They Don’t Build Them Like They Used To

[westwoody]

Bought a house and started renovating.
I should have passed on it after looking at the messy circuit panel!
There’s a light fixture in front of the panel that uses a chain for on/off. The switch broke a few months in. So I get my ladder and my trusty Milwaukee LED floodlight and take the fixture off. Inside the box is a tangle of wires…black white green red wire nuts with four wires…absolute shitshow.
Where the wires enter the box has been sealed with some kind of paste wtf is that?

Gave up on that and proceed to install Artika LED lumiere in master BR. Same thing in there, 4x4 device box with a knot of wires jammed in.
I can do basic wiring but this is such a mess I don’t want to touch it.
I’m guessing building inspection was never done back then.
Looks like summer will be spent in the attic replacing all my wiring. FUCK

A builder friend has recommended an electrician to rewire the whole house…I need one anyway because I have an induction cooktop and a wall oven to install. After looking in the attic and at the breaker panel he looked at me like he felt sorry for me. This is going to cost a LOT.

PS if you buy a house don’t let any “Home Inspection” scammer do anything without you watching them. And do NOT use an inspector recommended by the realtor! This is the biggest scam going, these assholes don’t know fuck all about anything and charge you a lot.
If you know any decent contractor they can do an infinitely better job. Whatever it costs will save you over time.

 

[angry anderson]

Bought a house and started renovating.
I should have passed on it after looking at the messy circuit panel!
There’s a light fixture in front of the panel that uses a chain for on/off. The switch broke a few months in. So I get my ladder and my trusty Milwaukee LED floodlight and take the fixture off. Inside the box is a tangle of wires…black white green red wire nuts with four wires…absolute shitshow.
Where the wires enter the box has been sealed with some kind of paste wtf is that?

Gave up on that and proceed to install Artika LED lumiere in master BR. Same thing in there, 4x4 device box with a knot of wires jammed in.
I can do basic wiring but this is such a mess I don’t want to touch it.
I’m guessing building inspection was never done back then.
Looks like summer will be spent in the attic replacing all my wiring. FUCK

A builder friend has recommended an electrician to rewire the whole house…I need one anyway because I have an induction cooktop and a wall oven to install. After looking in the attic and at the breaker panel he looked at me like he felt sorry for me. This is going to cost a LOT.

PS if you buy a house don’t let any “Home Inspection” scammer do anything without you watching them. And do NOT use an inspector recommended by the realtor! This is the biggest scam going, these assholes don’t know fuck all about anything and charge you a lot.
If you know any decent contractor they can do an infinitely better job. Whatever it costs will save you over time.

you're welcome.

 

[poorboyv6]

The good old days weren't always good.

 

[luvsdaty]

Once you open pandoras box,there's no going back. I saved a ton of money doing my own work,but I'm a tradesman and anything that I wasn't comfortable with I subbed out. Concerning electrical always better and usually cheaper in the long run to start fresh. New panel etc. Good luck with your project,mine is nearly complete 👍

 

[angry anderson]

 

[80watts]

When was the house built? 60-90 tear it all down and build again. Beware of asbestos of anything built before 2000.

 

[lukom]

PS if you buy a house don’t let any “Home Inspection” scammer do anything without you watching them. And do NOT use an inspector recommended by the realtor! This is the biggest scam going, these assholes don’t know fuck all about anything and charge you a lot.

I'll go as far as saying don't hire a home inspector who is of the same exact country as the people selling, realtor or or owners.

 

[masterpoonhunter]

Bought a house and started renovating.
I should have passed on it after looking at the messy circuit panel!
There’s a light fixture in front of the panel that uses a chain for on/off. The switch broke a few months in. So I get my ladder and my trusty Milwaukee LED floodlight and take the fixture off. Inside the box is a tangle of wires…black white green red wire nuts with four wires…absolute shitshow.
Where the wires enter the box has been sealed with some kind of paste wtf is that?

Gave up on that and proceed to install Artika LED lumiere in master BR. Same thing in there, 4x4 device box with a knot of wires jammed in.
I can do basic wiring but this is such a mess I don’t want to touch it.
I’m guessing building inspection was never done back then.
Looks like summer will be spent in the attic replacing all my wiring. FUCK

A builder friend has recommended an electrician to rewire the whole house…I need one anyway because I have an induction cooktop and a wall oven to install. After looking in the attic and at the breaker panel he looked at me like he felt sorry for me. This is going to cost a LOT.

