All Forum Posts by: Stephen Gallagher

@Tyler Wetherby

I am in Hillsboro. New to BP and also looking to meet others. I don't mind driving if you want to grab a coffee sometime.

@Mitchel Ellis

Welcome

@Mitchel Ellis

Give Homeadvisor a try. Ask for three contractors.

That will give you a good baseline. Expect the quotes to be higher than normal. Use them as your funding mechanism, then find a reasonable licensed and insured contractor.

Stephen Gallagher

Abracadabra Electric

@Steven Sather

25K to upgrade a 60amp service to what?

I charge 3k to go up to a 200 amp. Is there other electrical changes needed.

I'd seek another estimate if that is just for a service upgrade.

Unless it is a lengthy underground lateral seems way to hi.

Stephen Gallagher

Abracadabra Electric

@David A.

When I rewire knob and tube, I take the whole circuit out of the panel, then work backwards to liven things back up.

I am not sure why someone would leave it, if they we re doing a rewire.

Maybe they just didn't remove it, which is often the case.

Get electrician in there to do an inspection, worth the money.

StephenGallagher

As stated, the aluminum wiring in and of itself is not an issue.  Aluminum is still used for service equipment, dryers, ranges, and hot water heaters.  The issue is as stated above,  the metallurgy allows for greater expansion and contraction as the conductors heat up.  This causes termination screws to back up a little and over time create a large enough gap the electrical arcing can occur, and has, caused fires.

The retrofit kits are not cheap, and you still have to pay an electrician to pull out every device, apply the extension, ensure the devices are rated for copper and put them back.  Still a costly measure.  Ultimately this meets the code,  but remember code is a bare minimum.  This solution is like putting lipstick on a pig and taking it to prom.  It meets the need at the moment, but what is to say those crimps are solid?  I would not be comfortable using this method when the cost to do so could be 1/3 to 1/2 of what a rewire might cost.  I'd consult a reputable electrician in your area and ask for quotes on both the quick fix and the rewire.  Seek three quotes a d use your sense of peace as to which way to go.

Good luck.

Stephen Gallagher 

Abracadabra electric

Typically you would need a house panel for any common areas.

Where are the laundry?  In a common space?  If yes then the lighting as well as the laundry needs to be on a house panel.

Are their other items you pay,  like furnace, hot water, entry lights etc.  All should be on a house panel.

You may be able to add a meter and small panel off the existing service without updating all the meters.  

If there are enough meters for the tenant units and a house panel, then should be relatively reasonable to run new laundry circuits to a house panel.

Stephen Gallagher 

Abracadabra electric

@David A.

Your knob and tube issue is a contentious one. Been safe for all these years and never had a problem. The wiring method is probably one of the safest as it was built, at the time it was built, because the grounded and ungrounded conductors are on opposite sides of a stud bay, everywhere the goes through a wood structure there is a porcelain insulator and the wires are remote from the wood in the structure because they are attached to porcelain insulators instead of nailed to the wood.

The draw backs to K&T wiring is what has happened since the install. People have breached the integrity of the circuits by extending, adding, and altering to add new utilization devices whereby overloading the circuits and or causing overheating issues. The other negative, is this wiring method was never installed with expectation it would be surrounded by insulation. Over the years products like cellulose, and vermiculite have been blown in, dumped in or applied around these free air conductors and now they are creating an over heating situation. Another negative is that there is no grounding conductor and usually have two prong receptacles or illegal 3 prong.

Because of these reasons insurance companies do not want the liability.

Good Luck, you could be looking at 10-15k per unit on a rewire, maybe less in your jurisdictuin.

If it is a legitimate multifamily, and there is a fire inspector,  there should be previous inspections if your jurisdiction does them.  Both the fire department and building department should be able to share past inspections, permits, and issues.  In my jurisdiction, the inspectors would not come out for a compliance inspection as they are far too busy with everyday business.  They would suggest you get a third party inspector or a fire protection engineer to complete your inspection.

Things you want to look for, any common area should be on a house panel, bedrooms should have 2 means of egress, smoke detectors and CO detectors should be present. Exit signs if needed.  Utilities heating sources, water source, septic/city sewer, electrical.

Good luck,

Hey Joe,

I am new to BP as well.  I am an Electrical Contractor and starting my journey into buy and holds.  I am in Hillsboro.

Would love to collaborate.

Stephen