Hi,
I have wired and I am currently wiring several log homes as they are very popular in my area.
The modern log home is easy to wire. The builder will drill the raceways in the exterior walls as they go up or after depending on the height. The problem with that is that sometimes the holes will be out of alignment or full of debris so a fish tape will be useful in clearing or pulling in when you can do it simply by pushing.
The interior walls are just like a frame house and not a problem.
The ones I am doing are all 2 story so most everything will run under the 1st level..i always put a sub panel upstairs to handle the large loads on the top level..this will save you some headache...the problem though is WHERE to place the panel...the smallest bedroom is the best location.
The outside walls are not a problem either...just use pancake boxes for the lights and have the builder make a backplate for them. The same goes for exteiror outlets...the builder will cut them in and should provide a backplate (beatuy ring) to make a flat surface for the cover to bear upon.
Now...the real issues to watch for...make sure that the builder is responsible for doing ALL the drilling in the exteriror walls. The ones he misses are going to be a problem...I havent seen one yet where they got it all right.
One I am doing they failed to drill for the wall sconces in the bathroom...so guess who had to do it? right..
I charged for doing ANY work that was supposed to be done by him.
Another thing...one build drilled all the holes, then covered them with a nail plate for the sheetrock...blocking over half of them...his reply when asked why he did this? he said "you can just drill down in the top plate to open the hole..
I told him I would do it for a $100 each hole.
They came back and tried to open them and had one hell of a time and finally ended up pulling the plates or busting them in half! What an IDIOT!
Most of these builders are a** holes and can not keep a good electrician so they come pre programmed to be a jerk so watch out....get your money up front if possible..
other than that no real big deal.
in the old days when the logs were not pre drilled I would not even do them...stringing the romes along the walls and trying to drill or running in baseboards is not worth the effort and it looks like crap.
if this is the type of house you are doing you have your work cut out for you. I havent seen that kind of log home in at least 15 years....not saying they arent available but nowadays they are predrilled.
one other thing...the builder set all the switches at 32 inches...too low in my opinion but he cut them in that way and i had to follow that patter on the first level. second levels are usually framed.
The builder also tried to pawn off venting on me and i told him he was dreaming! I dont do venting! so the day before sheetrock..he showed up with some metal vent pipe and spent two days venting the baths and the dryer! watch for that.
be sure to charge twice what you would for regular construction!
i get about $20K for a 4000SQF log home with no frills..anything above required is very extra!
thats advice.
good luck
greg
[This message has been edited by mustangelectric (edited 03-17-2005).]
[This message has been edited by mustangelectric (edited 03-17-2005).]
