Non- standard size sockets required

[MisterTea]

Hi,

I've got a minor problem in my kitchen. When the previous owner has cut holes in the splash back for sockets, they have made them the size of a standard socket. Therefore the socket itself is sunk right back and looks a real mess.

I think a picture will make it clear what I mean

Untitled

• MisterTea
• 8 Dec 2009
• 1

We are planning to sell, so I'd like a cheap fix to make this look better.
I thought I'd seen some brushed metal sockets that had a slightly larger profile than standard, so would cover up the rough edges of the splashback, but I can't seem to find anything now.

Anyone got any good ideas to fix this up?

Thanks.

 

[Steve]

Typical Yorkshire that! I bet the previous owner had carpet in the bathroom too

You might find flat plate items with a slightly larger faceplate, but I doubt they will cover that hole completely.

Go to a DIY store, and see if they still sell those awful plastic surrounds for sockets and switches. They are designed for covering up rough plaster around switches etc, do the job, but I hate them.

You may also need longer screws, or fetch the metal backbox forward a cm or so.

Also buy a new socket, it'll dress it up a treat

PS. Which part of Sheffield?

 

[MisterTea]

Thanks for the suggestion...got me searching, and found this thing:

Untitled

• MisterTea
• 8 Dec 2009
• 1

http://www.treebranches.co.uk/doubmount.htm

I suppose something like that would look better than it does now, may even be able to knock something like that up myself. But its still a long way from ideal!

Still holding out for something better!

(I'm closer to Doncaster than Sheffield)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

the previous owner has cut holes in the splash back for sockets,

What with?

A bread knife?

Anyone got any good ideas to fix this up?

http://www.formica.co.uk/

And cut the holes a little smaller.

 

[DCC]

What with?

A bread knife?

Probably but remember this is Yorkshire - hard to wield a bread knife accurately while cycling up a hill in a huge flat cap.

 

[MisterTea]

Anyone got any good ideas to fix this up?

http://www.formica.co.uk/

And cut the holes a little smaller.

If we were staying here thats what I'd be doing. But we are selling up, so really I just want a cheap quick fix so that it doesn't look the total mess it does now.
The whole house is not finished to amazing standards, so it does not need to be perfect....just better!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I wouldn't have thought a sheet of Formica would break the bank but there ya go.

 

[MisterTea]

I wouldn't have thought a sheet of Formica would break the bank but there ya go.

Its not just the money...I'm taking in to account how useless I am at jobs like that.
Pretty sure I could make a better job than the bread knife job above, but I'm looking for a lazy way out!

 

[kevindgas]

Thanks for the suggestion...got me searching, and found this thing:

Untitled

• MisterTea
• 8 Dec 2009
• 1

http://www.treebranches.co.uk/doubmount.htm

you can get similar but flatter in most elec wholesalers, they come in white as well.

 

[Stoday]

I wouldn't have thought a sheet of Formica would break the bank but there ya go.

He's a Yorkshireman:

Hear all, see all, say nowt.
Eat all, sup all, pay nowt,
and tha ever dus owt for nowt,
All-us do it for thee-sen.

 

[333rocky333]

surrounds sometimes crop up on ebay

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_nkw=...6.m270.l1313&_dmd=2&_odkw=e.bay.uk.&_osacat=0

Neweys also do some page 200

http://www.neweyandeyre.co.uk/pdf/WiringAccessories.pdf

 

[Steve]

I'm in Doncaster, about 1.5 miles North West of the town centre.

Change your location to Yorkshire, Doncaster aint in Sheffield (as much as Sheff would like that, but lets face it, we are the only town in S Yorkshire with our own postcode!)

Also, the flat plastic ones will do the job better than those wooden mouldings.

 

[Taylortwocities]

It won't make a penn'orth of difference to the sale price so why bother.

They'll rip that horlicks of a kitchen out on day one and pop in an IKEA special.

 

[1john]

It won't make a penn'orth of difference to the sale price so why bother.

They'll rip that horlicks of a kitchen out on day one and pop in an IKEA special.

i hope not, those ikea kitchens are crap to install and crap design, especially for old houses.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But people don't find that out until it's too late.