Is this a sign of poor workmanship?

[Holly64]

Hi

I've just had a quote back for a full electrical rewire. In between the first and second fix the house is being plastered/skimmed over. The electrician has said that making good after second fix will be down to others.

Surely, after a second fix, if the electricians cause damage to the surrounding plaster on the sockets they would use a little bit of filler to make good? If they don't, to me it seems they are allowed to make a right mess of the plaster and just walk away with others to clear up the mess.

Am I wrong about this or is this the standard practise?

Thanks H0llies

 

[JohnD]

The quote you have got is based on the amount of time he expects to take doing your electrical work.

It is standard practice to assume that a good electrician is not necessarily a good plasterer or a good decorator.

If you want to pay the rates that a qualified and skilled electrician charges, for him to mess about with a bit of filler, you could offer to pay him for the extra time it takes.

I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[chivers67]

I can't say it's poor Workmanship. I normally use decorators caulk or filler if I damage plaster but I've been decorating my own house for years now. Can't imagine he's/she's going to smash the plaster about for the fun of it

 

[Holly64]

Well I think £3200 for a straight forward rewire on 2 bed empty house (no carpets & ceilings down), anyone would expect the electrician to make good any damage he causes when putting the fronts on sockets. I think it is wrong to expect the customer to pay-out more money to tidy up.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Why would putting fronts onto sockets cause damage? Are you saying there are no new sockets required, so no need to hack out any new cavities?

 

[Holly64]

Why would putting fronts onto sockets cause damage? Are you saying there are no new sockets required, so no need to hack out any new cavities?

The new cavaties are hacked out in the first fix. Then the plaster comes in. Then the electrician comes back (second fix) and puts the front covers on. It is at this point he states that 'others' are to make good plaster when he has finished.

 

[chivers67]

What other quotes have you got? What area?

 

[JohnD]

Well, if extra work is needed (for example if the plasterers have filled in the backboxes, and it cracks when he hacks it out, or it is lumpy and uneven so the faceplates don't fit), you're going to pay for it. Nobody will do the extra work for nothing. So do you want him to add £500 to his quote, for indifferent work because he is not a decorator, or do you want to pay someone competent? Or would you rather keep the £500 and get out the polyfilla yourself?

 

[Holly64]

I'm in Devon. Just moved to the area. I had a full rewire done in my old house 3 bed, (18 months ago in the South East) it cost £2200 and there was no mention of not making good after the second fix.

 

[Holly64]

Well, if extra work is needed (for example if the plasterers have filled in the backboxes, and it cracks when he hacks it out, or it is lumpy and uneven so the faceplates don't fit), you're going to pay for it. Nobody will do the extra work for nothing. So do you want him to add £500 to his quote, for indifferent work because he is not a decorator, or do you want to pay someone competent? Or would you rather keep the £500 and get out the polyfilla yourself?

I simply would have thought for the price he wants, he may care to clear up after himself!

 

[EFLImpudence]

...but you may not have thought his making good was good enough - then who puts it right? - or maybe he doesn't like doing it.

 

[sparkwright]

Well, if extra work is needed (for example if the plasterers have filled in the backboxes, and it cracks when he hacks it out, or it is lumpy and uneven so the faceplates don't fit), you're going to pay for it. Nobody will do the extra work for nothing. So do you want him to add £500 to his quote, for indifferent work because he is not a decorator, or do you want to pay someone competent? Or would you rather keep the £500 and get out the polyfilla yourself?

As hinted at, sometimes the plasterers don't do their job properly and the electrician has to get over it - or not.

Not filling round boxes is a typical problem.

It's been known for a plasterer to plasterboard or plaster round a metal back box so badly the socket can't be screwed back securely.

Maybe he means this kind of 'damage'.

 

[PBC_1966]

It's been known for a plasterer to plasterboard or plaster round a metal back box so badly the socket can't be screwed back securely..

It's even been known for one of them to drywall right over an outlet box and hide it completely!

 

[Holly64]

I'm just concerned that I've never heard of any trades people suggesting others make good after them. I don't want to give this electrician permission to be 'careless' in his work, knowing that someone else will be along to tidy up. When my old house was done, there wasn't much, tidying up/touching up needed. Maybe a touch of filler to several light sockets - 10mins work with a bit of readymix? If an electrician can't be careful enough with his work to want to spend a measly 5 mins sorting out and to include that 5 mins labour charge in his quote, I don't think he can be that conscienous about his work.

Well, if extra work is needed (for example if the plasterers have filled in the backboxes, and it cracks when he hacks it out, or it is lumpy and uneven so the faceplates don't fit), you're going to pay for it. Nobody will do the extra work for nothing. So do you want him to add £500 to his quote, for indifferent work because he is not a decorator, or do you want to pay someone competent? Or would you rather keep the £500 and get out the polyfilla yourself?

As hinted at, sometimes the plasterers don't do their job properly and the electrician has to get over it - or not.

Not filling round boxes is a typical problem.

It's been known for a plasterer to plasterboard or plaster round a metal back box so badly the socket can't be screwed back securely.

Maybe he means this kind of 'damage'.

Yes, maybe! There is no way the plaster would do that though, not if he wants his money!!

 

[EFLImpudence]

What would you expect if the plasterer had damaged a cable?