Why are wall plates being installed on new drywall before painting? Why are bundles of cables NOT being taped or covered before paint? Why are CI not making it known that cables are not to be cut or otherwise altered and that plates with inserts need to be removed before painting?

Obviously, if a wall is being repainted, this usually means we aren't consulted (even though we should).

I understand clients not calling because they make snap decisions- dealing with that now. However, if most painters in your area speak a different language and you want them to understand something, it's not hard to google the phrase you want to use, so it can be printed on a label and stuck on the areas/plates you want painted/not painted or left alone.

Yeah, I know- "This is America, dammit! Speak the language!". Or, you could just speak louder and slower, to make them understand 'cause that works, right?

My first electrical company had a large job of condos. We kept on getting blamed for un-leveled outlets. Some were out of wack due to the "touch up" painters not taking the care of putting the plates back on. (The screw notch wasn't vertical.) Or worse, there was one plate that was obviously larger than the others. And since we didn't buy any of those... we quietly swap them back to the normal size and yes, informed the GC about that hole that the drywall wallers left and said it's their problem.

KOT

I was over at a house last month where the builder decided to paint the screen wall of his media room. Rolled right over the wall speaker grills.
Not sure if drunken stupidity or drugs was the cause.

Picking one always makes the other seem less important or likely- I would bet it was booze AND drugs.

Had muffled sound on the in-ceiling speakers in the master and master bath. Really weird sound. Climbed up and found paper under the grills that was put there by the painter to protect the speaker cones. He forgot to remove them.

Why are you plating a house that hasn't been painted?

They have been painted. It's the GC telling the painters to go back to do touch ups or something like that after it's been plated.

KOT

To be clear, the place was partially remodeled. We retro fitted some wiring. None of the plates that were painted were ours. We did not know they were painting every wall in every room, nor should it matter. Dumb people do dumb things. Period. I think it is that simple.

Because every builder has a unique personality. For the same reason that they insist on finishing the floors before the rest of construction is done.

It's also people who decide to run the show without a contractor, using subs they're familiar with. I have done several jobs where I was ready to start and when I showed up, they were sanding the floors and these aren't small houses. One of them is owned by someone who's an archi by training, but is doing urban planning, now. She decided that she wanted to be in the house for Christmas and that "it would be great if the TV was up". Well, it's a damn good thing she's loaded because the place hadn't even been painted yet. I removed it for painting, but I also charged her.

My pet peeve is when the builder gets the painters to go around for a final touch up of any damage and/or snagging after everyone has finished, at this point it seems 'obligatory' that they caulk every plate to the wall so that it can no longer be removed without damage to the finish.

We usually have the painters paint the speakers. We will drop them off, and they will spray them at the same time as they are painting can trims, vents, etc.

Well, I handed a painter a pair of speakers to paint one time. He tried to paint the grills with a brush, and some watered down paint....because normal viscosity paint would clog the little holes (he said). When that was not working so well, he gave up and got the roller out to do the speaker frames. When that also did not turn out so well, he cleaned it all up, and found me on the jobsite, and told me he had a great new idea. He was going to take the paint to the paint shop, have them mix up an aerosol can of AP enamel, and spray them with a few light coats. I could not believe that he just thought of that amazing plan all on his own! Good for him! When I first handed him the speakers, I explained to him what we normally do when we paint speakers....and it must have went in one ear, into a void in his brain, and regurgitated as HIS idea several hours later. I am guessing he has never worn a fume mask while painting/laquering/staining in his entire life.

Some peoples' kids I tell ya.

No one should ever be told to leave something alone that was not installed by them. If anyone cuts wires without consulting with the installing firm first, they should be fired on the spot, and depending on the size of the project possibly sued for damages. I'd love to just cut out plumbing thats in my way, but imagine the "shit storm" that woulf follow?

Should and Is are two different things. Remember that.

I see damaging someone else's work as vandalism, even if they were hired to do their job at the same place.

I make a point of being the last guy in to avoid being called back to move my cabling, but I also like to be able to claim some real estate in the ceilings and walls for my hardware so I have some control over the end result. Sometimes, I'm not so lucky and I just do whatever I can- if they don't like it, I point out the fact that they told me where to place speakers, etc, against my recommendations.