# Regarding chicago code



## the catfish (Nov 30, 2007)

fridaymean said:


> It depends on how custom the house is. A basic house, no frills, little recessed lighting or extras, ad-ons etc.....7 days or so. Some houses we have done in the 5K sq ft + range with 200ish cans (32 4"ers in the Overhangs) have taken 3-3.5 weeks to rough.


 
That's quick considering the techniques involved. I guess it's like anything else, you get used to it, but the cost involved must be substantially more. How many guys are you talkin?


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

fridaymean said:


> Actually, it wasn't (isn't) the fire. That was from a cow.





mickeyco said:


> Chicago has their very own electric code, not the NEC, and absolutely no romex at all in Chicago and most of the surrounding areas (they use the NEC, all different years, with amendments requiring emt). With bx, greenfield or whatever you call it you are limited to a few feet (I think it's 3 or 6 feet in Chicago)..



I still say there is a direct line between this
and the summer of 1871.
All Chicago codes seem to reflect this thinking.
(That and perhaps the palm grease tradition)


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## fridaymean (Feb 17, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> Do they drop the ceilings in the rooms or lath them down with 2x's? I ask because I see a stub out of the top of the wall in your one pic.


No, those were both pictures of the panels with home runs. Both were in basements. The one without drywall was in a closet (room) that was 38" x 8' or so of a finished basement. We have to drill anything on the first floor in the ceiling.


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## fridaymean (Feb 17, 2006)

the catfish said:


> So does that mean there are alot of people that add romex to their existing electrical systems? Are they required to redo any such additions when they go to sell there homes?


Yes, and Yes. I have heard of two towns where the city will inspect when a house is sold. We get those calls too.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

So when you cross a 1st floor ceiling/2nd floor joist,
you're using lots of 14½" conduit and emt connectors?
No greenfield?


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## fridaymean (Feb 17, 2006)

the catfish said:


> That's quick considering the techniques involved. I guess it's like anything else, you get used to it, but the cost involved must be substantially more. How many guys are you talkin?


2-5 guys depending on the day, schedule, etc. Mostly two. I remember specificaly one job 5+ years ago, there was that debate whether to use romex or emt (in Batavia, Tony) with the GC. The owner wanted to cut cost. The savings was between $500-1K. Not much. Granted, that was before huge increases in commodities valuations. We prefer pipe anyway. Romex isn't a huge time saver because we don't use it enough.


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## fridaymean (Feb 17, 2006)

neolitic said:


> So when you cross a 1st floor ceiling/2nd floor joist,
> you're using lots of 14½" conduit and emt connectors?
> No greenfield?


Yes, lots of scraps and couplings.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

fridaymean said:


> Yes, lots of scraps and couplings.


Brrrrrrrrr!

Thank you,:notworthy
you may stand down now. :laughing::clap:


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## JBrzoz00 (Jan 11, 2011)

So you still have to run emt perpendicular through wood framing? Can't use MC? I'd like to see more pics if you have them.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

JBrzoz00 said:


> So you still have to run emt perpendicular through wood framing? Can't use MC? I'd like to see more pics if you have them.


New construction in almost all Chicagoland is EMT ONLY. (The only exceptions are usually concealed spaces in remodeling only) No NM is allowed at all.


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

neolitic said:


> So when you cross a 1st floor ceiling/2nd floor joist,
> you're using lots of 14½" conduit and emt connectors?
> No greenfield?


I don't do new construction, but when I add 4 ceiling fans to a house it's in emt in most towns. 

Actually there is very little crossing of joists. The main level outlets are run through the basement (below the joists) and the second floor outlets are run through the attic (above the joists). It uses more conduit and less labor. Conduit is cheap compared to labor.

I have a neighbor/carpenter who built new homes for most of his career. He told me once the EC crew had 3 days to rough-in emt. My guess is if they can do rough in 3 days, they can do final in one.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

I grew up and learned the trades in Chicago. I'd never seen romex until I moved shop to Albuquerque. I was amazed that guys would run "extension cords" in the walls. When I constructed my own house here in Albuq back in 1982 I did it all in emt. At the time I thought emt was better. Today I would argue that functionally they are equal and romex is faster/cheaper making romex a better product for wiring houses.


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