Rewire query.. A reason or cowboy?

My inlaws have got friend round to rewire the upstairs of the house. He is a registered and qualified electrician. Its a basic like for like installation just renewing the wiring and fittings. He has cut another hole in the wall next to an existing light switch. The hole is the same width/shape etc to house a new back plate for a new fitting.

Whats confusing me is why when there is an existing fitting there anyway.
His reason was so they could have electricity over night and as they will be plastering the chase its easier to plaster this hole up at the same time.

Why would this keep the electricity on over night. If its wired up then why not just wire the existing one.

Personally i think somethings not right and cutting corners springs to mind.
Can anyone explain what this is for or why he would do it as we had a rewire of the whole house last year and this was never done. Also no chases were cut upstairs so i assume this should be the same in this case as the houses are the same type, build as they are in the same road.

Thanks

New positions for the accessories allow the old ones to remain in place until the new installation is connected. It doesn't strike me as cuttin' corners, if anything it's more effort than necessary...

However, I don't understand why this work is necessary full stop if the whole house was rewired last year.

From what you have said I would agree with Electronicsuk, more work not less.

electronicsuk said:

However, I don't understand why this work is necessary full stop if the whole house was rewired last year.

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I think his house was rewired last year - this one is the in-law's

keeping the lights on for the customer over night is quite a proffessional attitude. risk assessments for the job may dictate this or at least it is prefferable.

Thanks guys, i just wondered as im not an expert.

It was me who had the rewire, this is the inlaws. The guy is always trying to con and makes stories up, hence my concern and suspicions. If what he's doing is fine then great. When our rewire they just used existing and fed the wiring through existing chases mainly. They did cut some new one above existing. We always had electricity on over night and day but im guessing they just cut out the corresponding fuses or something. There was also 4 people doing our whereas this guys on his own so more time consuming.

Thanks, least i know its being done properly.

jackpot said:

... least i know its being done properly.

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I don't recall anyone saying it was being done properly!

If a property is empty and not inhabited then I strip out and do the rewire.
If it`s lived in I (almost always) install the new whilst not disturbing the old therefore maintaining services to allow folk to live.
It`s very unusual that folk want all the same points in exactly the same places anyway.
It means that the only power loss is near the end of the job and for a short period of time and is managable.
Considering the extra points required and the different circuit arrangements compared to existing the it has benefits.
If it`s being done this way then I see the logic.
to pull in a cable down existing conduit might be OK if it is not elbowed to death but I treat capped voids as a no no - possible sharp edges.
A bit of crafty planning might minimize the spoiling of decor to some extent.