Bit of a mess of installing sockets in plasterboard

misterhelpful · 23 Mar 2014

Even if everything is connected properly, and patched around, just looking at the layout of it all would drive me potty!

Slightly off topic - what's with the white screw covers nowadays? They are a pain in the proverbial to remove and IMO look cheap and nasty. I prefer to see the screws, with the heads of them all lined up vertically, which is what I think OwainDIYer meant.

EFLImpudence · 23 Mar 2014

misterhelpful said:
with the heads of them all lined up vertically, which is what I think OwainDIYer meant.

Ah, right. Sorry.

Now that is optimism.

OwainDIYer · 23 Mar 2014

misterhelpful said:
Slightly off topic - what's with the white screw covers nowadays? They are a pain in the proverbial to remove and IMO look cheap and nasty. I prefer to see the screws, with the heads of them all lined up vertically, which is what I think OwainDIYer meant.

Yes it is (although I prefer horizontal slots).

My recent experience of sockets with screw covers is Wickes own brand, which are shyte (screws falling out, terminals falling out, only one faceplate hole strapped to socket earth, etc).

I'd love to see the certificates for that job though.

Whitespirit66 · 23 Mar 2014

EFLImpudence said:
misterhelpful said:

with the heads of them all lined up vertically, which is what I think OwainDIYer meant.

Click to expand...

Ah, right. Sorry.

Now that is optimism.

More like OCD!

Personally, I prefer them all horizontal.

But, in this case, just having the actual sockets level would be a bonus.

EddieM · 23 Mar 2014

OwainDIYer said:
misterhelpful said:

Slightly off topic - what's with the white screw covers nowadays? They are a pain in the proverbial to remove and IMO look cheap and nasty. I prefer to see the screws, with the heads of them all lined up vertically, which is what I think OwainDIYer meant.

Click to expand...

Yes it is (although I prefer horizontal slots).

My recent experience of sockets with screw covers is Wickes own brand, which are shyte (screws falling out, terminals falling out, only one faceplate hole strapped to socket earth, etc).

I'd love to see the certificates for that job though.

Oh soooooo wrong!! Not OCD but they screws MUST be vertical to avoid moisture build up and premature rusting. As any fule kno!!

Dextraneous · 23 Mar 2014

You're nuts

Whitespirit66 · 23 Mar 2014

Screw loose!

NewOrder · 24 Mar 2014

As a DIYer, I would be extremely ashamed if I did anything like that in my own house yet alone for a customer. What a total mess, what makes them think this is acceptable?

I would be inclined to get a structural engineer in before paying the bill! Although I assume it has been inspected by building control, I suspect they just got a labourer to these sockets.

sparkwright · 24 Mar 2014

Surely this isn't so much of an electrical installation problem

- more of a plastering problem.

It appears the metal back boxes were fixed to the blockwork, THEN someone did the dry-lining.

The problem is dry-liners very often cut the hole in the plasterboard slightly in the wrong place.

What they SHOULD do is either fit a new board, or at least neatly patch the hole with more board and/or adhesive.

They don't.

The bloke doing the skimming doesn't repair the hole.

The decorator doesn't fill the hole.

Then the electrician comes along and finds all these gaps. He also find plasterboard or plaster OVERLAPPING the box. Cutting this back can sometimes cause damage.

I would say primarily a plastering fault, though often I have been known to repair such defects just to make it look good - somehow the electrician always get the blame if his socket fronts can't cover all that mess.

sparkwright · 24 Mar 2014

Though I must admit, it's clear some of those boxes have been put on out of alignment! No question about that.

pompeygit · 24 Mar 2014

Very reminiscent of that period in the 80's when DIY'ers tried to do everything in the home. This is just so amateurish...beyond what is credible in this day and age!!! AWFUL!!!

Taylortwocities · 24 Mar 2014

Use proper BOX SPACERS and it'll all line up nicely.

Either that or have a decent gap between each accessory. Anything else looks, as you can see, cr@p.

OwainDIYer · 24 Mar 2014

pompeygit said:
Very reminiscent of that period in the 80's when DIY'ers tried to do everything in the home. This is just so amateurish...beyond what is credible in this day and age!!! AWFUL!!!

Excuse me, I am trying to do everything in the home.

View media item 75055
final making good and redecoration is still to be done

The blanking plate is for the volume control for the bathrooms speakers.

conny · 24 Mar 2014

EddieM said:
OwainDIYer said:

misterhelpful said:

Slightly off topic - what's with the white screw covers nowadays? They are a pain in the proverbial to remove and IMO look cheap and nasty. I prefer to see the screws, with the heads of them all lined up vertically, which is what I think OwainDIYer meant.

Click to expand...

Yes it is (although I prefer horizontal slots).

My recent experience of sockets with screw covers is Wickes own brand, which are shyte (screws falling out, terminals falling out, only one faceplate hole strapped to socket earth, etc).

I'd love to see the certificates for that job though.

Click to expand...

Oh soooooo wrong!! Not OCD but they screws MUST be vertical to avoid moisture build up and premature rusting. As any fule kno!!

Agree with Eddie. Keeping screw heads facing the same direction, (vertical or horizontal), is technically known as 'dressing the screws'. Its usually associated that if the finished product 'looks' good then the unseen work will also be just as good.
If you want an example of this just look at any of RF's work. They are spectacular and inspire confidence in his ability to do a professional job.

(You know where to send the cheque RF,

)

JohnW2 · 24 Mar 2014

conny said:
Keeping screw heads facing the same direction, (vertical or horizontal), is technically known as 'dressing the screws'. Its usually associated that if the finished product 'looks' good then the unseen work will also be just as good.

Very true, and in the case of wood screws, it's virtually always possible to get that extra bit (up to 90°) of turn to get the slots aligned, and thereby impress everyone with ones professionalism. However, in the case of machine screws going into tapped holes or nuts, if there is no suitable washer present, 90° can sometimes make the difference between over- and under-tightened.

Kind Regards, John

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Bit of a mess of installing sockets in plasterboard

EddieM

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