Sloppy Installs...post your horror story if you want to!

[MR.MAGOO]

Many years ago when my apartment complex first got cable TV / Internet, I remember the technician routed the cable UNDER the threshold of the door. He used a power screwdriver to remove the threshold, cleaned out all the dead bugs and dirt, laid the cable, reinstalled the threshold. Clean and neat. Now years later another cable company comes along and here's how they installed the cable to go from one side of the studio to the other:

up one side of the door casing, along the top, down the other side! The tech was too lazy to route it under the threshold. Since it's an apartment it's the landlords headache but I may re-route it.

 

[panteragstk]

I recently built a house where the builder wouldn't allow me to wire anything myself.

I had them to ethernet to all the rooms I wanted TVs in and not only did the guy not label anything, but I have two "mystery ports" in my bedroom that seemingly go to nowhere. I had them put all the cables into my equipment closet and the connectors all pretty much either fell off or the twisted pairs weren't properly crimped. I didn't need the cables finished as I was going to use a patch panel anyway but still. Same guy used ethernet for the phone jack I didn't ask for and didn't even bother to connect most of the wires. I put my own jack on it in case I want a wired connection in my kitchen...I don't.

Had to have them do the wiring for the theater room too. Wouldn't allow me or an outside contractor to do it (my brother works for one) so I drew a VERY specific diagram of where everything was supposed to go. Apparently this dude didn't have much HT experience so he did a "standard" 7.1 job. Well, he did a decent enough job, but he wired all the speakers at about 4.5' off the ground (not a big deal) and wired a sub plug for me (didn't ask for that) and chose my sub location. Thanks. All the wires terminated at the middle of the wall the screen is going on. They were supposed to be on a wall in another room where the AV rack will be. I made him re-do it. No labels. Again. Only used 16 gauge wire which is fine, but I like to use 12 just to eliminate the possibility of a long run causing issues. Slim chance of it happening, but for the minimal cost difference I can live with that. Now I get to wire my 4 subs (yup, 4) and the ceiling speakers for Atmos (why not?). Idiots.

I also found out the contractor they use for all their wiring is a damn security system installer. Wish I would have known that going in. Would have saved myself some effort.

 

[herbu]

I recently built a house where the builder wouldn't allow me to wire anything myself.

I wonder why. It seems an electrical inspector would still have to inspect and pass everything regardless of who did the work.

 

[slipperybidness]

I wonder why. It seems an electrical inspector would still have to inspect and pass everything regardless of who did the work.

Because he "feared sloppy work and didn't want he liability"--dumba$$

 

[panteragstk]

Because he "feared sloppy work and didn't want he liability"--dumba$$

Exactly. They sure got sloppy work though.

 

[Hi Ho]

I wonder why. It seems an electrical inspector would still have to inspect and pass everything regardless of who did the work.

It differs from state to state but here in Washington there is very rarely an inspection for low voltage wiring (A/V, Network, Security, etc).

As for sloppy work. I worked as a custom installer for 8 years. I have a few pics I will gather up and post. I can remember some of the worst installs that I wish I had pics of but don't.

 

[Hi Ho]

OK I went through some photos and found some sloppy work pics. Enjoy:

http://imgur.com/a/UIU7A

 

[MR.MAGOO]

OK I went through some photos and found some sloppy work pics. Enjoy:

http://imgur.com/a/UIU7A

The 3rd pic from top "PRO JOB" reminds me of the way my cable company installed their CAT5e wiring in my place!

 

[highfigh]

I recently built a house where the builder wouldn't allow me to wire anything myself.

I had them to ethernet to all the rooms I wanted TVs in and not only did the guy not label anything, but I have two "mystery ports" in my bedroom that seemingly go to nowhere. I had them put all the cables into my equipment closet and the connectors all pretty much either fell off or the twisted pairs weren't properly crimped. I didn't need the cables finished as I was going to use a patch panel anyway but still. Same guy used ethernet for the phone jack I didn't ask for and didn't even bother to connect most of the wires. I put my own jack on it in case I want a wired connection in my kitchen...I don't.

Had to have them do the wiring for the theater room too. Wouldn't allow me or an outside contractor to do it (my brother works for one) so I drew a VERY specific diagram of where everything was supposed to go. Apparently this dude didn't have much HT experience so he did a "standard" 7.1 job. Well, he did a decent enough job, but he wired all the speakers at about 4.5' off the ground (not a big deal) and wired a sub plug for me (didn't ask for that) and chose my sub location. Thanks. All the wires terminated at the middle of the wall the screen is going on. They were supposed to be on a wall in another room where the AV rack will be. I made him re-do it. No labels. Again. Only used 16 gauge wire which is fine, but I like to use 12 just to eliminate the possibility of a long run causing issues. Slim chance of it happening, but for the minimal cost difference I can live with that. Now I get to wire my 4 subs (yup, 4) and the ceiling speakers for Atmos (why not?). Idiots.

I also found out the contractor they use for all their wiring is a damn security system installer. Wish I would have known that going in. Would have saved myself some effort.

Did you know the builder wouldn't let you do the low voltage wiring before you signed? That should never fly- a builder rarely knows enough about this stuff as it was in the past, never mind everything that's coming in the future.

I would never sign on with a builder who wouldn't let me do the work or use the contractor of my choice. I have done some work with a particular contractor on homes for people who were previous clients of mine and the first time, he told the homeowner that he wanted to tack on 6% for whatever I did and he wanted me to invoice him, rather than the homeowner, because he was the GC. Standard practice when the GC uses their own subs, but not when the homeowner uses someone they prefer. She told him "Yeah, I don't think so" and he didn't try this with the second project.