Why Your Electrician Probably HATES YOUR GUTS 😡⚡️

[@thedevilshelp]

13 years I've been doing electrical and I never had anyone do anything like this for me! Good on you. The only thing I would say, which you kind of covered, is at the very least people should clear away stuff from the electrical panel. I nearly always have to access it and the most common phrase I hear as the homeowner is leading me to it is "I hope you'll be able to get in there".

[@saigyl9149]

I don't get why people block them off to begin with, they're always suppose to be easily accessible

[@ATSNorthernMI]

My boss would tell the homeowner to leave it all alone and let us demo and do everything ourselves because it meant more T&M and that meant more money for him. 3 hours of moving things around, and demo paid me about 35 dollars as an apprentice but he charged out almost 800 more from the wasted time.

[@orbitring]

Yes; and the customers, who fail to set-up what they can do to make the job more easier, don't realize that in doing so, they are actually saving themselves lots of $. Time is $ in construction jobs and renovations are no exception.

[@mikel3520]

im a plumbers apprentice and the i cant count the amount of times a customer said that to me about their water main in just the short few years ive been doing this. its almost always in some closet behind all of their junk they havent touched in 20 years

[@mikeirvin9694]

@@mikel3520 my parent's house had the water main enter next to the chimney in the center of the house. Problem was the HVAC guy installed the furnace directly in front of it. My dad had to make a tool out of some aluminum angle that could reach and turn the valve. It hung on a hook next to the furnace for 20 years until he had the water softener replaced. He instructed the plumber that he wanted that to be the last time that valve was ever closed and opened. He had a second valve added about six feet over that was forever going to be accessable.

[@chrislandry3762]

I have been working as an Electrician in Louisiana for about 10 years and have never had a contractor do this. Most of them expect us to rewire homes without cutting any drywall at all and get upset about us having to. The only thing I would do differently is run a dedicated 20A circuit for the bathroom receptacals. Great job keep it up!

[@kenbrown2808]

tripled the time on a job once, "saving the drywall" only to have the drywall contractor come in for the estimate and say "It will save you a lot of money if you strip all this old drywall out"

[@danielhowiesr.2593]

Permits? You'll get busted here in NC if you don't!

[@chrismoore9997]

@@danielhowiesr.2593 - we don't need permits or inspections. It is the wild, wild west where I am ... The county doesn't even have a permitting office. Build what you want, however you want it.

[@longshot7601]

I NEVER trust what the homeowner or other trades say what things are connected to or if they are live or not. The GC can tell me something is no longer hot and when somebody gets hit with a dead wire it is STILL my fault. Learned that lesson the hard way when the lead electrician I was working with told me the circuit was dead and go ahead and cut it. BANG! Pair of Kleins are toast and all he tells me is 'oops'.

[@BlackHeartScyther]

@@longshot7601 Gotta love those contactless testers 😄

[@AlAmantea]

As a former sparky, and still doing the work, I'd like to thank you for replacing those old bakelite 16 cu in boxes with 21 cu in boxes! Those adjustable boxes are great in kitchens, but also helpful for cabinets, entertainment centers, etc. Although when you have a double stud, I normally just give the box hanger a quick rap with a hammer to seat the hooks between the studs. Way quicker than clipping the hooks. If you use #6 screws to mount the boxes, the heads will almost sit completely flush with the hanger bracket. Drywall screws work, but are really brittle and hard. I prefer to use construction screws with the torx heads (GRK is my preferred brand of screws) as I consider boxes to be a "structural" connection due to the stresses of receptables and switches. Every tip you gave is right on point! Precutting the access points for the electricians is not only a great courtesy to them, it'll save you a ton of money, as it alleviates that as part of their responsibilities after the job is done, too!

[@catsmeow5566]

Thank you. This is helpful and I'll have to write this down for my notes.

[@davidwmcinturff]

I’d do electrical work for you any day. People take note, Stud Pack knows how to cut your electrical costs in half.

[@sqike001ton]

yea i think it should be labeled how to piss off your electrician its fun getting paid skilled tradesman wages to do a labors work and finding and labeling wires is just more money for the electrician

[@zsrmx1]

From an electrician of 15 years, thank you! But also to any home owner or contractor watching this, I know there is a lot of weird stuff exposed when drywall is opened up and walls are gutted. It comes with the trade. We roll with the punches. But it is nice to see somebody thinking about "the next guy". That is why I always try to play nice with the plumbers or HVAC guys, or really any one else on the job site. You can help each other out with some communication and understanding. Good video!

[@coolteethbro]

As an electrician, I go through all of that all the time with a smile on my face. Don’t bother me a bit. I don’t ever depend on the homeowner to setup my job for me.

[@dolphincliffs8864]

If we move stuff,it gets moved once.

[@windblownmccoy2908]

Just charge charge charge electrician rates for the light labor... No problem if they got the money I suppose lol. 🍻

[@sqike001ton]

@@windblownmccoy2908 yepp that's what my uncle did when I was working as his helper for those 2 years it was easy money especially spending a day locating and labeling wires

[@udalimb384]

Living in a world of lowered expectations is a stress reducer.

[@Myrune1]

From the time I was a child, if we had workers coming to the house to do something we cleaned that area. If they were going in our fruit cellar we had growing up, we pulled everything out of it and left a clear path to the plumbing, heating, or electrical. If a room was being worked on, it was cleared out and cleaned. Now as an adult we had a bathroom redone. Everything was cleared out and what remained was clean. We even went as far as covering the carpet and bed so they had no worries about cleaning up or even having to remove their shoes in our master bedroom. It just makes sense to have the area ready for them. I've watched our neighbors have work done and the workers spend half their time trying to get around crap. That's dumb and rude.

