Electric shocks from metal light switches

[JP_]

Oh, he provided caps? Maybe all will be OK once carpeted?

 

[RF Lighting]

Having just seen your photo, I can’t make my mind up whether he was just lazy or incompetent. Either way what he has done is not the work of a tradesman.

Maybe he only does small jobs because he lacks the skill set to do anything more complicated.
I personally like large complicated jobs

 

[RF Lighting]

Oh, he provided caps? Maybe all will be OK once carpeted?

No that was my example for the op, but having seen his photo, this is not what the “electrician” used.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Can you see this?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfTzAxAE8CFXGf6c7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfTzAxAE8CFXGf6c7

Yes, not nearly as bad I had imagined. I must confess I have never heard of that method before. It does only look like a scuff on the pipe as the blade went through, nothing to worry about.

A slightly separate question: The other thing I'm now slightly anxious about is the holes in the joist where the wires are fed through - just been reading about the areas where building regs say you can drill - between 0.25 and 0.4 of the length of the joist? How does someone know the length of the joist i.e. if they span a single (3m) room or the whole of the floor to calculate where they are able to drill as this would affect where this section was located? They look sensibly sized for the wires.

If I hadn't been so involved in the process he'd have put the carpet back himself and I'd probably never have known or been anxious about any of these things - ignorance is bliss etc etc.

You need to know where a joist is supported, to work out where it is safe to drill.

 

[JP_]

I missed that photo. Yeah, that looks tricky! But so does that copper pipe so near the floor - all my pipes run below the joists, so you'd have to use a very big saw to cut through one.

Also, no lagging on the pipe - or is that upstairs?

 

[MattB83]

Thanks very much all - sorry for my hysteria!

I missed that photo. Yeah, that looks tricky! But so does that copper pipe so near the floor - all my pipes run below the joists, so you'd have to use a very big saw to cut through one.

Also, no lagging on the pipe - or is that upstairs?

This is upstairs - it's a water pipe going to the radiator. The plumber had a good look and thought that it wasn't ideal but didn't think they were causing any problems.

Re: joists - should I be very worried - I honestly don't think he looked where they were supported, though I think there is a supporting wall at either end which would make them about 12 ft long I think and the holes he made were probably half way along which technically I don't think he should have done (i.e. outside the 0.25 - 0.4 spec)? it is central in terms of the height of the joist (which look like 8x2s). The holes are fairly small - I think 1inch diameter. I feel a little reassured from what I've read elsewhere that this will likely not cause any problems.

 

[EFLImpudence]

all my pipes run below the joists,

Do you mean below below?

You're not supposed to cut notches in the bottom of joists.

 

[JP_]

Below below, not in

 

[JP_]

Ah, going under joists only works on ground floors; I forget most people have upstairs

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

it is central in terms of the height of the joist (which look like 8x2s). The holes are fairly small - I think 1inch diameter. I feel a little reassured from what I've read elsewhere that this will likely not cause any problems.

The middle of the height of a joist, is the part under least stress and I would not be too concerned with a 1" hole anywhere along a joist, providing it was in the middle of the height. You will find much bigger notches and likely in the wrong places, to run those copper pipes.

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, not nearly as bad I had imagined. I must confess I have never heard of that method before.

That is the method I was trying to describe as one that I have occasionally used myself.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That is the method I was trying to describe as one that I have occasionally used myself.

OK, it not an area of work I have ever had much involvement with.

 

[aptsys]

Can you see this?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfTzAxAE8CFXGf6c7

This shows one that's been put back in (this split) and one that's been left off (where I was waiting for the plumber to come to check it). Sorry when I said circular saw I meant an attachment for a drill that cuts out a circle with a hole in the centre.

It's not that much of a disaster - a common method for chipboard floors, but saves a lot of time on floorboards too. You'd insert a batten through the hole and affix it to the surrounding area and screw the centre part back in. It just looks like they were careless and split the board. It should be flush though.

 

[MattB83]

It's not that much of a disaster - a common method for chipboard floors, but saves a lot of time on floorboards too. You'd insert a batten through the hole and affix it to the surrounding area and screw the centre part back in. It just looks like they were careless and split the board. It should be flush though.

Thanks - yes I've come to the conclusion this was his only crime! The Barton's he used were warped - I used a different piece of wood for the final one and it sat much neater.

 

[opps]

Jesus wept. The hole is almost as wide as the floorboard.

And it looks like he initially tried to drill it without a centre drill in the arbour (as seems to be evidenced by the excessive scoring). The splits in the timber are probably the result of his failure to drill a clearance hole for the screws. Why on earth didn't he just use an osculating saw to cut the board on the joist.

I cannot comment on his abilities as an electrician but I hope you didn't leave him positive feedback. I encountered several cowboys that have 5 star rating from customers based on nothing more than the person being likeable.