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Thinking back to a job in a 1920s house in Cincinnati that changed my whole approach
I was running wire for a new panel in this old brick place, feeling good about my plan. Then I hit a solid brick wall behind the plaster that wasn't on any blueprint. My drill bit just snapped. The homeowner, an older guy who'd lived there forever, came down and said, 'Son, they didn't build these to be opened up again.' That one line stuck with me. I spent the next two hours with a borescope and a fishtape, finding a cold air return chase to use instead of fighting the brick. Now, before I even pull out a drill on any house built before 1950, I spend way more time looking for the paths that are already there. What's your go-to trick for dealing with surprise solid walls in old buildings?
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logan_dixon185mo ago
That's a smart way to handle it. Did the homeowner ever share any other useful details about the house's original construction that helped you later on? Those old-timers usually know all the secrets.
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kelly_hart285mo ago
Nah, I've actually had the opposite experience lol. The last homeowner swore the plumbing was all updated, but @logan_dixon18, we found original galvanized pipes ready to burst. Sometimes their stories are just old memories that don't match up with the real condition of the place.
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