Capping gas pipe - testing requirments

[mickyg]

Builder was removing a gas fire at my request and cut through live gas pipe as he thought pipe was capped.

cowboys, the pair of em by the sound of it. I assume this "plumber" was registered with GSR?

I'm assuming the pipe in the wall is suitably protected from building materials? Not leaving any paperwork to confirm the installation is sound after working on it is shoddy.

 

[namsag]

he is a beauty cuts a pipe and expects customer to pay

 

[bengasman]

Builder was removing a gas fire at my request and cut through live gas pipe as he thought pipe was capped.

That means the builder carried out illegal gaswork

Builder then shut off supply, called plumber mate, plumber mate arrived half a day later, soldered pipe, turned on supply and was out the door in less than 5 mins - no testing or paperwork.

RGI found a cut gaspipe, a large gasescape, and was required by law to carry out a test to ascertain if the problem was solved.

Now builder wants inflated sum which is twice the local rate to have a gas pipe capped. Just considering the whole big picture at the mo. Am happy to pay the local rate for the service but not at his rate, and since it all seems to have been done in a hurry I don't even know if it's been done to regs. If I had been given option (knowing that it was an additional cost to me), I would have had the pipe capped in the garage, near the supply, and on a visible pipe, and not capped on a pipe that is now behind plaster on my dining room wall.

If you got GSR in to check what has been done, both builder and RGI could well end up in deep heap of smelly brown stuff.
Don't pay him a penny more than agreed. He should have had the RGI out to do the job, not his angle grinder.

 

[Dawn10]

Not sure if he is corgi registered - am yet to find out.

Not sure what you mean by protected from building materials. Pipe was plastered over (no casing - should it?) and very susceptible to anyone banging a nail through it .

I think I will get the pipe capped in the garage but in the meantime I need to politely discuss the charge with the builder and the grounds on which I'm not prepared to pay it. The plumber did check that the boiler relit and asked me to test the hot water but I was more concerned about whether the gas pipe was secure.

Thanks for all your replies - has kept me amused while I stress out about this!

 

[bengasman]

Ben......lit fag usually indicates where a leak is.......

That is not a particularly clever remark, you should know better; that is totally illegal.
It is well known that there can be no smoking in the workplace for more than a year now.

 

[bengasman]

Not sure if he is corgi registered - am yet to find out.

Alas, corgi is no player anymore in gassafety; they have become a combination of plumbers merchant and advertising agency.

What you need since march is:

Gas Safe Register

0800 408 5500

If you tell them that a builder tried to remove your fire himself instead of getting a RGI to do it, and that the RGI that came to the rescue did not test the installation, they will be quite happy to come and check. Whatever they decide, their efforts won't cost you a penny.

 

[OvertonPlumber]

he maybe a boring git.

however i was doing a boiler change in a house today that had a new kitchen fitted nice big 6 ring gas range (gas rings leccy ovens) gaspipe comes into kitchen in 15mm fed a 80000 btu profile then went of and fed the range.Noway in hell gaspipe is sufficiently sized.

I test the installation and find a 6mb/drop over the test period.I promptly cap of supply will investigate in morning.

My point is gas is dangerous and should not be diyed because it takes years and 1000s £ to make us competent.

 

[Dawn10]

he is a beauty cuts a pipe and expects customer to pay

well it was me who told him that the fire was capped . (Corgi guy who installed my new boiler a couple of years ago told me at the time that he had capped the fire as there was no air vent). But, there is a possibility it was capped but further down the pipe than where he cut. (Builder ripped out fire surround and cut pipe about 3 feet from appliance whereas previous cap was perhaps right by the appliance as that would have been the only accesible part of the pipework?? I can't prove that it was capped but even so, my thoughts are that if you're dealing with a gas pipe, don't just go by what your customer tells you - test it first?? I'm sure he wouldn't have stuck his wet fingers in a socket if I had assured him that the electricity was off.

 

[bengasman]

..My point is gas is dangerous and should not be diyed because it takes years and 1000s £ to make us competent.

That is not a very convincing argument, sounds a bit like bob crowe defending yet another train strike.

The reason why gaswork should not be done by people who don't know what they are doing is very clearly described by the example of the OP.

 

[Dawn10]

Gas Safe Register

0800 408 5500

If you tell them that a builder tried to remove your fire himself instead of getting a RGI to do it, and that the RGI that came to the rescue did not test the installation, they will be quite happy to come and check. Whatever they decide, their efforts won't cost you a penny.

I'm liking that a lot

 

[bengasman]

he is a beauty cuts a pipe and expects customer to pay

well it was me who told him that the fire was capped .

That is irrelevant, you are not a pro. Would he lick the cable if you told him it was not life anymore?

(Corgi guy who installed my new boiler a couple of years ago told me at the time that he had capped the fire as there was no air vent). But, there is a possibility it was capped but further down the pipe than where he cut.

Probably was.

(Builder ripped out fire surround and cut pipe about 3 feet from appliance whereas previous cap was perhaps right by the appliance as that would have been the only accesible part of the pipework??

He had no business cutting a gaspipe that was not proven to be dead.

I can't prove that it was capped but even so,

You don't have to, it is not your job.

my thoughts are that if you're dealing with a gas pipe, don't just go by what your customer tells you - test it first?? I'm sure he wouldn't have stuck his wet fingers in a socket if I had assured him that the electricity was off.

Indeed
(I did not read this part when I put in my example above. )

 

[roguetrader]

best get it capped in the garage if thats at all possible. the capped end left near the fire should be readily accessible for purging if its a long dead leg. i'll bet your builders 'plumber mate' doesnt hold a ticket.

 

[doitall]

Would cutting a live gas pipe with an angle grinder be Riddor reportable.

 

[tonybhoy]

Why in the name of the wee man did the 'builder' not just turn off the gas in the house before 'ripping' out the old gas pipe 'just in case' it was still live?

Guy must be a mentalist, aside from the fact that he should have had the gas supply tested by someone who is qualified to test but to go on the rampage on a customer's say so is pure madness.

Think I would give this one some dosh 'for his troubles' and then tell him to do one. God only knows what he'll do for his next trick.

 

[roguetrader]

Would cutting a live gas pipe with an angle grinder be Riddor reportable.

if it was an angle grinder he should be doing the lottery this week!!