[@orbitring]

You also, saved al lot of $ for yourselves in doing so, along with preventing items form becoming lost, broken, etc.

[@crapmaster5000]

Hiring professional tradesman to move your stuff around can get very expensive very fast..

[@Jeff-xy7fv]

@@crapmaster5000 And if the tradesmen break stuff because the owners weren't considerate enough to move it, then the owners will hold them responsible.

[@crapmaster5000]

@@Jeff-xy7fv doesnt work like that in new york

[@TanakaDaRocka]

I'm a frustrated electrician. I know the day is going to be bad when I show up and there is no parking, no one answers the door, and no one answers the phone. He is totally right about all except he left out the "f" words and "s" words.

[@greenbeacon394]

Don’t forget the “D” and “A” words too! 😹

[@stevenstadterman9725]

As a master plumber if they dont hav parking I LEAVE !!. LOL

[@vanuren3345]

If only every contractor was as considerate as you, Paul. Although I love all your videos this one stands out. As a retired electrician; thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@larryroyovitz7829]

I'm a software engineer by trade, but I think being an electrician was my calling. In any reno or new build I've done, electrical has been my favorite part, hands down.

[@penguins9645]

Exactly the same here! I think it's the way there's essentially only one way to do things - it's either done, or it's not done, and it requires a bit of planning ahead. As opposed to finish carpentry or even painting - it can always be done just a bit better until you go crazy and never finish.

[@Jacobhopkins117]

Same boat here, Larry.

[@michaelb2401]

Electrical and plumbing are very similar in that you can't just throw it together. I love both

[@orbitring]

Remember though, to follow all the electrical codes, work safely, and have your completed job inspected. If you fail to have your job inspected, should there be a fire, your home insurance adjuster will have the cause of the fire investigated. Any excuse they find to void your home insurance will be there. Usually, the Electrical inspector leaves a red sticker attached and if no sticker is found, you have a lot of explaining to do. Draw a diagram first, have it looked over by a qualified person and you will find the job much, much, more easy to do because you will see where your wiring job is going to.

[@davegordon6943]

Y'all are crazy. I could be working on a 3 foot section and have to go to Lowe's 5 times haha. Framing and masonry any day.

[@HisboiLRoi]

I've had people accuse me of "wasting time" by taking a few moments to remove abandoned wiring and plumbing where it is accessible. I'm glad to see that there are others that do the same.

[@StudPack]

👊👍

[@ellismidkiff6117]

I have found a few wires both ends not connected to anything in the house. It’s annoying

[@ottoroth3066]

HisboilRoi.....ya have to, it's in the code to remove old wiring!

[@paulalton2057]

I started as an electrical/instrumentation supt in a new pulp mill around 1990. Just before I retired from a more senior job in 2005 one of the electricians came to me and said “when you had us pull out any old cables, tubing and piping as part of changes I thought you were crazy wasting all that time and material. Now I realize what a mess it would have been.” I came from a paper mill and worked in oil refineries where the old stuff was left hanging when they changed the process. What a mess!

[@krich106]

As an electrician. I am not taking your word on what does what, especially what is hot(I wouldn't even take my master electricians word on whats hot). Most times this translates to lost time, because I am going to check anyway. Since my company bids base upon sqft, you're at a loss by buying boxes and laboring them in(already part of the bid). Let alone if I redo it, because it doesn't meet code. I don't use lasers, because you don't really want square... You want to be square with the house, not actually square itself. Plenty of crooked homes out there. Whats 44inches here could be 46inches other side. So depends on outcome of which you'd choose to do. Far as clearing my paths though! sweet! Then know what you want before I arrive, is good because I will hit you hard for re-do's(when its solely your fault, not knowing what you actually want). Long as your box placement meets code, that tells me you're at fault if its not where you want it after. Our initial bids are always low and fair. You waste my time, which is worth more than money(I can make more money, I cant make time). Then you eat the costs, for it is contracted that way by us. Once you agree upon plan and I meet the plan, then walk you thru it and you agree, its a wrap! Anything after I will charge you. You want 5 or 15+ receptables in a room, same cost per sqft, it is very fair. You want it after the fact, then BOOM charge. Others will charge you per hour plus parts, you'll spend way more doing it that way. I make enough having to meet code, no need to be greedy. Code is greedy enough. I do not do work that does not meet code, I will walk. Which Im sure most other electricians will too. I wouldn't cut the drywall before an electrician looks at it(15:34). I could do that 3-way switch, without cutting any drywall, and remove the receptacle from the switch. Right from the exisiting switch cut out. Basically just needs 1-new 14/2 line daisy chained on the lights. You'd hook the receptacle first in the switch box, then pig-tail to switches for power, to eliminate it from switch, then like I said run one new 14/2 up(inside wall, its easy) and done. No cutting drywall, no patch work, much cleaner end result. Which is faster than the method you wanted to do, even if you cut and patched the drywall for me. Now good chunk of electricians are drywall cut happy. I wallfish preferably. My master electrician will cut drywall always. Still better to see what they say, if its within their skill set, with you asking which is faster to them. But yea, good video. I like how you care about your work. Just that where you live and which company you call, greatly effects what you might expect or need. Love your box choice too. One thing that would floor me.... If its hot and you know I will be in the attic, then open the attic and put a fan blowing in it before it gets hot in there. I would greatly appreciate that, so much that I'd drop a discount just for that.

[@dandexinventor]

Thanks and I have something to add...I added a couple receptacles with USB charger ports where people are likely to use them in the kitchen (breakfast bar) as well as under-cabinet lighting for each section of cabinets. Those adjustable boxes are great (I'm going to start using them) because I ran pencil tile around our receptacles and light switches in the backsplash as it really adds a lot of style to the look of the kitchen.

