Why so many electricians go crazy

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sfav8r

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San Francisco Bay Area
We recently received this request. I think things like this are why electricians go crazy. Other than the fact that many of us started that way!

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[FONT=&quot]I'd like to get an estimate on wiring my home for surround sound. I'm specifically interested in concealing the wiring for the rear speakers, either by running wire through the ceiling or walls. We need to avoid tearing out walls, ceiling or baseboards. [/FONT]
 
sfav8r said:
We recently received this request. I think things like this are why electricians go crazy. Other than the fact that many of us started that way!

---
[FONT=&quot]I'd like to get an estimate on wiring my home for surround sound. I'm specifically interested in concealing the wiring for the rear speakers, either by running wire through the ceiling or walls. We need to avoid tearing out walls, ceiling or baseboards. [/FONT]
Click to expand...

Also we have a finished basement with a drywall ceiling. That won't be a problem will it?
 
sfav8r said:
We recently received this request. I think things like this are why electricians go crazy. Other than the fact that many of us started that way!

---
[FONT=&quot]I'd like to get an estimate on wiring my home for surround sound. I'm specifically interested in concealing the wiring for the rear speakers, either by running wire through the ceiling or walls. We need to avoid tearing out walls, ceiling or baseboards. [/FONT]
Click to expand...
Gotta love those crazy people who want estimates on old work.:roll:
 
I was working in Stoney point fashion park mall today and I had to explain to the store owner that there was a difference between an electrician and a magician:cool:
 
sfav8r said:
We recently received this request. I think things like this are why electricians go crazy. Other than the fact that many of us started that way!

---
[FONT=&quot]I'd like to get an estimate on wiring my home for surround sound. I'm specifically interested in concealing the wiring for the rear speakers, either by running wire through the ceiling or walls. We need to avoid tearing out walls, ceiling or baseboards. [/FONT]
Click to expand...

and it's in a first floor room with no attic access :D
 
I don't understand???

Seems like a reasonable request. I install wiring all the time without tearing out ceilings, walls or baseboards.

We often have to cut and patch drywall, but rarely have to tear anything out. I will even occaisionally remove and replace a section of base board if that's what it takes. Tearing it out would be a waste of resources.
 
Hendrix said:
Gotta love those crazy people who want estimates on old work.:roll:
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An estimate is nothing but an estimate. I give them all the time and, if possible, I will give a high and a low. Usually I am right in the middle.

I always explain to the client clearly that I will not be held to this number and if that wanted a firm number then I would double it. That usually relaxing them a bit. :)
 
This drove me crazy today: Replace a shorted cable today on the 13th floor of a high rise apartment building.

We cut 8 holes all over looking for a way to fish a new one. Eventually determined there was no way around the 24" thick concrete wall without crossing the hall into other units. The maintenance super was adamant the concrete only came down 1 foot from the ceiling.

I reiterated there was a TWO FOOT THICK concrete wall there. He refused to believe it and demanded I prove it. So I took a hammer to the wall at waist level and hit..... going through drywall to concrete.

Now you have 9 holes to fix!!!! That was a total waste, but I thought it was funny, so did everyone else except the painter.
 
WorkSafe said:
220/221,

I think he was jsut stating running home theater wiring is usually done by specialists, and not electricians?
Click to expand...

Really?

We do all aspects of electrical so running AV wire is not unusual. I'll even hang the TV and program the remote. Right now I'd even patch and paint the holes ;)
 
sfav8r said:
We recently received this request. I think things like this are why electricians go crazy. Other than the fact that many of us started that way!

---
[FONT=&quot]I'd like to get an estimate on wiring my home for surround sound. I'm specifically interested in concealing the wiring for the rear speakers, either by running wire through the ceiling or walls. We need to avoid tearing out walls, ceiling or baseboards. [/FONT]
Click to expand...

Just say no problem, all we have to do is: remove the baseboards and door casings to run the wire around the room, cut-in three retro rings, one for each speaker location and one behind the amp, and because the room you are converting to a home theater used to be Johnny's bedroom before he went off to college we need to add a smoke detector inside the room and tie it into the other smokes in the house after we install them in each bedroom because you only have the one smoke in the main hallway which is more than ten years old and needs to be replaced as well, and since we pulled a permit for the 120v smokes and you have an attached garage we have to install carbon monoxide detectors outside each bedroom, and your fuse box needs to be replaced with a circuit breaker panel because we cant add any more circuits to what you have and we need to install the smokes in the bedrooms on an AFCI, and oh by the way, your home was constructed prior to 1978 and we have to do destructive lead tests after we scare you death with the EPA's Lead RRP brochure and make you sign for it, if your home is lead positive we need to kick you out of the house and tent it up while we work in the "containment areas", so about a week and $7500.00 should cover those speakers.
 
Assume you never rewired old knob and tube houses. I would gladly take the job and how many holes depends on your wallet. Often your best off letting me make a few holes and spend 200 on patch man for 2 hours. If minor i will patch and even paint. Nothing scares me off but be ready to spend $$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
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