Installer bodge ups.

Joined
2 Dec 2009
Messages
132
Reaction score
1
Country
United Kingdom
Had a bathroom installed last summer by some mob who cold called my Dad. Wish he'd consult me if he's planning getting anything done.

I'd to drain down the central heating because they wouldnt accept liability if anything went wrong. They'd to move the CH CW and DHW pipes to let the shower enclosure in.

What a bodge up they've made.

The old floor had wet rot, something obvious they should have noticed on the survey. I think they have cut off the rotten part of a joist jointed a new bt on but not supported it down to the hard. There are cracks in the floor tile grout.
The installer's subcontactor also used the existing 6mm sq T&E from the switch to the old shower to feed the new one though it requires a 10sq mm. He asked me to fit an MCBO for the shower.
They haven't lagged the pipes.
They've tiled the floor and there is no access underneath the bathroom now.
7 bleeding grand for a small bathroom and expected to supply MCBOs!!!

The central heating spur tripped the first night after the central heating was recommissioned. What a mission refillling it! Didn't notice any tripping over the autumn but didn't have the central heating on for long and the boiler stat was turned down anyway . With the cold spells recently the central heating has been on and tripping frequently. The old man assumed it was a problem with the boiler so had someone come in and 'service' the boiler and after many visits it was still blowing the fuse (though as the solenoid was struggling it did look like the boiler was blowing the fuse). After swapping out a lot of parts and fannying about he's still not done and he's goosed the gas fire.

I'm off work just now (due to having an operation yesterday), so got my tools and multimeter out. The central heating installer has used the earth conductor of the T&E for the cylinder stat sat (makes on achieving high temp). Disconnected both ends and the conductor is right down to earth, so God knows what the bathroom installer has done and hey didnt return my calls for ages when I pursued them just after the installation I doubt I'll ever find out short of getting under the floor somehow. It was one continuous cable before because it was buzed out to replace the 2g surface box with a wiring centre when the kitchen was installed, I mean bodged up. When I did get their 'electrician' he was of the attitude "do it yourself". I think they have maybe bonded a J/B (fair mistake a lot of old school plumbers are notorious for using earth conductors where they shouldnt (and using flex were they shouldn't)) .

Looks like I'll now have to fork out for an RF cylinder stat and an RF room stat.

I had intended putting in a wired room stat but the installer never left a draw wire as requested to pull cables under the bathroom which is the only way to route cables due to adjacent concrete floors.
Aaargh!
 
Sponsored Links
Is this in England or Wales? If so it sounds like a number of Building Regulations offences have been committed - get onto LABC and TSO - whoever did this work needs to be hammered into the ground.
 
Called the installer today. Electrician is coming next week to rectify the CH, the main issue at the moment as my Dad is 83. He is also going to fit an RCBO.
The shower cable isn't grouped, it doesn't pass through insulation,(though i advised I would be fitting underfloor insulation), it's about 15m to switch 4m to shower.
My clamp meters are both broken so don't know the actual current drawn by the shower. (It's a Triton though, so comes spurious low pressure states, despite manometer evidence to the contrary).

I went under the floor today and after photgraphing the installation I opened a J/B. He fitted two JBs to extend the cables. He has twisted the CPCs together, oversleeved and pulled the CPCs out of the cable entry. how odd. At the accessible JB the CPCs from the cyl stat cable and from the supply have been kept apart.
At the other JB in the inaccessible void he connected the CPCs from the supply and the 'CPC's from cyl stat cables. It had to be the inaccessible one didn't it D'Oh.
Appreciate the original installer bodged up but I had the bathroom electrician back when the CH conked out the first night after the installation and he left sayig he'd only connected everything straight through. I didn't realise the SAT was connected using the CPC then and the fault wasn't replicated.

I would have wired a fresh circuit for the spur tot take it off the ring main and a new cyl stat cable as I've got 2c&E FP but no 3C&E of any sort. Bothered buying a whole drum of 3c&E and some 3c&E flex.
 
(It's a Triton though, so comes spurious low pressure states, despite manometer evidence to the contrary).
Dont you like Triton? I've had 2, got 10 years service out of both, used twice a day.
 
Sponsored Links
(It's a Triton though, so comes spurious low pressure states, despite manometer evidence to the contrary).
Dont you like Triton? I've had 2, got 10 years service out of both, used twice a day.

Ive got a triton jade and I think its pants, although the cold weather affects it badly. I thought about ripping it out and pumping the hot to a mixer shower.
 
Ive got a triton jade and I think its pants, although the cold weather affects it badly. I thought about ripping it out and pumping the hot to a mixer shower.
The cold weather is when these showers always suffer - they cant heat the freezing cold water quick enough for a powerful shower.

Brilliant in the summer though!! :cool: :D
 
Yes I suppose the summer is ok, we sometimes turn the hot water off :!:
 
I rewired the cylinder stat in 3C&E, wired a GCH FCU from it's own way in the consumer unit and a 10mm2 earth
A nuisance to do, but better than having mini-trunking round the kitchen wall, which in all likelihood was going to happen.

I'm glad to have the GCH working again.

They have rerouted the central heating using speedfit. I do hope the pipe and fitting are up to the circulating temperature of the heating system (nominally 82 ˚C, measured 79˚C).


Edit: Re the Tritons. I've had a Triton for 20 years and had no problem with it whatsoever, though it was a plain rotary knob (7kW?).

The plumber I was speaking to initially to get the job done as a homer works with the local authority housing repairs service. He said they have too many callbacks to Triton showers due to the poor quality internal controls (power selector switches, pressure switches on off buttons, cheap recycled plastic parts) and to get a Mira.
I've a few nearly-new ones in the shed with such problems I was meaning to put a working one togeteher from or salvage good parts from.
 
They have rerouted the central heating using speedfit. I do hope the pipe and fitting are up to the circulating temperature of the heating system (nominally 82 &#730;C, measured... <edit in later>&#730;C).

Should be able to cope with it - "For Speedfit Pipe and those fittings suitable for central heating, the maximum working temperature is 92&#730;C. The products will withstand up to 114&#730;C intermittently for short periods if there is a boiler or heater malfunction. "
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top