[@allent555]

Good Suggestion, the issue with USB is that the standard is evolving. Minimal is USB C ports with much watts available. I like my 30 watts chargers so my phone is charges quickly. However they are AC plugs.

[@Wakeywhodat]

I’ve done the same with the USB ports, nowadays there is a hidden nook with receptacles to reduce clutter. We have many devices these days that need charging!

[@PongoXBongo]

@@ailithtwinning6806 Rather than 3d printing a faceplate, you could use a standard keystone plate with USB passthru keystones. Keystone plates are awesome for low-voltage boxes (you can combo audio, video, cable/satelite, USB, network/phone, or whatever you like, _and_ easily change them out later on as desired). Also, I don't know what our sparky friends would think of this, because they're low-voltage you can stick them wherever you like with a simple mud ring, no stud box required.

[@curiouscat3384]

So in summary, the Electrician's time is more valuable than the Handyman's time, lol. Which is as it should be because they are licensed to prevent fires. This is a great topic and well delivered :) As a DIY homeowner, documenting the circuits to the old fuse box and and calculating loads was the first thing I did when I moved here and that has saved me countless hours and $ from blown fuses. Plus now whenever I start a renovation project (one room at a time) I'm ready to roll. My electrician appreciates it and for sure I've saved hours of labor $.

[@zach_rehmer]

As someone who was in the field years ago, all I can say is you guys are simply amazing! Having the panel labeled, making everything easily accessible and actually mounting your boxes with intelligence was never something I never encountered out in the field. Of course I never minded billing the extra hours needed to sort out the layout and mistakes of a jobsite, but walking into something like this would have been a dream. I would have been in and out of there in no time. A little preparation and forward thinking will cause $$$ being saved by home owner that they will be super appreciative of and of course it will also keep electricians from pulling out all of there hair by the end of a job. Good work gentleman!

[@carolynwalls6787]

I added a pneumatic garbage disposal switch button to the top of my sink when I redid my kitchen. I like it a lot better than the wall mounted kind.

[@jjyemg2397]

wow. telescoping boxes. Been doing electrical work for 45 years and never knew they made these Thanks

[@IanTheWoodchuck]

Just found your channel and I LOVE the vibe! I'm a graduate of the DOL Job Corps electrical program, and I did a bit of apprenticework before I went datacom and fulltime engineering. This is the kind of stuff I do for my electricians when I need work because I know how it would make me feel, so seeing you advocate for it warms my heart. There's also something to be said for a cooler full of bottled water ready for them on a hot day :) I usually also throw in about 2 bottles of Gatorade for each member of the crew. Treat your people right and you'll be shocked how much they'll do for you. Also, once you've done your part, STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY! Stuff easily gets done 50% faster without a homeowner getting in the middle of the job. If you see something wrong, say something, but don't be a Karen!!!

[@quintenclark5280]

Man! Everything in this video is spot on! Especially the first half of day one. Ten points!

[@StudPack]

Thx 👊👍

[@cpthillbilly]

you just saved the electrician a ton of time and yourself a bunch of money...PLUS....you have made very clean accurate cuts for your drywall repairs which will in turn save time and money. Well done Sirs!!

[@siljelovemartin1]

Underneath the turtle back by the fountain, I died at this part, but it's so freaking true too. Keep going, from an electrician from Norway.

[@Aepek]

1 tip. I (and we) always carry dog treats with us. Always, comes in handy and is considered a tool😉

[@Aepek]

I’d work for you any day if the week, the way you guys prep, think of other trades coming thru and keep things clean……WHAT A DREAM TEAM, must say😊

[@mykalimba]

In additional to all of the things shown here, If the homeowner just does all of the electrical work themselves, it saves the electrician from having to do them.

[@JoRoBoYo]

lmao

[@sherpaderpdingo3405]

Lol he did all the work other than pulling the wire

[@snoodle877]

Learning about those adjustable blue boxes made my day!!! Wow! Thanks buddy!!

[@nnamrehck]

I really like how Paul thinks to save the other guy time by making his job easier. Imagine if the folks in government thought this way.

[@BobboMax1]

If you want to know about someone's skill level, ask the person who follows them.

[@beekeepermariadelgado6806]

That should’ve included in apprenticeship, I learned to anticipate when I worked as a dental assistant. Had to stage the dental procedure. I worked the same way in the trade.

[@milesharlan1]

Amen!! You guys are back!! Thursday is here & a new video!! Thank You guys!! Keep up the good work & Thursday is going to be great!!

[@benthehandyman9667]

Fantastic your monolog about the electrician was spot on and we'll thought out. 👍🏻 love the video editing and all the cool graphics. You are both Killin it. Here watching from long island N.Y. keep em coming gentlemen. Be safe and have fun.

[@allent555]

Great Prep work Gentleman!!! Would add to try to get that accomplished a few days before the electrician arrives. So then you have time to think about it and ensure you didn't forget / make any mistakes when laying it out.

[@jakeo5651]

As a residential electrician for over 35 years, I don't agree with homeowner doing any mounting of boxes or supplying their own material. I know what I want to warranty and the best box for the job AND the permit would be in my name. Homeowner don't know Box Fill! Only thing I want from homeowner is clean area and a kitchen cabinet layout. Honestly is best to meet before tear out.

[@tjdefelice8228]

exactly what i was thinking. I'm not going to prep the floor for a carpet guy or sand the walls for the painter? lol

[@harveylong5878]

@@tjdefelice8228 for what sparkies charge, they can set their own boxes, get rid of dead lines/circuits. Not paying them and end up doing part of the job for them

[@tjdefelice8228]

@@harveylong5878 lmao yeah. like the bill burr bit about being at a food place and they're like, the condiments are over there, sir.

