Log Cabin Uggh!!

wraiths

Went to give an estimate on a log cabin today oh boy. The holes for the recept. boxes were chiseled in an holes bored for the recept at floor level. Problem is in kitchen the cabinets are installed an they didnt cut any holes in for the counter top recepts an the windows are in so cant go that way. In the loft the whole back wall didnt have any cut in either. How in the world do you get wire there in this instance ,told him have to think about this one. thinking about in the kitchen removing bottom cabinet an routing a chase up from floor an cut in box right above backsplash an run emt in chase to box. What do you think about that. About the loft i'm at a loss. Help!!!!!!! thanks

mdshunk

Log homes just suck. No other way to say it.

You just need to use a variety of all the tricks you've learned over the years, interspersed with liberal amounts of 'do whatever it takes', and a dash of creativity. If the logs have chinking, that can be of some benefit to hide horizontal runs.

Best of luck on that one.

TempestV

log homes suck from a framing and trim point of view as well. you have to account for the log walls to shrink, so you have to cut channels to set your interior walls into so that they can move indepentanly of the log walls. every step along the way has to take into account how the walls will shrink. trim to cover the slip joint where the framed wall meets the log wall, ect.

Then to top it off, these houses aren't "Cabins" by any stretch of the imagination- 10000+ square feet, modern everything, four million dollar homes. We call them McMansions around here.

mdshunk

I wired exactly two log homes. The first one was for curiosity. The second one was out of stupidity. I rank log homes about the same as SIPS homes, as far as how fun they are to wire. That is to say, not so much fun at all. I think the time metrics on the log homes averaged about 3 hours, 15 minutes per hole. A framed house that would wire for 5K would wire for 45K for the same home in a log version. Gotta tweak flat spots for your cover plate to lay nice too. Fun, fun. Hope you're part wood carver/artist.

realpurty2

Does that mean when we bid the 1000 cabins over a 2yr time span that you won't be coming down to help????

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mdshunk

Yes, I'll help every one of your guys beat themselves in the head with hammers. That will be more fun.

Surface runs of EMT... yeah, count me in.

realpurty2

You sure your going to pass on this? Multiply 45k each by 1000 and then decide.

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mdshunk

Yeah, right. They're probably little vacation rental cabins. Couple recs in bunk room, rec in bath, and a few lights.

Anyhow, a 45K job here is probably a 30K job in the hills of TN.

(Does your couch pull out? )

Speedy Petey

Wraiths,

I have wired quite a few log cabins, not nearly as many as Purdy, but a decent amount. In fact I am starting another one this month.

In a case like your, I would RUN away. If the walls are not drilled for receptacles and switches you are in for a nightmare! Cutting out boxes is kids work (well not really), getting the wire there is another thing entirely.
You are walking into someone else's F-up. Someone did NOT plan ahead and drill the walls at EVERY box location. Someone did not plan wire routes. This is stuff you need to think about BEFORE the logs go up.

I suspect their regular guy (electrician) bailed and they went along and set logs anyway. And the log guy was an ass and let them make that call. BIG mistake. They will not wind up with a house with lots of Wiremold and some oddly placed switches, receptacles and lights.

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Speedy Petey

How many people do you have to have working for you to wire 1000 houses a year????

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realpurty2

Sorry to semi-hijack a decent thread... but just to clarify, Purdy hasn't wired a single one. Purdy sits in an air conditioned office and bullwhips her hubby and employees into going and doing log cabins so Purdy can be well pampered.

We haven't started them yet, the owner wants to do his other project (condo's) first, then the cabins.

Just figured I better set the record straight on that one.

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wraiths

I know they suck but never done a complete wire job on one even before I went out on my own. Guess I need to just go outside an pick up the ol sledge an hit myself in the head. This cabin is about 1200 sq ft an just about 5 min from my home. But telling you dont have a clue how to wire that back wall on the second floor with no openings . They could have left a window out so I could maybe come from there but nooooo. Got to be a way please any one got any tricks they could hit me with.

Ken@K&R

You might be able to take a router to the back of the baseboard and route a slot for your wire to get it around the room. The same thing can be done using the corners and some trim.

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MSSI

is there attic space? Can you use your extensions and drill down through the roof and patch the hole when done? feed it from above the loft ceiling? OR Hollow out some tree branches and use them for conduit

BreyerConstruct

Maybe pull a window or two out? Any flooring or ceilings that you can cut & replace?

Got a good contract?
Maybe make sure it's a T & M bi, with a very thorough explanation of what you anticipate...

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Speedy Petey

You mean they even went as far as putting the windows in?!? FOOLS!

How about the doors? Door frames are a good place to router out a channel, especially since they go down to the floor and give you easy access to the level below.

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wraiths

All doors and windows are installed. They also have the cabinets installed in kitchen too. The owner bought it as a shell he does al inside work.

mdshunk

I wish I had a web-cam, so that I could post a video clip of how hard I'm laughing right now. That new owner got sorely duped. The mechanical, electrical, and plumbing layout need to be very closely coordinated and planned as the home is being designed and constructed. That doesn't seem like it happened in this case. They just slapped up a shell. Oh, my...

Speedy Petey

The polite reply!

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terrynistler

Well we know what you are going to be doing for the next month. Makes scheduling easy and the plus side is you won't have to long a drive each day.