HaHaHa - How Much Should I Charge? - Serious Question

mahlere

OK...we are doing the electric in a dialysis clinic...20' ceiling (steel truss and metal decking, foam, wood and rubber membrane)...suspended ceiling at heights from 9' to 13' AFF....

the carpenters on this job are jackasses...their contract calls for them to install 2 wire supports for each of our layin lights....they are refusing to do it....

GC called me this am and asked me to give him our price to install all the wire supports. So he can backcharge the carpenters...

Grid is up, meaning no scissor lift to get us up to the deck...

Here is the question - where should i look for the drill with the extension so that we can screw the wire supports into the decking from the floor?

how much should a 10' support wire with the angle adapter cost me (material only) and where the hell would I find something like this?

thanks

SLSTech

Who installed the grid - they should install the wires IMHO & would probably be the best to ask for suggestions. I can't think of any extension that long that would work. Can you pop one of the smaller pieces of grid to get a small personal lift up that high?

__________________
Alabama Full Service Remodeling, Renovation, and Preservation by SLS Construction
Certified Energy Efficiency Audits, Ratings, Modeling, Verifications, & Consulting
Residential, Commercial, & Industrial Infrared Thermography Scans

MALCO.New.York

As SLS has said, a Man Lift is the way to get up there!!



AKA: "Aerial Work Platform".

The rest of your inquiry is a Mystery to me.

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

wireless

I have an attachment for my drill which holds the wire and screw, I think it extends to 18'. A supplier for suspended ceiliings might have it. I got mine in the local electric supply house. I don't know who makes it, if you want I can try to find out.

wireless

If I remember correctly, a bundle of 100 wires is around $15 and I think about $7 for a box of flat hanger screws.

mahlere

Ok. I guess I wasn't clear. It's in the carpenters contract. They refuse to do it. The gc is going to backcharge them.

Additionally there are approx 100 fixture locations. Genie man lift is not really an option. Makes more sense to remove all the grid.

That being said, just because its a co, doesn't mean I can tie someone up for 2 weeks doing it.

platinumLLC

They make an extention like mentioned above. I use one to do suspended ceilings. It goes about 18', you stick about 10 wires in the extention, wrap one wire around a self drilling lag with eye, and your drill is on the other end. You drill the lag into the metal deck, pull the pole down about 2-3 inches and then use the drill to twist the wire around the lag. Will work perfect for your situation, costs about 200 bucks for the tool if i remember right. I'll try and find a link. If you have perlins for trusses they make a perlin clip and a tool that you put on a pole that will raise the wire and clip it onto the perlins. If you can find a lag pole it would probably take you a day to install all your wires, maybe half a day once you get the hang of it.

Here is a link for the lag pole http://www.stilts.com/Lag%20Poles%20&%20Accessories.htm

Here is a link for a perlin clip http://www.stilts.com/Extension%20Po...0&%20Clips.htm If you scroll down you will see to the right of the lag screws clips that are square. They snap onto the perlins(If that's the kind of steel trusses you are talking about) and they have a tool so you can do this from the ground.

Hopefully this helps you with how to do this and i think once you get the hang of it it will take less than a day to do.

__________________
http://www.platinumcontractingappleton.com

Dan_Watson

http://www.contractortalk.com/f22/ha...ty-gear-50226/

mahlere

hey wireless, just saw your post now...yeah, prices went up a little bit...about $25/bundle for 12' lengths and about $10/box for the angles...

we need self tappers to go into a metal deck...

mahlere

i would need to put an 8' ladder on top of wallmaxx's contraption in order to get to the deck...

platinumLLC

Mahlere if you go to the links i posted they have the self tapping lags that you just twist the wire around with your drill. You won't need the angles for the wire. Also if you buy the pole on that website or somewhere else you can stand on the ground and drill into the deck. You will save alot of time and coming from someone that has put huge suspended ceilings in hospitals and schools the lag pole makes it easy and well worth it, plus never have to leave the floor or tear apart grid.

__________________
http://www.platinumcontractingappleton.com

mahlere

platinum...that is what we are looking for...

i was actually on site this am and looks like the pole that the carpenter is using...

I also talked to a few ceiling guys i know, they pointed me in the right direction...

so, looks like we have about $200 in material and 2 days labor to do what I need...i will submit a quote for $4500...let them sort it out...

Bodger

And an envelope of cash for the OSHA guy when he comes around..

Celtic

Why can you not just use a Hilti DX with an extension?

Put the nail in the deck with the 90° clip and the wire attached...


http://www.hilti.ca/holca/modules/pr...ANGE_OID=48492

Using the extension:



On a DX 351:



You should gain about 10' ....zip around in a scissor and work off the deck under the grid.

__________________

mahlere

nothing to shoot into...just a metal pan...that will shoot through

Celtic

Ok.

Can it be pawned off on the GC's laborers?

__________________

mahlere

ok...i guess i didn't explain clearly....it's in the carpenters contract...the carpenter is a nimrod and told the gc he won't do it...the gc told me to give him a number, and he'll backcharge the carpenter....

so, after doing some research, i'll buy the extension pole platinum posted, all the material, probably have a friend who's a ceiling guy put them in (he tells me a day - i figured for 3) or one of my guy's onsite.....for the low low price of $3950.00....I tried to justify $4500, but at $3950 I already doubled material and tripled labor....and i could send it to him with a straight face...

WorkhorseTom

Hows the relationship between the two. I think you might lose this one
P.S. You would be better off posting your contract. I've been on the other end of this one before. You saw this in writing? Did the loser in question have schematics furnished before bid? If I'm wrong sorry in advance

mudpad

Have you actually read the carpenters contract? I run into this all the time. It's the electrical code that requires the extra hanger wires at the light fixtures, but now days there are also seismic requirements in earthquake zones that call for hangers at all 4 corners so it gets confusing who is responsible for it. If it is a fire rated assembly it gets even worse. My company has learned to clarify the ceiling grid and electrical contracts to make clear who is reponsible. Of course it makes sense for the grid guy to do it while he is installing all the other wire, but whatever.

Are you relying on what an on site superintendent is telling you or have you talked to the guy that is signing the checks? I'd be careful about getting burned.

mahlere

UPDATE: the ceiling guy/carpenter is adding the wire drops...When the GC advised him there was a $4000 back charge, he decided to install them...