[@masonjr3]

I'm an HVAC tech & installer for over 30 years! NICE JOB describing all the inconsiderate obstacles that people don't think about while they want you to HELP THEM. In general, PEOPLE ARE INCONSIDERATE & ONLY CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES.

[@TechTimeWithEric]

I am not a professional elechicken, but I used to work with my uncle who was a professional. I can tell you right now that everything you did would have made us jump for joy walking in.

[@StudPack]

Glad to hear that Eric 👊

[@janjansen7096]

Hi Stud Pack, Jan here. In the Netherlands (Europe) we do not use that way of electrical wiring. We use pvc pipes and put wires in them, braun is phase(hot), blue is neutral, yellow/green is earth and black is the wire from a switch to a lamp or any other thing you want to turn on and off. So its strange for me to see how you guys do the electricity. But I love the way you make your video's with father and son. thick thumbs up.

[@BlackHatShananigans]

You blew my mind with those adjustable boxes! I love it.

[@netdoctor1]

Certainly handy. About 4 bux per here in Ohio. Still... nice to have the adjustment capability to tweak the depth, and they're more solid than the 75-cent nail on box.

[@adamfink5294]

Electrician here. This video is SO true! To further add to this topic - I love having, but hate installing, plug mold receptacles. I will absolutely be using them in my future kitchens because nothing looks better than an uninterrupted backsplash and it's nice not having to move countertop appliances when keeping multiple appliances plugged in. Info needed for installation: 1) Cabinet details. Where will they cabinets be placed, what are their dimensions, how deep is the cavity on the underside of the cabinet, and which continuous runs of cabinets will be made of separate pre-fabricated units. This helps us determine stub-out locations. The last bit is very important because it will help us determine how many stub outs really should be placed (as opposed to simply satisfying a certain number of home runs for small appliance branch circuits... 2 in kitchens is minimum btw). 2) Changes to finished floor height. It doesn't matter how well we position our Romex stub outs if the cabinets shift up or down so much that the stub out pokes out in the wrong location. 3) Awareness for other trades Drywallers need to be made aware that our stub outs must be pulled through a hole made through the drywall at our fastened height (not just any height +/- 6 inches near the fastener or shoved back in the wall and covered). Same applies for carpenters installing the cabinetry so the wire pokes through the narrow depth cavity wall on the underside of the over-counter cabinetry. It's annoying and wasteful to everyone when our wire gets shoved back into the wall and covered (that's very annoying and, in the case of spray foamed walls for sure, may force us to cut drywall). In remodel scenarios I recommend these stub outs be hardwired off by disconnecting them from any existing circuits and reconnecting after the receptacle installation is complete in the trim out... anyone can flip a circuit breaker back on and it just takes a little knick to the stub out to be a potential hazard. On-the-fly modifications to cabinetry or roughly handling the stub out by any trade (including masons) can be a hazard if the stub out is live regardless of the stub out's end condition (boxed/blanked isn't good enough IMO if the house has a meter before we come back).

[@tomjeffries58]

Oh Man, what a great description of the first visit for an electrician (or any tradesman or handyman) to a job. Edit: The homeowners last question. Why is the bill so high?

[@smr504]

That is amazing that you mentioned all that and that you thought of someone else and cut the sheetrock. Most of the time its always "dont hurt the sheetrock" its precious

[@alhargis5713]

The code requires two or more 20-ampere circuits for all receptacle outlets for the small-appliance loads, including refrigeration equipment, in the kitchen, dining room, pantry, and breakfast room of a dwelling unit.

[@munsters2]

The refrigerator can be included on one of the two small appliance circuits? What about the gas stove receptacle?

[@donhartfield]

Great as always! Love how you give exact examples of *why* you are doing the things you're doing. The start of the video covered a ton of things so people can see why you do what you do. I have no advice or information, but I do have two questions - 1) You mentioned the designer is your wife. Is this her normal routine as part of Stud Pack or does she just work with you guys on some projects? 2) On some of your big projects, like the massive bathroom remodel and the coach's house, I fell like you never did a big final reveal video going through. Do you think you could do a final reveal video where you do like a "before and after" as you walkthrough the projects? Thanks and keep up the amazing work!

[@ericapelz260]

For kitchen small appliance circuits I like to run 12/3 and split the receptacles. Someone always wants the coffee pot and the microwave on the same receptacle. Yes, the the double 20 GFCI breaker is pricey for the multiwire circuit, but it's worth the cost.

[@rachaelb9164]

I always thought that it would be super smart for home builders to color coordinate the circuits. Just stick a blue dot under the switch plate and another dot on the circuit breaker switch. Every time I move we have to walkie talkie back and forth to figure out what circuit goes where. It’s frustrating for homeowners. I can’t imagine how frustrating it is for the electrician.

[@eddiekalista3222]

My friend did something similar in his garage. He holds band practice, and reworked his garage to have each outlet be a separate circuit, since they were having issues with everyone’s amp sharing a circuit. He spray painted the outlet plates a different color for each one, then labeled them accordingly in the breaker box.

[@beekeepermariadelgado6806]

I worked as a steamfitter and we had to ID all piping whether hot water return or supply etc. Medical gas etc. Any missing ID. May cause complications or death. Same should be expected for Electrical.

[@paultreviska9417]

What a thought provoking discussion, thank you for looking at this from the Electricians view. Now I can prepare for his arrival in thoughtful and productive way.

