Cleanup and Wall-Repair Woes

In an existing house, any extensive rewiring will require opening up some walls and ceilings by cutting into the drywall or plaster. Electricians have two conflicting issues here: One voice—yours—says keep the holes small; the other voice—the electrician’s—says a larger hole makes the job easier and faster. Guess which one wins out? I’m not against electricians, and no, it doesn’t mean they’re going to knock a three-foot-bythree-foot hole in your wall just to pull one wire through it. It does mean, however, that you’ll have some wall and ceiling repairs to do after the electrician is finished. Drywall and plaster repair costs need to be figured into your electrical budget unless you do the work yourself. It doesn’t stop there, however. Your electrician might have to drill through paneling or wallpaper whose patching is a little more problematic. If a room hasn’t been painted in many years, the paint will have faded and won’t necessarily match up very well with the can of Colonial blue latex sitting in the garage. Figure this into your planning costs so it’s not such a surprise later.

A Deal’s a Deal

After you’ve agreed to the job and have signed on the dotted line, you have to hold up your end of things, too. This means … Clearing furniture and household items out of the way so your electrician can work.

• Keeping your children at a safe distance from the work activity.
• Controlling your pets.
• Providing access to your house, either with a key or by being home at the start of the workday.
• Understanding that your contractor and any crew will need access to a bathroom and somewhere to take their breaks.
• Paying your bill in a timely manner. Small contractors are especially dependent on regular cash flow, and you shouldn’t unnecessarily delay payment.

Being a good customer is just as important as being a good contractor—all good contractors have stories about customers from hell.

What is a Change Orders?

A change order is a modification to a contract. It can be initiated by either you or your contractor, but it must be agreed to by both. You might decide to add more lights, for example, or a different type of fixture. Your electrician might run across unforeseen problems such as an existing circuit that must be replaced (when you assumed it could still be used). A change order usually means an increase in the price of the job, but this is not always the case. You might decide to eliminate some fixtures or to go for less-expensive ones, thus lowering your overall cost. The best change order, ideally, is no change order. Change orders can delay a job and might cause your electrician to have to undo work completed under your original specifications to accommodate the requested change. No plan is perfect. Remodeling is a fluid experience. As it progresses, you might see things you did not see during the planning stages. A skylight in the bedroom might become more desirable than the track lighting that just went in this morning. Don’t laugh, I had a client with more money than sense who did just that. Out came the new drywall and lights; in went new skylights and windows into newly finished rooms. At least he kept the carpenters employed and happy.

About Those Electrical Contracts

Some contractors—and homeowners—want a written contract for everything. This is unnecessary for small jobs, but there’s no harm in writing up a short letter of intent. You could say, for example, “Contractor will supply all labor and materials for one new bathroom circuit with GFCI receptacle for the sum of ______ dollars plus applicable tax. Homeowner will take care of any wall repair or patching.” For that matter, your contractor might supply a contract form for small jobs with a written description of the work and ask for your signature to confirm your acceptance. Larger jobs usually require a written contract. If your electrician is hesitant to provide one or to sign yours, find someone else to do the work. No legitimate contractor will shy away from a valid contract.
A contract should include everything you want done. Don’t assume that your electrician can read your mind and will install cream-colored receptacles when white is more common. If you have any questions, ask before you sign.

Comparing Bids

A clear set of plans and specifications enables all the bidding electricians to play by the same set of ground rules. It also helps you fairly compare their prices. You’ll find, as you put a job out to bid, that each electrician has a slightly different take on how to do the work and what materials to use. Keep these suggestions in mind as you scrutinize the bids so you can adjust for specific differences in cost. Let’s say you want a standard, switch-controlled light to be installed outside your garage. One of your bidders might suggest that you put in a motion detector instead, which will automatically turn on the light when it detects someone moving nearby. Another bidder might suggest that you install a larger ventilation fan in your kitchen. The service panel is the big item. If you specify one brand and an electrician recommends another, find out why and compare the differences in cost by calling an electrical wholesaler.

Allowing Substitutions

As remodeling bids come in and budgets get stretched, your imported marble countertop might suddenly become plastic laminate and your oak floor might become vinyl. The same is true with electrical work. Lights, appliances, and garage-door openers are available in a range of models and prices. Sometimes your electrician can come up with an equivalent-model fixture at a lower price with no appreciable difference in quality or appearance. Your bids and specifications should allow for such substitutions.

Who Draws the Electrical Instalation Plan?

You, your designer, or your electrician will draw up or sketch any plans for the electrical work. Written descriptions (“locate panel in NE corner of basement”) usually are adequate for most residential jobs. Specific light locations, however, should be noted on a sketch or plan of the room. It’s not a bad idea to put some kind of marker on the wall, such as blue masking tape, to confirm the location. An architect’s or designer’s plans for a general remodel should note any electrical requirements.

Prepare Your Electrical Work Plans and Specifications—Always!

You can’t expect someone to bid on a job if you don’t specify exactly what you want done. It’s not enough to say, “Just add some receptacles and lights wherever you think we need them.” You have to specify where you want them, the types of fixtures you want, and even the styles of light bulbs. You don’t need detailed plans and specifications for everything. Adding a clothes-dryer circuit, for example, is pretty straightforward once you’ve designated where the laundry will be located. Details increase as the scope of the job increases. Installing a new service panel might mean a different location than an existing box. (This obviously is true when an old fuse box located off a back porch is replaced.) A complete update of your existing system, including running all new wire, would have to be detailed, especially when it comes to fixtures and their locations. The following list outlines a very basic plan:

Sample House Plan

Main service: 200-amp Square D QO service panel

Location: NE corner of basement Existing fuse box will serve as a junction box for any existing circuits to be retained. The door will be screwed shut. New circuits to be added: Washing machine, dryer

Kitchen: Add two 20-amp small-appliance circuits with GFCIs, white Leviton receptacles, and cover plates. Install nine recessed cans (white trim) with dimmer switch (white) and two 18-inch fluorescent fixtures over counters. Run outlet for range and separate circuits for microwave, refrigerator, and disposer.

Lighting: Add sufficient 15-amp circuits to bring bedrooms, living and dining room, and hallway up to code for receptacles (six-foot rule).

Office: Run dedicated 15-amp computer circuit.

Master bathroom: Run GFCI. Install six-light fixture over mirror and recessed can over toilet (white trim). Install Nutone QT-200 fan.

First-floor bath: Run GFCI. Install four-light fixture over mirror. Install Nutone QT-100 fan.

Living room: Install four wall sconces and one recessed can over fireplace.

Dining: Use existing chandelier. Check wiring for safety.

Bedroom hallway: Use existing fixture and check wiring. Use existing bedroom ceiling lights and check wiring.

Basement: Run 20-amp circuit for workshop. Install four-foot fluorescent fixtures. Install six ceramic light fixtures in basement ceiling, locations to be marked.

Garage: Run GFCI and one light over each car bay. Run wiring for two garagedoor openers (to be installed by others).

Front porch: Install new porch light (Nautilus style). Install GFCI for outdoor use.

Rear porch: Use existing light and check wiring. Install GFCI for outdoor use. Contractor will supply all labor and materials and will remove any refuse from job site. Job will be kept broom-clean daily. Billing will be done in two installments with a 10-percent down payment to be applied toward materials.