That was a scary basement

[Exterous]

We do some real estate photography on the side - nothing to FBB levels but a decent amount of work for a side business. Anyway I was just in the scariest basement I have ever been in. Not because I was scared I would be hacked to pieces by a deranged clown or anything but because there were hazards everywhere. The homeowner had started finishing the basement when they got a job transfer. When I went to turn the first rooms lights on the light switch started buzzing and the lights started flickering. So I turned that off and left it off. I went into the partially finished bathroom and there were three old, severed electrical wires just hanging down from the ceiling whose ends were only mostly covered in electrical tape. To make things more fun there was a small leak in the laundry room area so the floor was wet in places. I saw a few junction boxes joining knob and tube wiring to new wiring that probably would have been covered up if the job was finished. I suspect that holds true for a few new water shut off valves as well

The craftsmanship of everything was awful. All the light switches I tried jiggled around in their boxes, some of the baseboard trim fell off the wall when I walked too close to it and none of the rough in framing looked square or lined up. Several lights that I would assume to be on the same switch (and the only switch in the room) didn't turn on at all.

I've been in a fair number of basements but this was the most cautious I've ever been because something might electrocute me or randomly fall apart

 

[GagHalfrunt]

If you've never been in Olds' basement you don't every know the meaning of the word "scary".

 

[Exterous]

If you've never been in Olds' basement you don't every know the meaning of the word "scary".

He didn't play the deranged clown when you were down there?

 

[rh71]

People always say the code department just wants money from permits but having everything done to code is really for a family's safety. We did 1st and [new] 2nd floor work with licensed contractors but the basement was left to an unlicensed/cheaper contractor (wasn't going to spend $15k+ on a basement). I wonder how he did the electrical down there after reading stories like this.

 

[tynopik]

if the basement is in such bad shape, why would they want you to photograph it?

 

[Exterous]

People always say the code department just wants money from permits but having everything done to code is really for a family's safety. We did 1st and [new] 2nd floor work with licensed contractors but the basement was left to an unlicensed/cheaper contractor (wasn't going to spend $15k+ on a basement). I wonder how he did the electrical down there after reading stories like this.

The sad thing is that in many areas of MI they won't pass electrical inspections if you are making habitable spaces in your basement without proper egress even though that has nothing to do with your electrical work. They made the change to try and get people to stop finishing basements without proper egress. All that has really happened is that a ton more people now have basements that haven't had any inspections done at all.

if the basement is in such bad shape, why would they want you to photograph it?

A lot of it won't show up in the pictures like the buzzing or hanging wires but they pay me to take pictures so I take pictures

 

[Eug]

When I changed my range hood, I found an extension cord behind the drywall, that was used to connect under-cabinet lightning.

 

[NoTine42]

We seem to be quickly approaching an era where LED transformers are mounted next to the circuit panel, and all home lighting is low voltage wires running from there.

 

[boomerang]

We seem to be quickly approaching an era where LED transformers are mounted next to the circuit panel, and all home lighting is low voltage wires running from there.

That sounds like a good way to do things from various different perspectives. I approve.