Had to choose between a clean install and a fast one on a tricky retrofit

Customer in the old part of town wanted a new panel but the existing wire was stapled tight to a joist right where I needed to drill. I could either spend an hour fishing a new line through the finished ceiling (clean) or just notch the joist a tiny bit and reuse the old path (fast). I picked the notch, filled it with putty, and got the job done in twenty minutes. Anyone ever had a boss tell you to never touch a joist, but the customer is breathing down your neck about time?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_lewis321d ago

Wait, you notched a joist? I've always been told that's a huge no-go, like, instant-fail-on-inspection territory. Even a small notch can really mess with the strength of the thing.

the_lee21d ago

The real issue is the building code's silence on old work. I've pulled the book for my area, and it only gives clear rules for notches in new construction. That retrofit was built before those rules even existed. So you're left guessing if your small fix is worse than the original hidden damage you can't see. An inspector would have to make a judgment call on a fifty year old house, not just check a table from the code.

sage30821d ago

Instant-fail-on-inspection" reminds me of the time I saw a plumber core drill through a laminated beam.