[@Tactical-Black]

I only use those blue boxes in kitchens and maybe bathrooms as they're very expensive Its nice that you box out the job in preparation for the electrician

[@Ellie-Tv]

One of the biggest things, is give us some space, there’s nothing worse than a homeowner bird digging you the whole time you’re trying to work. Give us concise details on what you want and let us run. When I’m working I will always make an effort to give the customer updates on progress and let them know if any problems arise. Great video!

[@ajjones2662]

I’ve been doing electrical work for over 22 years and have never had a contractor do any of the work that you’ve done to help your electrician I would be grateful for the help that you do for your guys

[@roygarcia2753]

As a GC myself in SoCal, I appreciate your videos. Just enough levity mixed in too. Kudos to you for working with your son.

[@buitlbybear1580]

I've been in many houses that did nothing in prep for the work to be done ... I no longer work for companies ... I'm on my own so now when someone wants something done and their stuff is in the way I let them know that they need to move it so I can get to doing the work they hired me for,, sometimes it;s older folks that can not move stuff so I do it for them if they do not have somebody that can help them ... but if they are able bodied then it's on them to move it ...

[@RoseGreen]

The only thing that really frustrated me was when the drywall guys would fill my j boxes with drywall compound. That was in the late 80s and 90s. My brother-in-law is getting his industrial electrician license. When he was helping me re-do my kitchen, he was complaining about the drywall guys. Nice to see drywall guys still love filling j boxes after all these years.

[@cdurkinz]

One could argue that the drywall guys shouldn't need to be putting compound anywhere near your boxes. Sounds like somebody is doing it wrong in this instance.

[@RoseGreen]

@@cdurkinz Eh, if the box is anywhere near a seem in an industrial site, like a new grocery store, new Bojangles or whatever, the name of the game is getting it to look good on the outside and do it quick. Lots of boxes would get packed. :/

[@nordlands8798]

All the electrical boxes used in Norway comes with covers that are kept on until after drywall and painting, keeping the inside of the boxes clean.

[@orbitring]

I used to tape drywall commercially many years ago and i was an Electrician too. The problem stem from Drywall tapers using "machine applicators (boxes), opposed to the manual "spread and trowel" method, via hand. The machines are production tools, which just, are applied by pressure to a given Drywall joint and run along that particular joint, filling electrical boxes and wires. I tried to avoid this by hand-wiping around the boxes when I could. Most of the guys I worked along side with, didn't give a damn.

[@orbitring]

@@nordlands8798 Makes too much SENSE. I think, that the time to install those types of covers, would be made-up in not having to clean the electrical boxes and mud-covered wires. Great idea !

[@noonzzzy]

As a electrician he is speaking the truth. Clients have no idea how much they are they are costing themselves by having any trades people arrange boxes and clutter and not having a clear vision of wants.

[@PlumbingGod]

Jordan not speaking for the first 15 minutes then crackin a joke about the exposure then blowing out the video is a very Jordan thing, never change brother

[@ncooty]

I hope Jordan appreciates the master's degree he's getting from the University of St. Paul. :)

[@VanillahGarillah]

I love electrical work and your insight/experience is blowing my mind. BTW, I always hum the Mission Impossible theme song in my head whenever I do electrical work. No idea why, but it happens every damn time.

[@pitsnipe5559]

I was in trade school in the 60’s when those bakelite boxes came out. One of my instructors said they’d never catch on because they’re just cheap plastic. I responded by saying, sure, let’s put live electrical connections inside a metal box, far more safe then one made from non conducive material.

[@orbitring]

The metal boxes are great for dry locations and you can use those metal boxes to form a "gang-box" easily. Bakelite boxes are great for damp or wet locations opposed to metal.

[@arthursutter109]

Chicago metal boxes and conduit is code and grounded to the box. That is what trips the breaker

[@mr.g937]

Reality is metal boxes are safer because a fault will get cleared sooner.

[@harveylong5878]

shame your instructor wasnt right. those POS Bakelites are just that - POS. they get bashed out every chance I get whether or not box fill is a problem

[@mackfisher4487]

In your bathrooms use the old 15 amp circuit for lighting, dedicated a 20 amp circuit for the GFCI outlets. That way when the homeowner pops the GFCI outlet the lights don't go off.

[@sparkyjerred419]

You could also put the light switch on the line side of the gfi or feed the switch first if you wanted to put it on the 20amp circuit.

[@brianleeper5737]

More recent NEC (2011 or 2014) requires a 20-amp dedicated circuit for the bathrooms, and I don't think lighting is allowed to be on it.

[@sparkyjerred419]

@@brianleeper5737 pretty sure lightning can be on it as long as the circuit only supplies 1 bathroom. If it's a 20 amp circuit that supplies multiple bathrooms then lighting must be separate circuit.

[@sparkyjerred419]

@@brianleeper5737 I just checked my 2017 NEC & you are correct.

[@brianleeper5737]

@@sparkyjerred419 I think they're being consistent since the same rules (no lighting) apply to laundry and kitchen/dining 20-amp circuits.

[@melshadley2738]

Paul, you're the best KZbinr to work on asking for likes with the current video subject. I find it entertaining how you add this like feature. Keep up the great content. Thanks

[@seanbaird16]

You didn't say this explicitly, but you did a fantastic job making your cuts along studs/joists to make drywall replacement much easier. Super thoughtful video. Thanks!

[@tc1904]

Those blue adjustable boxes are awesome. However, if you plan to spray foam in the walls before drywall, you better adjust them to about where you’re going to need them because they will not move once the spray foam sets up. Ask me how I know! I use closed cell foam and had no adjustability on any of the boxes. After that happened, I’ve been thinking of a way to avoid that problem in the future and the only thing I can think of is wrapping those boxes with plastic vapor barrier sheeting to keep the spray foam from sticking to them. You would also have to wrap the wires near the boxes as well because once that form sets up, especially close cell, they are not moving!

