Plastic vs. Metal Boxes

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active1 said:
This thread is too funny.


Or they want metal boxes because the village does't allow NM cable. After the inspector makes you rip out the romex your metal boxes will be there for the EMT. Sounds like good advice that will save you time. Make sure you drill your cable holes straight & big enough for when it gets changed to EMT.
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I am reasonably sure that the village in question has made a recent change in their code to allow NM and that was alluded to in the first post of this thread.
 
I just bid a remodel job where the specs. called for NM with metal boxes. I wasn't happy with my bid price, though so I ran the job again using assemblies consisting of NM and plastic boxes. I was really surprised at the difference in labor units and material cost between plastic and metal. the metal boxes made my project cost considerably more than using plastic boxes.

Another option that I like to us is the Allied Moulded boxes, I think a lot of guys hate them, but I have always liked them. They are more expensive than blue boxes, but can make your company stand out above the competition if you sell it as a better quality installation, which is probably what the builder is looking for anyway.
 
Article 90.1 said:
Another option that I like to us is the Allied Moulded boxes, I think a lot of guys hate them, but I have always liked them. They are more expensive than blue boxes, but can make your company stand out above the competition if you sell it as a better quality installation, which is probably what the builder is looking for anyway.
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If it comes down to a "hard shell" box over PVC, I prefer the brown T&B-Union bakelite boxes over the Allied. They don't break as easily and don't strip out as easily either. But, Allied is way more common and popular than Union so that's why you don't see them much, despite the fact that I think they are far superior to Allied. So you can count me as one of those guys who hates Allied boxes. :grin:
 
I don't like any box that explodes when you miss a nail. I have never had a problem with the el-cheapo blue Carlons.
 
LarryFine said:
I don't like any box that explodes when you miss a nail. I have never had a problem with the el-cheapo blue Carlons.
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Especially if your fingers are in it holding it to the stud:mad:

peter d said:
You can't swing the hammer like the Green Giant, Larry. :grin:
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I would think it was because he was swinging it like the green giant, then he turned in to the black and blue giant, well at least the fingers did.:D
 
JOHNEO99 said:
the builder wants me to use the same metal boxes that we use when piping these homes.
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The customer is always right.

I would point out to him that it does add a certain amount of cost per box to do it this way. He might be surprised to find out just how much and may decide he really does not need metal boxes after all.
 
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