PS if you buy a house don’t let any “Home Inspection” scammer do anything without you watching them. And do NOT use an inspector recommended by the realtor! This is the biggest scam going, these assholes don’t know fuck all about anything and charge you a lot.
If you know any decent contractor they can do an infinitely better job. Whatever it costs will save you over time.

Have bought a few houses the past 25 years and learned very early to have my general contractor with me while the inspector is doing their thing. Its like having someone looking over their shoulder the whole time and definitely keeps them honest.
Sorry to hear of your pending costs. Fuck that really cuts into the pooning budget

 

[g eazy]

That all sounds like modern code... sorry if it was an "absolute shitshow" for your safety standards.

Can and should pay someone to do it if you don't get it... and you're right, they don't built it like they used to - it's better now.

 

[PuntMeister]

Well at least you didn’t have knob and tube wiring like I did. Milked it for a few years until the teardown. Good luck dude!

 

[LLLurkJ2]

Given the age, is the wiring aluminum?

 

[westwoody]

Given the age, is the wiring aluminum?

No it’s solid copper thank god.

 

[80watts]

One thing you should do is trace your wires/outlets/lights to the circuit breaker (on a house plan). Turn off all breakers and find what it supplies (outlets, lights, fans, etc). Google how you can trace wires in the wall. Wires give off an electrical field that can be detected by electrical wire detectors.

Upgrade to 200 amp breaker panel if you can. Add a subpanel if your house is big (prevents you from running 100-150 foot circuits which can be costly). Upgrade kitchen outlets to code. Bathrooms to get GFI.

Talk to your electrician.

Best thing to get is one of those Electrical books that have codes for your province (home depot might have it).
1. Figure out your system.
2. Get a code book.
3. Fiqure out your plan of attack/what you want done//how much it will cost.
4. Consult your electrician/(if you hire a electrician, get the work inspected by the city authorities and be there when it happens).

Drywall is cheap, so if you need to replace the wiring its doable (only cut 1 foot access along path of wire), as long as you know where the wires are in the wall. If you are thinking about putting in new wires, rip out the old drywall, its gonna save you a world of headaches then if you try to fish it through a wall. Way easier to work on the electrical when the wall is open.

 

[vanperb]

One thing you should do is trace your wires/outlets/lights to the circuit breaker (on a house plan). Turn off all breakers and find what it supplies (outlets, lights, fans, etc). Google how you can trace wires in the wall. Wires give off an electrical field that can be detected by electrical wire detectors.... Drywall is cheap, so if you need to replace the wiring its doable (only cut 1 foot access along path of wire), as long as you know where the wires are in the wall. If you are thinking about putting in new wires, rip out the old drywall, its gonna save you a world of headaches then if you try to fish it through a wall. Way easier to work on the electrical when the wall is open.

Living up to your alias

 

[rlock]

Bought a house and started renovating.
I should have passed on it after looking at the messy circuit panel!
There’s a light fixture in front of the panel that uses a chain for on/off. The switch broke a few months in. So I get my ladder and my trusty Milwaukee LED floodlight and take the fixture off. Inside the box is a tangle of wires…black white green red wire nuts with four wires…absolute shitshow.
Where the wires enter the box has been sealed with some kind of paste wtf is that?

Gave up on that and proceed to install Artika LED lumiere in master BR. Same thing in there, 4x4 device box with a knot of wires jammed in.
I can do basic wiring but this is such a mess I don’t want to touch it.
I’m guessing building inspection was never done back then.
Looks like summer will be spent in the attic replacing all my wiring. FUCK

A builder friend has recommended an electrician to rewire the whole house…I need one anyway because I have an induction cooktop and a wall oven to install. After looking in the attic and at the breaker panel he looked at me like he felt sorry for me. This is going to cost a LOT.

PS if you buy a house don’t let any “Home Inspection” scammer do anything without you watching them. And do NOT use an inspector recommended by the realtor! This is the biggest scam going, these assholes don’t know fuck all about anything and charge you a lot.
If you know any decent contractor they can do an infinitely better job. Whatever it costs will save you over time.

Yeah, screwy wiring and/or out of date electrical fixtures is the bane of many people whether houses or apartments. So many horror stories. My sympathies.