Gotta rant...

[lucky1]

Grab a coffee or a beer...this'll take a while.
I'm madder than a coiled rattler about 2-year old renovations to house.

(before I start...just a note: this isn't the stuccoed, barely-heated building where I want to install the misting system for summer. This is about our vinyl exteriored 31 year old house).

2 yrs ago hired general contractor to take out two walls in LR and kitchen, new cupboards, etc.
They did a super job, I think!
He hired an electrical company to install all the elec stuff including 12 pot lights in ceiling, and new wiring into kitchen island and panel box.
House is a split level, no living space above the area where work was done...just attic.

A couple wks ago I noticed strange melting pattern where two roofs meet (the other "melts" are normal vents).
The area where work was done is the part closest to camera, accessed by attic hatch (strange melting pattern).
As far as I know, only the electrician went into the attic.


So I--yes I--climbed into the attic hatch to look, taking the trouble light with me. That's the red cord in pic.
Look at how they left the attic and back of the bedroom wall! Looked at bedroom wall, mold starting on both sides!
Plus, see the narrow gap in the blown in insulation? that "hole"/gap went down with nothing in it...probably to the basement? no insulation, nothing. AND the plastic laying at my feet was a huge sheet...about 10' x 12', with tuck tape on it, just laying there, on top of the blown-in cellulose stuff !! Wonder where THAT came from, too!


And the attic hatch (the way I found it)

Obviously it never had any vapor barrier in 31 yrs.
But the insulation is just laying on the floor, had never been put back where it belonged!

Looked around and saw a few more "pink" (should be UNDER the blown in) laying around:


OK, here's what I did...coughing all the way. Put insulation between studs, then finished gaps with spray foam.
The hole that went down to "wherever" I stuffed insulation down, never did find the bottom! Extra insulation that I took up there with me, I just laid down on top of the blown-in...also found that piece of two 2x4s nailed together. Don't know where that came from!


What would you guys do?
(a) call the contractor to complain about the electrician?
(b) call the electrician to tell him off (without telling the contractor?)
(c) rant and rave at both of them
(d) demand "something" ... PROOF that all's well with everything else?

What REALLY p****s me off is that I asked the electrician before he started if he was a journeyman.
He said yes.
This reno cost mega bucks and I'm disgusted that I had to climb into that attic and work up there.

Like I said before, husband has a lot of good points.
Analytical problem-solving isnt one of 'em. That's left to me.

Your thoughts please...
Barb

[Alchris]

Fixing it by yourself was the easiest way. Most contractors including the electrician would screw around until you were ready to shoot them; blaming each other, etc. If it has been over a year I doubt that you can do anything legally.

If the contractor hired the electrician, the contractor is responsible for the work.

Approach the contractor with the pictures and the costs of the insulation that you had to add and ask him to pay you your costs. You can ask for his written confirmation that everything that was done was done according to the building code.

If he refuses to pay or puts you off, start bad mouthing him to anyone that is looking at renovations. Make sure that they demand an independent inspection, paid by the contractor, to ensure that the work is properly done. Suggest that they hold back 10% until the work passes inspection.

These things are normal course of business. Unfortunately if there is strong demand the contractors can do what they want and get away with it.

Allen

[lucky1]

Allen,

If the contractor hired the electrician, the contractor is responsible for the work

I agree...after all, contractor chose electrician so obviously felt he would do a good job.
The contractor did not do a final inspection, that I'm aware of.

You can ask for his written confirmation that everything that was done was done according to the building code.

I like your suggestion!

I'll show him the pics and ask for a letter that the vapor barrier/insulation integrity hasn't been compromised during installation of the pot lights, despite the large plastic sheet with Tucktape on it that I found in a heap in the attic.

And I won't charge him for the 2 rows of insulation and can of spray foam.
Or my almost-tradesman-like labour

Good solution, Allen, thanks.
Barb