After a false start with electrician #1 (who wanted to remove all the baseboard to run wires) I have a VERY competent local team who is doing the whole house rewire. Literally everything except the kitchen is K&T. And, 2 'sub panels' off the main panel...which is a kind way of saying two massive (like 15 circuit) junction boxes. One K&T (feeding all the house except the kitchen) and 1 for the kitchen. Plus, the K&T is spliced and hot grounded...so it's all going. Electrician is rewiring EVERYTHING from the pole (exterior service from the pole, exterior box, interior box and the house (interior and exterior) and garage). They've been in the house since the beginning of June and have about 2 weeks left. They've done a really good job keeping the plaster intact. A dozen or two pilot holes to fish the wires, 1 overhead (in closet) that was badly cut, and 1 unfortunately bad cut in the 1st floor hallway ceiling. But, given they are swapping out 130+ fixtures, they've done a VERY good job not chopping up the lathe nor cracking the plaster.
Because the fixtures were a hot mess of 1 original fixture, lots of 1950s crap and a few decent modern fixtures, they are all going too. I bought all antique (and rewired, up to current code/UL) from Sherlock Antique Lighting in WA and Barton's Lighting out of CA. Something like 20 fixtures in all. See the pretty pics below
And, my crown refinisher bailed on me (heart attack) so I found a local place that will dip and strip (and stain). The DR crown is down, and I'm working on removing the hall crown now. I've done more damage to the walls removing the crown (particularly the corners) than the electricians. Good news is that I bought a new toy yesterday (Milwaukee cordless oscillating saw) so that I don't have to manhandle the plaster and lathe to remove the crown. Have a new system in place and have very little plaster damage in the hallway. Using a tiny crowbar, I make a few pilot 'holes' (center or corner, depending upon the piece) to get a tiny gap between the wall/ceiling and crown, run a big drywall knife in the gap to find the nails and bam, cut the nails. Works A.Mazing. In looking at the backside of the crown, it's 100 y.o. old growth pine, 8" wide...with some fantastic grain (no knots). Will look phenomenal once it's stripped and stained.
Next up is plasterer (early August) with painters coming in late August and floor guys first week of September. Hoping to move in late Sept after the floor offgasses for a few weeks.
Will try to get some pics of the wiring 'demo'....I've been very impressed. For now, enjoy the pics of my pretty fixtures
