New home, all basement wires cut, should I ask for a new pull?

3 years ago

Hello,

We're having a new home built. It's expected to be completed in the next two weeks. Our basement is unfinished. We went through the home yesterday and I noticed that all the wires in the basement have been cut and it looks like someone tried to do pullups using romex. I have a feeling our builder is going to want to just splice. However, if I want to finish my basement in the future, I believe those splice boxes are required to be not buried/not hidden above drywall. I expect this to be another point of failure as well vs a home run. Any other reasons I should object to a splice box?

Are there any reasons I should accept, other than it will be less work for the builder?

Thanks!

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Comments (11)

formulaross20
3 years ago
Was someone trying to steal the copper wire for the recycle value? Would insurance cover this? In your last picture, the outlet could be raised to the height of the cut wires to salvage that run. Other than that, I would require re-pulling the cut lines.
kudzu9
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
However it happened, hidden splices are not allowed. And adding accessible junction boxes to avoid pulling new wires is unacceptable in my opinion. Have the wires replaced...it shouldn't be a big deal or involve much time...and you shouldn't have to pay the contractor extra. Would you pay for dent removal on a new car?
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HU-178658043
3 years ago
It looks like vandalism by a disgruntled sparky. Was somebody fired?

New cable runs are definitely in order, and they'll need to make sure there is no additional, less visible, damage.
Mike Thompson
Original Author
3 years ago
No stealing the copper. They just left the wires cut and it looks like someone wanted to give a big middle finger. I agree with being able to move the box up under the stairs. I’d have no problem with that one as the resolution. Thanks for confirming my assumptions that new wire should be ran instead of splicing. Honestly, from all the times that I’ve been at the site and seen the disgusting messes and how the workers treat their job site and the soon to be my property, this doesn’t surprise me.

I am looking forward to moving in and learning a lot on this site as a new homeowner!
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
3 years ago
Everything seems to be open pull a new wire.
greg_2015
3 years ago
It looks like someone was interrupted before they could finish stealing the copper.

Get it replaced.
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
3 years ago
I thought only the ceiling wire was cut, I see they cut all the wires... is the electrician still on the job or did someone else got the shaft from the job? It looks like someone was pissed at someone.
3onthetree
3 years ago
The GC should have had a builder's risk policy, hopefully covering vandalism. You definitely need a police report, and you should not be paying for any of the rewiring of homeruns, which should be demanded by you (there is a product certified for in-wall splices that some AHJs allow, but I'm sure your AHJ would not allow every fixture in the house to be spliced).
worthy
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

Tyco 2 Wire Romex splice kit

Evidently approved. But a quick look at electrician's forums reveals a lot of scepticism.

(I've seen a number of homes from the 1920s-1930s with no junction boxes in the walls--just connected wires in a mass of tape.)

Pull new cables.
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
@worthy It's amazing what you find hidden inside the walls of old houses, it never seems to amaze me anymore.

The Tyco connectors I believe can be used without junction boxes but not buried inside the wall, they have to be accesable.
weedmeister
3 years ago
In the first picture, the light could be moved. But since it is the end of a run, it shouldn't be hard to pull from the previous light or wall switch.

That drywall needs to come down on the 2nd picture. it's broken.

On the 3rd, the box can be moved up.

New home, all basement wires cut, should I ask for a new pull?

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formulaross20

kudzu9

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New home, all basement wires cut, should I ask for a new pull?

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