ELECTRICAL

                The bulk of the electrician’s work is done after the dry-in phase of construction is complete.  However, the electrician should be contracted and consulted early in the construction process to approve and supervise wiring in the second floor system, Premier Roof System, and in the log wall system.  This wiring is pulled early in the dry-in process.  Refer back to sections on Log Erection, Second Floor Installation and Roof System Framing for detailed information on electrical wiring.  Have all wiring practices approved by and supervised by your electrician.

                Holes for wiring to outlet boxes in log walls should be drilled when your log erection crew is installing the logs (see previous section entitled LOG ERECTION).   As the crew drills these holes, they will want to mark the location of those holes on the subfloor.  Make sure the drilled holes go all the way through the subfloor.  The next step will be to cut out the outlet box holes in the log walls.  The following diagrams illustrate common placement of outlet boxes with each available log style, but you should check your local building codes for “height-above-subfloor” requirements.

                A good way to notch out an outlet box is to mark the outline of the box on the log wall, using the actual box as the pattern.  Then drill a series of 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch holes within the perimeter of that outline using a butterfly bit or hole-saw bit.  The holes can then be cleaned by using a chisel and/or reciprocating saw.  Plunge the wiring hole to remove chips and sawdust with a stiff piece of wire.  Drilling holes and cutting outlet boxes into log walls should be a part of the dry-in process.

                Wiring to kitchen and bath outlets above counters and vanities can be recessed into the log wall behind the cabinet.  These do not need to be drilled through each course of logs.  Mark the finished height of the cabinet and countertop on the log wall _________ locate the outlet above the backsplash per your local building codes.  Mark the outlet location on the log wall and cut out a hole for the receptacle box.  Directly under the outlet box location and below the top of the backsplash, make a series of vertical cuts in the log wall with a circular saw.  This creates a recessed channel in which you may run your wiring behind the cabinet.  Cut all the way to the subfloor on the bottom and all the way to thebacksplash on the top.  Do not cut above the top of the backsplash.  Use a 1-inch auger to drill a hole in the bottom of the outlet box location downward toward the recessed wiring channel.  Once this hole is drilled to below the top-of-backsplash mark, drill into the log wall at the top of the recessed channel to connect the recessed channel to the hole from the bottom of the outlet box.

                To install light switch outlets in log walls, locate the switch near an exterior door whenever possible.  Wiring for these switches should be run in the area between the door jamb and the rough opening frame.  A horizontal wiring channel can then be drilled over to the switch location through the end of the log at the door opening.  The outlet box location should be cut out as previously described.  Wiring from this switch box, through the door jamb and down through the subfloor should be done before door and window rough opening frames are installed and should be considered a part of the dry-in phase of construction.  There is also a natural channel that is created after the door is installed, between the actual door frame and the rough opening frame.  Usually that area is 1/2”-1” in width, and is also an area in which to run electrical switch wiring.  Refer back to the section, “Door and Window Installation.”

                For light fixtures under the second floor system and underneath Premier Roof Systems, you should have the wire pulled during the second floor framing and during roof system framing.  Refer to the previous sections, “Second Floor System” and “Roof System Framing.”  A good way o mount a light fixture under the second floor system is to recess the outlet box into the 8” face of a short piece of 4x8 (usually left over from the dry-in).  This piece of 4x8 can be mounted between the floor joists where the wiring comes in from above.

                For light fixtures underneath Premier Roof Systems, the wires should be drilled through the rafter or ridge beam and should hang directly underneath the rafter.  For rafters running at an angle, a block of wood may need to be made to mount to the bottom of the rafter.  The block should be cut at the angle of the roof pitch to create a bottom flat surface that is level with the house floor.  The light will then be mounted on the bottom of the block.

                Exterior flood lights are usually located on the underside of the two foot roof overhang outside the home.  The electrical boxes can be notched into the log or cut into a 4”x4” wood block which would be mounted to the underside of the overhang.  The wiring is usually run behind the snow-blocking (the areas on top of the log walls but beneath the roof or second floor tongue & groove decking)with the switch runs coming down the door frames.

                Wiring for phone lines, cable TV, burglar alarms, etc. , need to be considered before and throughout the construction process and wiring runs coordinated with your electrician.  All this wiring is normally run under thesubfloor with legs branching upwards at windows/doors, studwalls, and etc.

                The breaker panel should be mounted in an interior six-inch studwall.  The meter base can be mounted to an exterior log wall with service to the breaker panel entering the crawl space through the subfloor band.  There are also several approved areas to mount the breaker box such as garages, utility rooms, and even on the exterior of your home using an approved weatherproof breaker box.

                To summarize, wiring in a log home should be routed from underneath the subfloor.  Wiring (includes cable, phone, etc.) to outlets in log walls runs through holes drilled during log erection.  Wiring for switches in log walls is run from underneath, up through door jambs and over through holes drilled in the end of a log.  All outlet box locations in log walls have to be cut and chiseled out.  Wiring to overhead lights under an exposed beam second floor system can run from underneath the subfloor, up through studwalls and exterior door jambs (drill through two logs above doorway), through snow-blocking (area directly above log walls and below roof decking which will eventually be insulated and enclosed), through recessed channels in the top of second floor joists (made during second floor installation before second floor decking is installed, then down to light fixture.

                Wiring to overhead lights under a  Premier Roof System can run from under the subfloor, up through exterior door jambs (drill through logs above doorway) or interior studwalls, up through 2x6tongue & groove roof decking and vapor barrier, over the top of the roof decking to the proper location, then down through drilled holes to the light fixture location.  The easiest area to run any electrical wiring to the second floor will be through the first floor stud walls.

                ESTIMATING COST - Usually you will pay an electrician a price that is a multiple of the square footage of the electrified area.  You want to stay away from paying an electrician “by the hour” unless you can be on the job when the hours are worked.  The average price per square foot in Tennessee to perform “rough-in” wiring for a log home can range from $1.50 - $3.00/per square foot of area.  This would include all materials, labor, switches, etc..., but would not include the actual light fixtures (does include the labor to hang the light fixtures).  This price usually does not include the service run from the street to your home.