1st fix in timber frame house

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When doing 1st fix for a timber frame house I use the noggin with steel back box screwed to it method, but I find that the tackers (plaster boarders) usually do the cutouts really badly or cover over them altogether and plasterers some times fill them in with plaster. Does anyone have the same problems as I do?
 
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Yes. I used to do subby work for a building company where on each house, the plasterer would hide one box deliberately. It was a bit of fun trying to find it each time.

If you leave the box slightly proud of the timber, then the tackers will have to cut round it.

Or you could always mark the floor.
 
Yep, I'm just on with 2nd fixing a house.

So far we have had 3 sockets and 2 switches completely missing.

Very very annoying, especially when a few people wired the house. It is difficult to remember where all the points were.
 
I am thinking of using plasterboard boxes and cutting the openings later. I will make detailed notes of where the cables should be with the hope of them actually still being there. Has anyone tried this method?
 
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Trouble with plasterboad fixings is that the wall doesn't stand up to a lot of plugging things in and out / abuse. I don't know if the tennants are careless or not, but I've seen a lot of fast fix boxes that are loose, and there isn't a lot you can do to make them tight short of turning singles into doubles or putting something inside to screw a KO box to.

So I'd go down the route of KO boxes on noggins but marking the floor / making a rough plan of where they are so as when the numpties plaster over them you can find them again.
 
Trouble with plasterboad fixings is that the wall doesn't stand up to a lot of plugging things in and out / abuse. I don't know if the tennants are careless or not, but I've seen a lot of fast fix boxes that are loose, and there isn't a lot you can do to make them tight short of turning singles into doubles or putting something inside to screw a KO box to.

I can't say I've ever come across this, it must surely be a result of shabby installation (poor cutting of plasterboard leading to damage, loose screws) rather than continued use. If the hole is cut carefully and to the right size then the box should have relatively little movement in any plane even without the screws being tightened, if the hole is too large then it's bound to work its way loose over time.
 
Trouble with plasterboad fixings is that the wall doesn't stand up to a lot of plugging things in and out / abuse. .

I can't say I've ever come across this, it must surely be a result of shabby installation (poor cutting of plasterboard leading to damage, loose screws) rather than continued use. .

I agree with electronicsuk.

Going back to KO boxes on noggins, last week I returned to do 2nd fix to find that some of the boxes (that where not plastered over) where moved a little for whatever reason ( i know this for sure as the screws holding the box in place where different from the ones I used) making it almost impossible to line up the flat plates. There seems to be very little inter -trades consideration.

One of my apprentices cut through 2 copper pipes so I called the plumber and told him, he was so gobsmacked that I had actually owned up to it that he refused to take any payment for the remedial work. Normally he just finds out when it is too late.
 
I don't like it when plasterers shorten the wire and give you about half an inch of play :evil: . Sometimes it's worth filling empty back boxes with a carrier bag to stop them plastering the whole thing in unless you know the plasterer.
 
Reminds me of a job I had installing a sound system in a new buiding. The contract specified that the sparks had to provide backboxes with conduits to the suspended ceiling space. This worked well except on one microphone socket. I pushed my fish into the conduit enough to appear at the socket but it was'n't there. Tried the other way-still no luck. I called the spark and it seemed the apprentice had done that one, conduit not long enough and no connector handy, so he stuck a bit in the top and and a bit at the bottom and ne'er the twain shall meet.
 

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