I posted once before, and I want to thank everyone for their invaluable input. I’m forging ahead with adding an exterior door to my walk-out basement, and now planning to add some windows as well. Looks like adding windows is a fairly straightforward work. But looking around my unfinished basement last week, I think I uncovered a problem. The picture is at: http://www.chaean.net/Fun/House/VillageWalk/040602/pages/47%20Interior%20basement03.htm I want to add two double windows on this wall. It faces the south, and I think windows will add so much light to this basement. The problem is the main power line along the wall. If you look at the picture, you’ll see it around 7 ft or so off the ground. The line will have to be moved if I want to put the windows at the same level as others in the basement. I’m going to see what an electrician will charge to move the line up (or down, although code may prohibit that) because I just don’t want to mess with something like that on my own. Is that even feasible? I’m trying to do most everything myself in this basement, to learn and also to save some money, and I don’t want this to bust my budget…
And if the line stays put, what other options do I have in adding more light to this basement… Thanks in advance for any input!
–Chae
Replies
Chae,
Remodeling is not my domain, but with no replies to date I'll toss out a few ideas and maybe it'll bring a few others in as well.
First, to do the new windows, you'll need new framing...jack/trimmer studs, headers, sills, and upper and lower cripples. This framing is structural, and it is in the basement of your house, meaning that it is carrying a healthy load from above...a one floor, or two-story structure? You need to know what you're doing before you mess with these walls in temrs of supporting the load from above while you remove the supporting structure below. Back to the framing. The problem is that some of this new window framing needs to run from sill plate to the top plate, and it's pretty hard to add framing with a big chunk of wire in the way.
You know the wire needs to be moved, but where to move it? Higher or lower in the wall? Somewhere else? To me, regardless of where you move the wire in the wall, be it higher or lower, it's going to be in the way when you add your new structural framing. And I'm guessing that you don't want to be without electrical service while you tackle this project.
So...if your code allows it, consider moving the wire into the ceiling, up in the joists above. If you're knowledgeable about framing, you also know where you can and can't drill holes in a joist. If you don't know, read up on the code to find out.
I won't recommend that you move this "main power line" on your own...but to minimize your cost, I recommend:
Before tackling the above steps, consider bringing in an electrician and getting his/her opinion. He'll be knowledgeable on local code and will tell you the best way to move the wire, and if the above steps will work for him. If the steps I described are do-able, and he's willing to work with you, your prep time should minimize his on-site time, and minimize your costs as well.
You're messing with your service power. That's dangerous.
You're messing with the load-bearing structure of your house. That's dangerous.
Know what you're doing, and how you planning on doing it, before you proceed. It's likely that messing with the power and the structure will require permitting by your local code official. Check into that, they'll help ensure that the work you do is done properly from the start.
The only thing worse than having to rip out completed work is to have the structure fall down on you while you're altering it.
Do it once, and do it right.
Best of luck,
Mongo