How can I remedy the situation of having hired a competent handyman but an incompetent helper who caused damage to the joist while running cable?
Asked by Svitan Kohanenko 
8 months ago
Last Updated: May 3, 2024
Do you have any suggestions for how to fix this situation? The handyman I hired did a great job, but the helper they brought along did a terrible job and ended up damaging the joist while running the cable.
Plate of nails
Hey , I was actually thinking about suggesting the same idea.
Expresses gratitude
It seems to be a wall, so those must be studs. Simply use a nail plate
Just notch in a few nail plates, patch up the drywall, and you’re good to go. It’s no big deal
Just go ahead and place a couple of nail plates in front of the romex
It may not be flawless, but it’s a fairly typical situation. Just cover it with a plate and do some patching.
Aside from the plates that are missing, it’s not a problem.
It’s not the most visually appealing, but it’s hidden by a wall. 🤷🏻♂️
There’s no issue with it. Just incorporate nail plates to reinforce it.
Right now, a few nail plates will work
The key word is ‘hired’. It means you might not know what you’re doing, as everyone has mentioned above or below wherever my comment shows up. How else would they run wire through there?
I mean you could always drill a couple of holes and not attack it like a beaver haha
Seems to be a crappy room to start with, and I bet the OP just said to do it in the cheapest way possible… and probably claimed it was the lowest quote too
Honestly, drilling holes is the most affordable and simplest way to accomplish that.
You’d think so, but these ‘handymen’ are not the sharpest tools in the shed 🤷
Sometimes I hire others to do tasks I could do myself. But when they mistake a stud for a joist, it makes you wonder.
Wow, you guys are such a bunch of judgmental jokers! This is a DIY page where people come for help. Let’s try to offer kind and helpful advice instead of blaming the person seeking help. The handyman was paid to do a job, regardless of the cost, and should have taken pride in their work. I understand why some people prefer to post anonymously.
Hey, are you feeling any better? I can’t believe people are resorting to name-calling. Hopefully you can find some peace in this situation!
Is just sitting around at your place. You should send him over.
Wait, who is ?
Mentioned Jesus.
Hey, mentioned he’s coming your way to teach you how to love everyone without being judgmental of those with different preferences than you 😬 Your profile is a bit intimidating, maybe don’t miss out on church. I hope you find your way, sir. #feelingblessed
Haha, coming from someone who previously criticized Annie for calling out judgmental people – sounds a bit ironic, don’t you think? He doesn’t need to come my way, he’s already here! Sharing stories about a guy who was so judgmental and wicked that it left him stunned. His behavior was so twisted that he felt the need to check other people’s profiles to ensure he wasn’t being rude. Bit too late for that now.
Hey Robert, let’s keep it respectful – her name is Amie. Let’s make sure we have our facts straight. Keep spreading your hate, it’s quite amusing how people project onto others. And when I call out other facts, I’m suddenly labeled as twisted or rude. Just verifying that you’re a true follower 🤔 Your religion might need some checking, my friend.
Hey, that’s totally legal according to code! Maybe he should have added a kick plate though.
The code equals the minimum requirement, not necessarily satisfactory. It would have been much more logical to simply drill a few holes for the romex (and it would have been much easier as well)
So your responsibility is to confirm if someone is a genuine follower? Sir, that is unacceptable. Take a look at yourself. You are not competent to carry out such a task. Regarding her misspelled name, let’s focus on unrelated matters. Good attempt though. Put in more effort.
No worries, just put it on a plate
Snap a photo of it with a tape measure alongside the wire from the floor before repairing it with a plate and re-drywall. This will help prevent accidentally nailing into the wall where the wire is.
That’s the purpose of metal nail plates. They prevent anything from getting through.
Exactly. However, that applies to the stud. What if you accidentally nail NEXT to the stud?
If something like that occurs, it should be immediately clear that it’s out of place. I make sure to mark the center line of the stud above and below a patch. It’s a good practice to also mark where the nail plate is to prevent any issues.
I’m referring to situations like hanging pictures or fixing something to the wall once the project is complete. I wouldn’t want to accidentally drive a nail through the wire.
Got it, . I don’t think you need to be concerned about nails when hanging pictures or similar items. Adding a metal piece between studs at wire height could provide some extra support, but it may not be necessary.
Just throw some plates on there and you’re all set 🤷
It’s important to note that it’s not a joist, and it’s not damaged. It’s just notched.
You can totally notch a stud. Just make sure to cover it with nail plates.
Suggested using nail plates first, then patching the sheetrock.
Mentioned nail plates. Yes, they should be placed over the drilled hole, close to the edge.
Yeah!
Could it be tidier? Absolutely
Is it destroyed? Not at all
Just another instance of someone searching for something to CRITICIZE!
Yep, did you notice that it says “anonymous participant”? It could have been a bit neater, but it’s definitely not ruined.
Is most likely going to have a major disagreement, and unfortunately the handyman may not receive payment for his work. This is all happening because someone is attempting to micromanage a project that they are not knowledgeable about.
