I bought a HOUSE!

[Blu Mongoose]

Congrats on the new house. I love the older places. They have a character all their own. We found hidden closets in ours. We have an old insurance business sign about 3 1/2 X 2 1/2 ft over a hundred yrs old that was found behind a hidden door. I also love the sounds an old house makes. But I'm strange like that.

[Jonny2184]

Thanks A lot!!! I'm super duper excited! It means I have more room for more SNAKES!

The electrician came in last night and looks like we are gonna need to put a lot of money into this house... Hopefully it all goes well, but I dont think it will be a problem!
I'd rather not live so close to my parents personally, but both my mom and dad have CP (cerebral palsy) so I want to stay close to them in case of emergencies or even if they need help with little things around the house.
Most people tell me to go out and do what I want to do with my life, but in some kind of ways I feel obligated to stay close to them just in case!

anyway, thanks again!!! U'r Da Best!

[kavmon]

congrats on the house!


get 2 or 3 bids on the electrical work.


one way to save some money, go to a jobsite, find an electrician. ask them if they do side jobs for $cash$



vaughn

[Jonny2184]

Well we had 2 electricians come in...
My best friends uncle who has been an electrician longer then I have been alive, told me that it would cost over $10,000 to do all the work.
My realtor freaked out at him cause he didnt even go inside and look at the wries or panel, but all he had to to was look at the outside of the house at the powerlines and tell us that. and I believe him. 10,000 makes sense for such a big job.
But my realtor was so angry at him that he went out and got his own electrician to look at it, and his electrician told him 3000-5000. WOW, more then half the price?!?!?

Who do I believe?? my realtors electrician or my best friends uncle??
Well I asked another friend what he though and he said he just upgraded his electrical in his "little" house and it was 6000, just for his little house. Well I have to do two big appartments.

So I told my realtor about this and he got angry and was like, "the electrician I talked too is honest and is he is a residential electrician".
He said "residential" because the guy I asked is more of a commercial electrician but he still has done lots of residential before, sorta like a side job I guess...

So I dont know who to believe right now, and I'm having a hard time trusting my realtor because I know all he wants is to get this deal done and over with so he can have his money...

Who would you go with...?

[lord jackel]

With that kind of dispairity in price I would get a third opinion...but in the end it won't really matter. These are just quotes, once they really get started pulling wire and making changes then you will know the real cost...which is usually less then the most expensive guy but more then the cheapest.

Not sure about Canada...but you also want to make sure they are certified and bonded to do the work (they should also be card carrying union members...another saftey measure for you). You electrical work is one think you don't want to skimp on...to much fire risk.

Hope this helps and good luck,
Sean

[Jonny2184]

Not sure about Canada...but you also want to make sure they are certified and bonded to do the work (they should also be card carrying union members...another saftey measure for you). You electrical work is one think you don't want to skimp on...to much fire risk.

All the work would be inspected by the city after it is completed. I hear these inspector guys are very picky and most electricians don't like them becuase they usually find little probelms that need fixed. I guess they also have to get work permits and stuff too...

A third opinion would be good, your right, but my third opinion basically came from my friend who told me his little house was over $6000.00.
And all these prices dont include the walls they knock down that need to be put back up. It's such an old house I have a feeling they will end up taking a few walls down, because it has never been upgraded before and who knows how they installed electical back in the day?!!!

[littleindiangirl]

I'm gonna go ahead and say you should aim high. Those old houses are probably going to have to be completely rewired. There are some old houses here in the tri-cities from the logging-king era, and I know that it cost thousands on thousands of dollars to renovate up to code. So much that many of these grand old houses are condemned and rotting in Saginaw. Bay City has it a lot better just because of the economy.
Personally, I wouldn't spare one cent for a good electrician. Ask anyone you know in a union, they will tell you straight up how it's gonna be. Good luck though, I really hope it pays out in the end!

[lord jackel]

And all these prices dont include the walls they knock down that need to be put back up. It's such an old house I have a feeling they will end up taking a few walls down, because it has never been upgraded before and who knows how they installed electical back in the day?!!!

I would expect a quote to include a detailed review of which walls will need to be knocked down? I know when I had a plumbing quote down they walked me through the house, pointed out what needed fixing, what they would have to tear down to get to the pipes...the whole deal as a way to justify the quote. I would ask them for the same thing...why are they saying $6000 or $10,000...what is the expensive part (time?, new electrical panel?, pulling wiring?, etc....get details then you can see where the difference in the quotes come from and make a decision based on that...not just a number)

[Jonny2184]

what is the expensive part (time?, new electrical panel?, pulling wiring?, etc....get details then you can see where the difference in the quotes come from and make a decision based on that...not just a number)

Great idea... I'm still learning all about this!
I will look into that! Sounds like you have done this before?
Cheers!

[lord jackel]

Sounds like you have done this before?

More times then I care to remember. Oh the spent money

If you have more questions just let me know and I will try and offer some pointers and pitfalls to try and avoid (most of which I seem to have fallen into before )