Poor quality kitchen electrical work by a professional

[nswk00377]

Hi

I have just had an electrician in to add 4 new sockets into my kitchen. After 8 hours work the results are as in the below album. No certificate was supplied for this work either. I would be interested to hear any comments on this work and any advise on any action to take.

Thanks

Nick

//www.diynot.com/network/nswk00377/albums/1537

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[davy_owen_88]

Your link doesn't work, this is what you want: //www.diynot.com/network/nswk00377/albums/1537

The work looks shoddy, but we can't really tell much from the pictures. The hole in the wall has cables that look like they may run outside safe zone. The socket placed directly below the washing machine tap is in a poor location, it even looks like there is water pooling on the top so get ready for your RCD to trip What is infront of socket 3? What do you think is wrong with it? Socket 4 doesn't seem to have anything wrong with it apart that during installation he knocked off some of the skim coat and he missed his target by about 4 inches If you didn't pay for making good then you can't complain about that. If you did though, then call him back.

Are you sure this is the finished job? He may be coming back to make good when the bonding coat is dry? Maybe he is filling in the forms using a computer and will drop them in to you tomorrow? You need to give us a bit more info before we can really help you.

 

[nswk00377]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

Does the location of socket below the washing machine tap contravene any building regulations ?

Its my oven in front of socket 3. It now protrudes about an inch at the front.

I called today asking about the certificate. I was told someone would call me back. Still waiting.

Nick

 

[ericmark]

The electrician has 30 days to produce paperwork from when the work is completed and if he was not contracted to make good the work then it is not completed until made good.
It does seem as if zones may not be followed as they should and the location seems to be poor under an isolation tap but who selected the location? And as to making good was this part of his work? It is not normal to make good when other work is also under way.
Did he claim to be a registered electrician? He must issue an Installation certificate but he only has to issue a completion certificate if he is a registered electrician. Where the electrical work is part of a larger job it may be the local authority building inspector that issues the completion certificate. It is the owners responsibility to ensure Part P is complied with. Only if the electrician says he is registered and is not has he committed a crime. If he says he is not registered it is then your responsibility to ensure it registered with the building control.
512.2.1 Equipment shall be of a design appropriate to the situation in which it is to be used or its mode of installation shall take account of the conditions likely to be encountered.

 

[hairyben]

The socket behind the oven is no good. Sockets must be accessible for isolation, unless it's controlled via an accessible spur switch.

I can't recall whether the regs mention directly a situation such as the socket under the w/m outlet, but it's pretty shoddy.

Out of intrest are the sockets on an RCD, what size is the MCB/fuse, and can you tell if he completed the circuit as a ring (where a continuous cable runs to all the sockets then back to the board to form a loop, every socket should have two cables.)

 

[securespark]

Is that a gas pipe close to socket 2?

If so, don't the regs specify a distance that electrical has to be from gas (300mm)?

 

[nswk00377]

The socket behind the oven is no good. Sockets must be accessible for isolation, unless it's controlled via an accessible spur switch.

I can't recall whether the regs mention directly a situation such as the socket under the w/m outlet, but it's pretty shoddy.

Out of intrest are the sockets on an RCD, what size is the MCB/fuse, and can you tell if he completed the circuit as a ring (where a continuous cable runs to all the sockets then back to the board to form a loop, every socket should have two cables.)

Hi. The work is on a new ring that he installed. I don't think they're on an RCD. Looking at the fuse it states "5A M1 15A-45A M2".

 

[nswk00377]

The electrician has 30 days to produce paperwork from when the work is completed and if he was not contracted to make good the work then it is not completed until made good.
It does seem as if zones may not be followed as they should and the location seems to be poor under an isolation tap but who selected the location? And as to making good was this part of his work? It is not normal to make good when other work is also under way.
Did he claim to be a registered electrician? He must issue an Installation certificate but he only has to issue a completion certificate if he is a registered electrician. Where the electrical work is part of a larger job it may be the local authority building inspector that issues the completion certificate. It is the owners responsibility to ensure Part P is complied with. Only if the electrician says he is registered and is not has he committed a crime. If he says he is not registered it is then your responsibility to ensure it registered with the building control.
512.2.1 Equipment shall be of a design appropriate to the situation in which it is to be used or its mode of installation shall take account of the conditions likely to be encountered.

Hi. Thanks for your reply.
I explained my requirements to the electrician and he carried out the work. Is it not his responsibility to make sure the work carried out meets the necessary regs and to know what is notifiable and if hes not legally qualified to do the work without prior notification to tell me ?

 

[sm1thson]

taken from this topic: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1040583

From the latest version of the Electricians Guide To The Building Regulations, Section 5.2.2 - Location of accessories in kitchens

General guidance can be provided as follows:
i-iv...
v Socket-outlets supplying washing machines and dishwashers etc, should be positioned so that water that may drip from plumbing or the equipment is unlikely to affect the socket-outlet of plug.
...vi-xi

Sounds like your installer is not following this guidance. Have you checked their competence to do the work? Are they registered on http://www.competentperson.co.uk/?

 

[Click-Sure]

Not sure about the 300mm from gas thing, I think it is referenced in the gas regs but not directly or explicitly in the electrical ones.

 

[hairyben]

Regardles of the grey area surrounding notification, the electrician should provide a certificate.

If it's a new circuit, he needs to provide a 3 page "installation certificate"

The sockets should be protected via an RCD (residual current device), also known as an RCCB, and could be labelled RCBO. This is a legal obligation, the wiring regs are a british standard.

how did you find this "electrician"?

 

[Spark123]

Although I agree with what you are trying to say the wiring regulations (BS7671) are not a statutory document.
Part P is statutory though, as is notification for this work carried out in a kitchen. P1 requires "Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury."
BS7671 is one method of complying with P1, it is not the only method.

 

[sealeon]

more than likely a spark with just his part p 10 week wonder course I should think

 

[17thman]

securespark, i think gas services must be 150 mm from accessories, cu, switches etc or 25mm from a cable, unless gas or cable provided with an intumescent/insulating surround. I got my part p assessment on 17th nov and realised a light switch in meter cupboard was too close. OSG page 18 and 62. though 7671:2008 528.3.2 to 528.3.4 does not state this explicitly