Re-wiring old house in the city

[480sparky]

you mean stick built

"Stick built" simply means it was built on-site, and is the oldest method of home construction. Material is delivered to the site, cut to size and assembled.

Balloon framing is just one method of stick-building a home, as was commonly done in days long gone.

Platform framing is more common these days.

 

[480sparky]

........Fireman call them "Balloon" framing because when they catch on fire, the go up like a balloon.

Many fire calls are for a supposed attic fire, when in reality they are main-level and even basement fires that have worked their way up to the attic, only there to be noticed.

 

[Mule]

Many fire calls are for a supposed attic fire, when in reality they are main-level and even basement fires that have worked their way up to the attic, only there to be noticed.

Hello Sparky how are you? , my defintions were from a fire chief. Fire blocking was an attempt to slow down up-drafts in balloon construction methods, and carried over to the earlier days of platform framing....where we have "time rated" fire construction today ie:15 min, 1 hr etc, it stems from the fire dept's response time, construction methods, fire load, and the structures occupancy load....

 

[electricguy61]

South Tampa Company charges 100 dollars a drop,two single poles switches 200 dollars and so on,you know they are going to make you up grade all the big loads since you are doing the panel the Dryer the Range because they only have 3 wires instead of 4 as per coed, i did a few houses a while back and it was no fun but its work,as far as I know these old house cant get new insurance policies because of the old wiring methods.

In Northern CA, we get $125-$150 an opening for these type jobs. A man can spend 2 hours on a switch or receptacle, and there's a lot of prep, clean-up and planning. In my experience, if a journeyman and a helper can do 10 openings a day, it's a good day.

I've found that a rotazip with lots of plaster blades works well for cutting in boxes. The 60" wiremens bits work well also. Just plan on thrashing $200 worth of holes saws, drill bits, sawzall blades, etc.

 

[steelersman]

"Stick built" simply means it was built on-site, and is the oldest method of home construction. Material is delivered to the site, cut to size and assembled.

Balloon framing is just one method of stick-building a home, as was commonly done in days long gone.

Platform framing is more common these days.

I thought I remembered reading quite a few years back in my 3rd year of electricity "stick built" meaning what you all are referring to as "balloon framing". I probably misunderstood it I guess. I do remember the illustration in the book showing how in the "old" days they used to frame this way (balloon) and I swear the book called it "stick built" framing. Oh well. At least I can say I learned something new today.

 

[~Shado~]

Between 1985 and 1995, Denver and Charleston SC....I have probably rewired about 50 homes under those circumstances. Several were of historical value and had to go thru/by the Historical Society approvals and rulings, requiring minimal damage.

The easiest way to do the branching was by removing the baseboard (done by others) as usually it was 4-8 inches high. This allowed drilling and fishing between floors and around/between rooms.

PITA when we would hit diagonal or random bracing though.

 

[480sparky]

I thought I remembered reading quite a few years back in my 3rd year of electricity "stick built" meaning what you all are referring to as "balloon framing". I probably misunderstood it I guess. I do remember the illustration in the book showing how in the "old" days they used to frame this way (balloon) and I swear the book called it "stick built" framing. Oh well. At least I can say I learned something new today.

Technically, you are correct. Balloon framing is just one method of stick building a home, but they are not interchangeable terms. Kind of like the different classifications in biology.... domain, class, order, family, genus, species. Balloon framing would be a species, while stick building is a genus.

 

[Power Tech]

It all depends on how much money they have. If you do get the job you will learn to fish. Fish sticks, chain, you can drill with a piece of fish tape. Plan on frustration. Just keep saying "I love my job".

Teach a man to fish and a liar is born.

Terry

 

[electricalperson]

sometimes if you plan on replacing bx you can tie a piece of romex to the BX and pull it into the attic or down into the basement. that is if its not stapled but fished in as well. fishing in old houses require a little bit of brain power and a lot of time

 

[ohm]

sometimes if you plan on replacing bx you can tie a piece of romex to the BX and pull it into the attic or down into the basement. that is if its not stapled but fished in as well. fishing in old houses require a little bit of brain power and a lot of time

That's one of the reasons I don't overdrive staples. IMHO they're in the wall just to allow the rockers to do their thing. After that they're a potential problem. Maybe they could be made out of a self-destruct material like catgut stiches and disolve after a short period of time.

 

[iwire]

That's one of the reasons I don't overdrive staples. IMHO they're in the wall just to allow the rockers to do their thing. After that they're a potential problem. Maybe they could be made out of a self-destruct material like catgut stiches and disolve after a short period of time.

In the early 80s I was doing mostly condos rehabbed from old buildings we would ('gasp') use cheap electrical tape to hold the NM to the metal studs. Our view was the same as yours the supports are in the wall just to allow the rockers to do their thing.

 

[tonyou812]

You need a lot of paitience to do old work residential. It really is a developed sklill I usually try to do my work without any holes. It takes a little longer but the end product is better imo. Thats why Im not the cheapest guy on the block. But if the people are looking to save some money or dont mind "Patches" in their walls or ceilings than Ill make some holes to make my job easier.

 

[codeunderstanding]

In Northern CA, we get $125-$150 an opening for these type jobs. A man can spend 2 hours on a switch or receptacle, and there's a lot of prep, clean-up and planning. In my experience, if a journeyman and a helper can do 10 openings a day, it's a good day.

I've found that a rotazip with lots of plaster blades works well for cutting in boxes. The 60" wiremens bits work well also. Just plan on thrashing $200 worth of holes saws, drill bits, sawzall blades, etc.

What are the 60" wiremen bits? Does any one have a picture of them?

 

[electricalperson]

What are the 60" wiremen bits? Does any one have a picture of them?

i think hes talking about those long greenlee bits that you shove inside the wall and use the bending tool to aim it. they work alright just make sure you use the tool or you will be patching walls

 

[480sparky]

What are the 60" wiremen bits? Does any one have a picture of them?

 

[ptonsparky]

...In Northern CA, we get $125-$150...

Alright!! First time I felt like I wasn't to low on a project.

Old homes are budget killers. Theirs and yours.

Get a thermal camera if you can swing one. Maybe rent? My brother scanned my old house for heat loss problem areas and the camera easily spoted the cross bracing, fire stops, etc. I believe somone here has mentioned using IR cameras for this purpose.

 

[electricalperson]

rewiring old houses can be pretty fun sometimes actually. you get to see some neat things and possibly find treasures in floorboards and attics. i found a pack of mecca cigaretts from 1920 under floor boards in the attic. we gave the pack to the homeowner and it was a pretty big coincidence because the homeowner is a staff sargent in the US army and he served in iraq and said they had those over in iraq