My old boss swore by running all the wire first, but I tried the opposite on a job in Oak Park

We had a full house rewire in a 1920s bungalow with plaster walls, and instead of pulling everything before mounting, I installed the keypad and panel locations first. It saved me about 2 hours of rerouting because I could see the exact wire paths needed from the fixed points. Has anyone else switched up their install order on older homes with tricky walls?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliviadixon1mo ago

Makes total sense... you see that kind of thing in a lot of trades. Sometimes the textbook order creates more work because real houses are never perfect. Locking down your fixed points first gives you a true map instead of just guessing.

johnfoster1mo ago

I mean, sometimes you gotta follow the book though.

dianab681mo ago

Ever try to hang a picture in that old plaster? I spent an hour just trying to find a stud that wasn't where it should be... ended up patching three holes before I gave up and used a toggle bolt.