Loading…
5
Old timer at the supply house told me to always run wires before drywall goes up
Back when I was starting out, this crusty guy named Ray at the local alarm supply place in Austin kept telling me to pre-wire everything before the drywallers even show up. I thought I knew better and figured I could just fish stuff through after. Three months ago I had a job where the drywall was already finished and I spent two whole days trying to run wires for a basic 4 zone system. Punching through studs, fighting insulation, busted a hole in the ceiling I had to patch myself. Ray was standing right in the supply house the next morning when I came in for more cable and he just gave me this look. Has anyone else had one of those moments where some old school advice finally clicks after you ignore it for way too long?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
charlieh744mo ago
Ha! I'm actually gonna push back on this one a little. Pre-wiring before drywall is great and all, but I've had way too many jobs where the homeowner changed their mind about where they wanted the keypad or the motion sensor like a week later. If you've already got everything buried in the walls, you're either eating that change order or making ugly surface runs. Plus, fishing wire through finished walls is a pain, sure, but it's a skill you gotta learn anyway. I've gotten pretty fast at it with the right bits and glow rods, and I don't have to worry about the drywall crew covering up my sloppy work or damaging my cables. Sometimes the old timer advice is just the easy way, not the best way.
6
the_elizabeth4mo ago
You know, Charlie, I appreciate the pushback but I think there's a middle ground here that gets overlooked. @craig.parker, you might appreciate this too. The problem isn't pre-wiring itself, it's how you do it. I always run my low voltage wires in conduit stub ups inside the wall before drywall goes up. That way the wires are protected from the mudders and you can swap them out or pull new ones if the homeowner changes their mind. Costs a little more in materials and time upfront but it saves you from fishing later or wrecking walls. Most folks don't think about it but a 1 inch PVC pipe running from the basement to the attic through the studs is a lifesaver when plans shift.
6
craig.parker4mo ago
You ever have that guy just stare at you like he's been waiting his whole life for that moment? Man, I feel your pain on that one. It's like the universe lines up those moments just to humble you. I've got a similar story with an old electrician who warned me about not labeling my wires clearly enough. Ignored that one too, and spent a whole Saturday tone tracing every single cable in a rat's nest of an attic. That look they give you is worse than any chewed up drywall patch, I swear.
6