[@MrXelig]

Ziplock baggie perhaps? or plain old Saran wrap?

[@JohnShalamskas]

Run wiring in conduit before spraying in the closed cell foam. Then you can add or replace wires later.

[@tc1904]

@@JohnShalamskas That might solve half the problem but the real problem with spray foam, especially closed cell, is when it cures, it’s like cement. You have to have the flexibility of the box to be able to move as well as the wires if you hope to have adjustability on these boxes

[@Wakeywhodat]

Nice to find a channel that has been there and done that. I left Louisiana years ago for Georgia and figured I found nirvana since just about all the homes had mostly unfinished basements. What an absolute breeze to retro wire! New subscriber, nice job on the videos.

[@jebcommon2332]

This is so true, so many homeowners are clueless when it comes to commonsense. Such as moving things out of the way before contractor shows up, and giving as much information pertaining to the project so it goes smoothly. Think ahead people. Then when trade shows up, leave them alone so they can do their job.

[@xslabcabxhearsex]

Great video.been doing HVAC for 32 years,installation.all for a small family owned company. I’m all those years I have never seen a electrician clean up his mess.where it falls it stays.we all joke with each other on the job sites but this is what we joke about with electricians

[@PongoXBongo]

Good man, using screws! Way easier to adjust or remove down the road. Ideally, everything that's not framing (ie, not "permanent") should be attached with readily removable fasteners (flooring aside, of course). Bonus points for never using slotted screws (silver star for Philips, gold star for square/hex/etc.). Edit: Ooh, minus points for tying outlets in different rooms to the same circuit. Each room on its own, so you can isolate and work on one at a time in the future. Nothing worse than blacking out half the house to change a single light switch.

[@13blackg]

my thoughts exactly if your in the attic anyhow just run a new living room circuit and outside circuit. especially the outside one, between how many decorations people put up to the power tools use having a 20amp for couple outside outlets is much more preferable.

[@TheExplosiveGuy]

I did a job once where every outlet in the entire floor, every single room was on a single circuit with the five overhead lights as well, so there was no light, no power for tools or anything, for hours while the circuits were run to the box. Nobody was happy, we had to buy several extension cords to run power from a neighbor. Whoever wired that house was a dumbass... Plus the carpets were literally soaked in dried urine so the whole place stank, and later on after I had scraped all the old nasty shit up I was cutting flooring on the tablesaw and it kicked back on me and sucked my hand into the blade, severed three tendons, five main nerves and six blood vessels, that was just the funnest job ever...

[@trueppp]

And depending where you live, code can be fucking strict. Just redid my kitchen and had to put in 5 new circuits just for the Island 120V. 20A per outlet. At least I don't have to be afraid of blowing a breaker.

[@marktaylor9745]

I'm calling B.S. on this comment. I've read the 2020 N.E.C. and even read Mike Holmes illustrated guide specifically for kitchens. I can't think of a single situation that would require 5 dedicated circuits for a kitchen island alone, unless you're stacking multiple high-wattage microwaves or secretly running an in-home restaurant. There's even caveats for running a vent hood off the same internal circuit as the existing outlets, so that doesn't count! Either you're seriously misinterpreting the code, or you hired the wrong person to do work for you; if I'm wrong I'd love for you to point me to the specific requirements in the code book that creates this stupid situation.

[@trueppp]

@@marktaylor9745 CEC Mandates seperate circuit for Microware and Hood. 5-20R Outlets for counter tops

[@jamesgarrison6430]

I love it when people don't label anything it means a lot more money for me. Now for box location yes definitely put them on

[@dillonrandall2520]

I’m an electrician and I really would love to wire your jobs, you made that easy for me and probably did it cheaper than we would charge cuz I hate doing anything more than electrical. I’d probably charge $1100 for all that prep work you did

[@traviswspencer]

I love those boxes, all I use anymore (if I can find them). By cutting your own access, you know what to expect when having to close up the holes! By placing your own boxes, they are exactly where you want them!

[@Gpbattersby]

I’m an electrician. This is excellent work, next level stuff and very rare to find. 10/10

[@royc5936]

Never seen those boxes, but wished I had known about them before...thanks for the info...2 videos and I have learned about the plastic door shims, now these...as a do it yourself homeowner this info is gold.

[@StudPack]

Thx Roy 👍💪

[@hansangb]

Hey now...my Radio Shack Multimeter from 30 years ago is finally starting to die. This T5-600 looks like the ticket! Studpack to the rescue again!

[@Ellie-Tv]

Look into the t6 it has some great updated features.

[@hansangb]

@@Ellie-Tv will do. Ty

[@stevesargent4269]

I agree with The Devils Help! I wish I had people like you guys around here. I do propane installations as well as residential electric. So I totally understand crawling into tight spaces. Great job guys! keep it up!

[@commandoconstruction2720]

Nicely done. I grew up watching my dad do everything possible to prep for subcontractors. They had excellent relationships. I use the same attitude as a builder, myself. Plumbers, left alone, use a sawzall in too many situations. I don’t leave them alone on site, but offer all the carpentry support they need, as needed.

[@christen1075]

I had no idea in the trades that electricians were referred to as "Sparkies". Make perfect sense now as I once heard the radio guys in the Army referred to as "Sparky" (the old 'PS Magazine" had a cartoon character called "Macon Sparks"). NOW this all makes perfect sense. Guys who pulled commo wire were lovingly called "wire dogs", since they had this sometimes crappy job come rain or snow. Thanks!

