Gangs to close any ideas?

[Taylortwocities]

See great minds think alike.

…and fools rarely differ.

 

[Doggit]

Well, there's enough fools on this site arguing their heads off to prove that that sayings just for fun.

 

[333rocky333]

Even white sockets vary in size, mk i think are 86mm that gap looks about the same as a dual box

 

[securespark]

Well, there's enough fools on this site

Hey! Leave me out of this!

 

[Doggit]

Well if I've really got to, then I will. But I reserve my right to change my mind, should circumstances dictate otherwise.

 

[winston1]

They do not go into sockets beneath the cabinets, the plugs were cut off and they were wago'd. The fused spur cables to the other ends also come out via the walls.

What a bodge. So when your dishwasher needs servicing or replacement you need to call a sparks first to disconnect it. Appliances come with plugs for a reason. You don't need separate isolation either, pulling a plug is the best isolator there is.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is that not the builder's problem

It would appear that it is the builder's responsibility, but due to incompetent project management it is now the OP's problem.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Any ideas on how to rectify with minimal demolition.

There isn't one.

You know that, and everybody here knows that.

And you and everybody here knows that you asked, in desperation, because you really want there to be a way, and everybody here sympathises with that.

But, sadly, there really is no option apart from removing the back boxes, widening the gap between them, reinstalling them and re-tiling as necessary.

I know that isn't what you wanted to hear, but reality cannot be circumvented, and all this talk of shaving off the sides of accessories is, as the Spanish say, cojones.

 

[securespark]

I reserve my right to change my mind, should circumstances dictate otherwise.

Miaow!

 

[Doggit]

Miaow!

What do you mean, Miaow. It wasn't meant anything like that.

 

[securespark]

Sorry, misunderstanding.

 

[James Carmichael]

If I were you, I'd consder calling the tiler back while you're at it.

Brick bonding of large tiles is inherently a bit more challenging than plain old side by side bonding as it is very intolerant of walls that are not flat horizontally. If they're not, or you don't compensate by packing out with tile cement when you lay the tiles, you end up with the wiggles in one row lining up with the middles of the tiles above and below, and will be obvious as little hills or hollows- as can be seen if you follow the grout line above the right hand edge of the double socket to where it forms a "T" with the tile above.

If this is a one off, or it is not as egregious as the photo suggests, you may be able to ignore it. But, if there's a lot of that about, trust me - once you've seen the faults, you will never unsee them.

 

[mfarrow]

I would think about a 3-way, 2-gang grid plate and filling it with 20A DP switches. You can even get ones with neons and MK do labelled ones which say 'fridge', 'hob' etc.

This would then leave only a gap between the socket and the 3-way grid plate to fill/tile. And of course you'll need to move the point of fusing to where the appliance is and install either a plug/socket or an FCU.

It would work only if the wiring to the appliances is 2.5mn and the safe zones remain suitable, of course.

EDIT: Just looked at the photo, you might struggle to get the old back boxes out.

 

[securespark]

once you've seen the faults, you will never unsee them.

Like the cigar in the wall...

 

[mwatsonxx]

The only solution I can see is to dig it all out and start again using the correct materials. You should have s/o behind the appliances and the FCU's feeding them should be replaced by dp switches.