the tile.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Okay, then I'll provide the ultimate solution: place the switches and receptacles under the upper cabinets.
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