[@ACKCSC2024]

Great video i have done electrical for 30 years but i can always pick up a trick from you guys ! Keep up the good work!

[@RehabLife]

Glad to see that you are separating the GFCI from the lighting circuit. I’ve seen too many people get gigged on that one, especially on a remodel where they significantly alter the bathroom electrical.

[@kenbrown2808]

except he should have used the existing 15A for the general lighting and the new 20A for the receptacle.

[@RehabLife]

@@kenbrown2808 Exactly, although he did mention that error in the next video.

[@kenbrown2808]

@@RehabLife good. that's a major oops.

[@whererv1507]

do not forget the backsplash usually 4" so always stay 5" above counter high to make sure your clear of any possible backsplash brother. love the adjustable boxes btw

[@jamesmocharski4803]

2:40 “Gotta move the mower, gas cans and 8 bags of fertilizer.” Dang dude! That could accidentally turn demo day into….Demo Day!!! Kaboom!!! Love your tough love convo’s with us to say, “Hey! Respect the people coming in behind you if you’d ever like the same done for you.” A little bit of thoughtfulness and intention makes for better working relationships and builds a reputation of someone others want to work with and work for. Always appreciate your great info. Those adjustable depth boxes are sweet!

[@ncooty]

You're great, Paul. Doing the intro from a trade's perspective was fantastic.

[@PilotPlater]

excellent take. Some obvious stuff but shows the huge importance to trace the steps of someone you're bringing in to help you. When you said you were installing the boxes I thought "oh no what if the homeowner puts them the wrong depth" - adjustable depth box is perfect!

[@monicageistwhite779]

And then there are some people like me who had exact drawings and locations marked (after verifying with the electrician it was code) and they barely look at it. So I have switches and outlets in locations that were easiest for him to install. Or didn't believe that my mark was actually centered over the future sink. lol Thanks for pointing out all these issues. A lot of people need to hear it. I consider it rude and would never purposely do that. Love your channel!

[@timdouglass9831]

If I provide a contractor with a precise location or drawing and they don't follow it I refuse to pay until they fix it. I'm the client. I'm in charge unless it has to do with code compliance. Never let them get away with ignoring your wishes "because it's easier".

[@opinionatedman]

Couple small corrections I wanted to contribute. Your kitchen counter top receptacles are actually permitted to feed the dining room/dinette receptacles. Under no circumstances should a new bathroom GFCI be fed with anything other than a 20 amp circuit. Ignoring code issues, many hair dryers can pull 1875 watts, and a 15 amp circuit is only good for 1800. I'd pull 12/3 to the bathroom and use one leg for the ceiling heat and one leg for your lights and receptacles. You can feed both the lights and the outlets off the same 20A circuit so long as it doesn't leave that bathroom. I really like the point about knowing where the boxes go, I'd much rather mount them myself, but I would like the homeowner to have a solid game plan of what they want for their space. Having the panel cleared out so I have a path to it should be standard, but I don't expect any homeowner to have knowledge of what circuit goes to what breaker. If I need to shut it down I can throw a tracer on it or worst case play breaker roulette. Changing the boxes is A+, max kudos to you for that. Also greatly appreciated seeing the drywall cut for panel access.

[@StudPack]

Cool thx 👍👊. Bathrooms are 20 amp. Not sure why I said 15 🤔

[@danielhowiesr.2593]

I would not run 12/3 wg wire when using GFCI devices. The GFCI needs it's own dedicated neutral.

[@shawnenser2610]

Great advise and nice to see someone looking out for the next guy.

[@beverlytate2669]

I'm a master electrician. The reasons you mentioned here, and more, helped me decide to trade trades. Too many clients have no clue and want to complain about money. No crap. We need to be paid. It's not a hobby for most professionals. We do it for money, not for the pure joy of having their dreams come true. These are dreams, mind you, the clients aren't invested enough in to lift their own belongings out of the way to accomplish. I'm just over it.

[@BriceCrockett]

Re-using old circuits is great! But for your bathroom the receptacle MUST be supplied by a dedicated 20 amp circuit! Also, if you like adjustable boxes, check out allied moulded's slider boxes. They have them in round, too! THANK YOU for clearing the panel and giving your electricians access! Great video!

[@travisschwab7954]

Try the Fein Multimaster. They are on sale right now at homedepot. but it is a plug in model. but its the best one there is.

[@abelincoln95]

I believe the common theme here is "courtesy". No matter what kind of work is being completed.

[@whatthepick]

Just had a headache thinking about your little run through for a new electrician that had nothing prepped good work your electrician definitely saved a bundle reducing the work :)

[@franciscoburgos787]

Ive actually been called out for using drywall screws to fasten boxes. NEC 110.3(B). The heads break off, they rust easier, the head doesn't sit flush and they're meant for drywall. We had to change them all out to silver pinhead tek screws.

[@newbutt]

Paul, did apt paint & drywall repairs around DFW for several decades. It would have been a pleasure to come behind someone like you. Great work ethic on everything you do, love your channel.

[@StudPack]

thanks David

[@stevebabiak6997]

Add a switch to control that outdoor receptacle. When holiday decorations need to be turned on and off in bad weather, the owner will be happier flipping that switch than having to go outside plugging in or pulling out the plugs.

[@munsters2]

Yep; and the neighbor or a contractor working nearby isn't going to be able to plug into your receptacle while you are away from your home.