Is right, the job could be neater, but as long as the wire is protected with plates, there’s no issue.
However, they will manage to find some Ding-g on this platform to support their point and give relevance to their irrelevant argument.
Lol you are most likely correct. That’s unfortunate.
I’m sure there will always be someone who agrees, even if they are an idiot, and that will be sufficient for mister anonymous.
By the way, the stud that has a hole in it should also have a nail plate. The hole seems too close to the edge, or at least it appears that way in the picture.
Please send it over.
At this stage, hammer some nail plates onto it and call it a day
You’re only as strong as your weakest link
The studs are good, haha. Add some mail plates and repair the sheetrock. Or maybe it’s best to hire someone who knows what they’re doing.
I’m a contractor and I agree with others. If I had done it, I would have made it look a little neater, but the end result would have been the same. When running romex around a corner, sometimes the “studs” are notched. Just tuck the romex in there, cover it with nail plates (you’ll need 3), and you’re all set. No harm done.
I was thinking of drilling in both directions and fishing it, but I’ve seen worse. It’s all good, just gotta put some nailer plates so nobody accidentally nails or screws right through it. Other than that, it’s good to cover up.
Concurs, there should be ample support remaining.
It seems like the writer is seeking guidance. Most people agree that it’s okay as is, just slap on some nail plates and you’re good to go. No need to be harsh.
Thanks , some individuals can be quite rude.
Hey , folks ask valid questions looking for useful responses..
Hey , welcome to reality!
Is aware of it and does his best to avoid it.
Put on some nail plates, put up the drywall, then reward yourself with a cold beer.
It doesn’t really change anything. It might not look great, but many houses have hidden imperfections that go unnoticed.
Only nail plates, nothing else.
Why come here to express dissatisfaction about something you have no knowledge of?
I assume this is in the middle of their project and they intend to finish it, at least I hope you didn’t let them go because of this.
This is alright. This is not a joist and notching a stud is acceptable. Nailer plates are utilized when this is done and it’s a pretty common practice.
I hope you didn’t scold the person who did the job. And if you did, I hope you can be mature about it and say sorry for doubting their work. 😬
Just nail plates. Sounds good!
Mr. ‘Anonymous’, could you please remove this post, or at least make some edits. It’s not incorrect (with a nailplate). The stud (not joist) can be notched for romex.
What’s the issue with it?? Just require a couple of nail plates.
You can use stud plates to safeguard the lines.
Put in nail plates and take care of the drywall repair. You’ll forget it’s even there. Also, go ahead and delete this post so it’s not a reminder.
Nail plate the area and cover it, there’s nothing wrong with that
There’s no issue with that
Consider letting go of the Electrician for opting for Romex over BX. Just my two cents on my renovation. BX is better than Romex.
Patch the drywall with nail plates. All set. By the way, those are studs, not joists.
Just mark bingo. In certain places, it’s basically the right concept but poorly executed or not up to “code” standards.
No need to knock down the house and start over, just kidding. I get where the OP is coming from, even though everyone seems to be criticizing them. For someone like me, who is not an expert, a tradesperson who leaves their work looking messy gives off a bad impression. It makes the client question the overall quality of their work. Who cares if the tradesperson knows their job, they should at least tidy up and make it look presentable. The work should appear to be of good quality. The reason I felt the need to explain this is because I had a similar experience with a handyman I used for months and thought I could trust. I didn’t check his work until I noticed loose screws in a small job he did. This made me go back and inspect all his work, only to find a lot of shoddy work and materials that he had hidden well. I learned from that experience to be more cautious with all tradespeople. If a job looks terrible, I will question the person who did it. Laziness at its finest. They will have to work hard to convince me that everything is okay, but all that could have been avoided if they had put in a little more effort for appearances. So, would you go to the dentist without brushing your teeth because you think they will clean them anyway?
Fixing the plaster neatly is an easy solution, just make sure to secure the cable properly. Apply some liquid nails behind the cut scraps of plaster, then cut pieces to fit and screw them in place. Admit it, the wiring job is terrible.
Whoa, this is a tricky situation. I think the wire is supposed to go through the middle of the stud. Maybe a nail plate would help, but I’m not certain about the structural integrity.
Just an FYI, , studs can sometimes be notched up to 30% based on codes
This pertains to electrical work, not general handyman tasks.
The studs have not been damaged. Use nail plates to patch them up.
Why not just add some nail plates?
Two nail plates mean it’s time to patch things up.
Recommends using 3 nail plates.
I think it would be a good idea to add some protection between the nail plates and Romex. The corners have sharp edges.
Not load-bearing. It may be a poor job, but cover it up with a nail plate.
Notch plate only takes a second to install.
Just remember to avoid the notch plates when screwing in the drywall.
Use support blocks on the wider side and metal nail plates on the thinner edge to support and prevent nails/screws from penetrating the wire.
Cover the wire with nail guards and let it be.