# commercial to residential



## bradcanada (Dec 10, 2009)

Just wondering how people who have made the switch found it?


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Went from commercial to garden apt's and custom houses was ok for a short stint, but not for me long term.

Having residential background will make you a better electrician in the future.


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

brian john said:


> Having residential background will make you a better electrician in the future.


And help you out with alot of 'fill-in' work when times are slow in commercial.


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

When I first went to resi I felt like a f'ing ******. It was a good experience and didn't take long to catch on and get good at it. Not my first choice of work but it's nice to know. Most guys at the shop have no idea how to wire a house and I find it to be funny/pathetic.


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

Most of my remodel core experience comes not from resi-remodel work, but from punchlists on sub-divisions where alot of stuff was effed up on rough-in. I did a flipper type job on an old apartment building downtown that was upgraded to condos, that was real cool. IDK, never worked for a remodel shop, but every shop gets some kind of remodel work.


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## oldschoolvdub (Jun 10, 2007)

I think every electrician should have at least some resi experience... I did commercial and light industrial the first couple years... my first house I felt like a newbie again... its also really good for teaching basic circuitry to newbs... its amazing how many people don't know how to wire a 3 way using romex... hahaha


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

miller_elex said:


> Most of my remodel core experience comes not from resi-remodel work, but from punchlists on sub-divisions where alot of stuff was effed up on rough-in.


I learned SOOOOO much working the punch list crew. We had a mechanic that was always leaving a homerun out or a switchleg.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

Went from hospitals and refineries to residential and farm! Not only was the work foreign but what a difference in customers.
As was previously mentioned, I thought I was a first year all over again. What do you mean you don't use junction boxes?? 
Now we do all aspects of the trade, but our starters get at least 6 months of residential wiring. Very good for learning circuits 
Another aspect is the speed that is expected. By teaching them to be fast, when they get onto a commercial project, they don't fool around.


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## JTMEYER (May 2, 2009)

I went from my last company doing 98% industrial construction/service to my current company doing 99% resi. As long as you are moving it isn't bad, but it can be mind-numbingly boring. Also, dealing with homeowners is alot diffrent than plant managers. I would rather still be doing industrial, but in my case I left a failing, unfriendly large company, for a mom and pop shop with 4 guys. I can deal with alot of boredom and be happier than every trip to the shop leading to a trip to the office to explain why. Or wondering if the owner is going to sell out/close up tomorow. Resi isn't bad, but I miss working off 200' towers, and playing with 500's.


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## ce2two (Oct 4, 2008)

My 1st. year as a helper/gopher worked on tract homes ,custom homes,underground elect. for pools and spas ..service changes galore . i jumped to comm.after 2 1/2 years tired of digging trenchs,running rope ,drilling and hitting nails ouchloved to bend pipe, lay out jobs.work can be FUN.


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

I only did resi for the first 5 or so years in the trade, then some commercial & resi, and now I am just breaking into light industrial work.

Hardest thing for me to grasp going from resi to commercial was the distribution aspect of it, I was over complicating it in my head (and still do). 

I feel like going from commercial to resi should be a breeze, but I'm not gonna lie....I've done some resi with laid off commercial guys and while I am sure some of them can work me in circles laying out conduit and big services I was in aww at their inability to splice multigang switch location with a few different circuits and some 3 ways in it.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

miller_elex said:


> Most of my remodel core experience comes not from resi-remodel work, but from punchlists on sub-divisions where alot of stuff was effed up on rough-in. I did a flipper type job on an old apartment building downtown that was upgraded to condos, that was real cool. IDK, never worked for a remodel shop, but every shop gets some kind of remodel work.


If you're good at punchlist work you'd probably be good at resi remodel. In some ways it's very similar work where simple troubleshooting skills and come in handy. Just making something work, reusing old wiring etc...
If you're good at that, doing service call work can become part of your bag of tricks too.

(not you specifically miller, just in general)


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

Rudeboy said:


> If you're good at punchlist work you'd probably be good at resi remodel.


I do a good chunk of commercial remodel. Not nice stuff... stuff maintenance men have made alot of 'modifications' to. It makes work like playing with puzzles. Here's a game I like to play, 'Guess how many times the neutral is bonded to ground in this facility??'


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I prefer residential over commercial for a few reasons, quicker payments and cheaper material, less equipment used and less mind thought. I still enjoy commercial work but lately i'm in it for a quick buck, could care less about the code and everything else as long as my work is safe.


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

woops wrong thread.


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## Smoke (Feb 25, 2011)

brian john said:


> Having residential background will make you a better electrician in the future.


you need experience to do resi?  :no: :laughing:


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

Smoke said:


> you need experience to do resi


Very true.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Smoke said:


> you need experience to do resi?  :no: :laughing:


Yes you do and there is a lot more to it then you think..


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## Smoke (Feb 25, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> Yes you do and there is a lot more to it then you think..


i worked resi a couple weeks long ago when we were slow, and we do old folks homes and apartments that are romex from time to time.
its really not :laughing::laughing:


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

Smoke said:


> i worked resi a couple weeks long ago when we were slow, and we do old folks homes and apartments that are romex from time to time.
> its really not :laughing::laughing:



Old folks homes and apartments is NOTHING like a house. You probably couldn't even wire a door bell or a gas fireplace igniter.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

If all I did was commercial or residential I don't think I would be happy. We do a pretty good mix of both. I might be 50 feet up running conduit in the morning and doing residential service calls in the afternoon. I guess I get the best of both worlds.


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## Smoke (Feb 25, 2011)

Malaking_TT said:


> Old folks homes and apartments is NOTHING like a house. You probably couldn't even wire a door bell or a gas fireplace igniter.


lol im not even going to dignify that with a response :whistling2:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Smoke said:


> i worked resi a couple weeks long ago when we were slow, and we do old folks homes and apartments that are romex from time to time.
> its really not :laughing::laughing:



Its really not What??:blink:


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## Smoke (Feb 25, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> Its really not What??:blink:


--->


HARRY304E said:


> "alot more than you think"


 <---


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Smoke said:


> ---> <---


Then that shows you're total lack of expeirance if you think that doing resi old work in a 100 year old house is easy then you have not been there..

I have 37 years in the trade most of that was commercial industral work .

I have run big commercial jobs with 20 plus men...Thats a lot of fun

Right now i am a one man show and do both resi and commercial service work..

It is what i want to do...I do not want employees to worry about ,
And the last thing i wan't to do is run big commercial jobs with 20 guys to worry about,,,For the money it's not worth it IMO.


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## Smoke (Feb 25, 2011)

HARRY304E said:


> Then that shows you're total lack of expeirance if you think that doing resi old work in a 100 year old house is easy then you have not been there..
> 
> I have 37 years in the trade most of that was commercial industral work .
> 
> ...


lol ive been in a 100 year old house doing $1m in elect. upgrades, it sucks that's why i don't do it. you want to crawl around in attics, crawl spaces, etc. more power to ya. 
ever seen a full size in ground swimming pool in the basement of a mansion? try fishing wires above that :whistling2:


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

Smoke said:


> lol ive been in a 100 year old house doing $1m in elect. upgrades, it sucks that's why i don't do it. you want to crawl around in attics, crawl spaces, etc. more power to ya.
> ever seen a full size in ground swimming pool in the basement of a mansion? try fishing wires above that :whistling2:


You want a cookie?


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## Smoke (Feb 25, 2011)

Malaking_TT said:


> You want a cookie?


that was original, good job :thumbup:


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

Yeah I had never heard that before today. I really was born last night.


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