[@jbcowherder6210]

speaking of placing receptacles, at my last house in the washer/dryer area they only plumbed a gas outlet for the dryer and a 110v outlet to run the washer and dryer. we ended up ripping out drywall to run a 220v outlet for our new electric dryer because we didn't want another gas one. same thing in the kitchen where the stove/oven was.... my point being that if someone had run a couple of 220v circuits in these locations remodeling in the future or just replacing appliances is alot easier and with alot more choices for appliances. they can sit there unused if need be. the cost for the couple more runs/circuits during a major remodel such as shown here is minor. and for the viewers: ok to pre-place the boxes, just tack them in place so if the electrician has to move them for any reason he/she doesn't have to destroy them to do so, or tacking/stapling post-it notes to the desired locations on the studs is also another alternative, that way the electrician can choose the best box for the location. last thing: as a homeowner, after the electricians are done but BEFORE the drywaller's get there, take a video of all the outlet and ceiling box locations w/measurements if you can, also mark them on the floor with a sharpie if you can. when they built our current house, the drywallers covered over the locations of two ceiling can lights and 1 wired smoke alarm location, but because i had them recorded and marked on the floor, i could call them out on them and they were able to locate and cut them out easily- much to some grumbling at them from their boss when they tried to argue "no we didn't".

[@MeatSim9]

I really appreciate videos like this. At work, we always worry about the Customer, but one job taught me an important lesson, we also need to take care of our Internal Customers, which are the coworkers that have to work on the project after you. The more you can help them, the easier their job will be, and the faster the project can move. BUT, that job was also terrible at following through on that. I'll give a bit more detail to understand the context. We assembled wire harnesses for big vehicles and farm equipment. The Pickers would grab and arrange all our parts, and then my group would assemble the harnesses according to the engineer specs, and then the braiders would put the protective braiding over the whole thing, and then it would go to the potters that would pour resin into the connectors to make them water-tight. Now, the pickers had their own way of doing things, and I know I was the outlier in how I liked my stuff arranged, so I would spend the first few hours pre-plugging and arranging my stuff in the order that made assembly the quickest. Then I would wrap the joints in electrical tape to hold it all together before sending it off to braiding. The braiders would complain that we needed to put more tape on them, so I did, and they appreciated it. But then the bosses came down, complaining that we were wasting too much time with taping, and that was the braiders problem. :\ Literally worst place I've ever worked. OSHA was called numerous times over poisoning, nothing happened. }:( Fuck NRI Electronics in Rochester MN.

[@user990077]

Long rant but well put. Adjustable Boxes? New info. Why I watch your channel. Great content.

[@eds6569]

Y'all are a rare breed, job sites are never set up that well before we get there. On top of everything else y'all even cut an access hole near the panel!? You're spoiling the apprentice who has to crawl in the attic (which would be me if this was our job site!) Big pet peeve: Working around a hazardous mess w/alot of scrap w/nails sticking upwards, we all get used to it but shouldn't have to so cleaning up or at least organizing your crews mess into one pile outta the way of others is always highly appreciated and prevents a possible hospital bill later. One of our rules is to leave the place safe and looking like we were never there or better. Marking all the lines/wires clearly is a huge plus on top of marking on studs what's being installed there later with dimensions (cabinet/counter/back splash/appliances) The more info we have in place already the less likely we'll make any mistakes and saves time having to go back and forth looking at plans. Contractors who write up better plans w/extra copies for everyone rock when the original plans suck (hand drawn in crayon by clueless homeowner) Thank you for making our lives easier but you might be putting us out of work with all the nice things y'all do ahead of time. Lol

[@christheother9088]

OMG the adjustable box looks great.

[@kenmore01]

You mentioned holiday lights. A nice touch would be a high outdoor outlet just below the eave connected to an on / off timer in the wall inside. That would make running extension cords unnecessary and give them a timer literally on the house!

[@Windex451]

Always ask about local codes! Especially in a kitchen I've seen some municipality and states require some interesting things. In colder climates you may be required to use vapor boxes on exterior walls and attic ceiling boxes.

[@utubehanna]

I am impressed - You really know your stuff! I laughed and learned…awesome job. Liked and Subscribed.

[@alhargis5713]

The code requires one 20-amp branch circuit to supply the bathroom receptacle(s) .

[@GizmosGameLounge]

I was always taught lights go on a separate circuit so if you tripped something you could still see to get to the panel and not stub those toes in the middle of the night.

[@BobboMax1]

I'm sitting here listening to the rant abut getting things ready for the electrician and laughing and laughing. I guess I can laugh because for once, I'm not the guy trying to figure out what's live and not, which switch or breaker controls which load and where the water shut-off is and which retrofit GFCI is controlling which ungrounded receptacle. I was checking out a rental for a turnover the other day and found bottle caps and rubber bands in the garbage grinder. I guess the last tenant was mad at the landlord. I was kinda pissed with both of them. When it comes to cutting access holes in drywall, I have 2 special fine tooth jigsaw blades. I ground them off short so they go out 1/2" & 5/8" at the farthest reach of their stroke, then slightly sharpened the ends. They don't make nearly as much dust as a router or multi-tool and they're even a little faster.

[@bryanjones7126]

Absolutely love your videos. Great source of practical info and (uncommon) "Common Sense". As an old co-worker in construction used to say, "You sure do pretty work...and so much of it!"

[@stephensaines7100]

At the countertop, consider a devoted 20A feed for two duplex outlets for every four foot stretch or less. With toasters and other heavy use appliances (some modern mixers, four slice toasters especially) it's easy to use almost all of the current capacity at that location. You don't want to be losing other lightly loaded outlets on the same string if the breaker trips. Some devices require a dedicated feed (Microwaves, diswashers, etc) The NEC states a bare minimum. Local building codes usually have more requirements.

[@StudPack]

Thx Stephen. The panel is full. Well there is one spare. I coulda used it but like leaving spares for future 👍👊