Removing switch/socket box extenders

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I've recently had my bathroom refitted and they installed 2 boxes outside the bathroom (in the landing): a thermostat and a fan isolator switch. The plates sit on thick plastic boxes which project very far from the wall and look horrible.

Can I get rid of those boxes and hide the internals inside the wall?
 
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I've recently had my bathroom refitted and they installed 2 boxes outside the bathroom (in the landing): a thermostat and a fan isolator switch. The plates sit on thick plastic boxes which project very far from the wall and look horrible.

Can I get rid of those boxes and hide the internals inside the wall?

Have you already settled your invoice with the installer? If not, I would get them to sink some boxes into the wall, or explain why they can't.
 
Yes, I've paid them already.
Too late, then. Unless you specified concealed cabling etc.

The boxes, and the cables can be sunk into the wall. But then someone (you?) would have to fill in the cable chases and make the wall look all nice and pretty again.
 
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Yes, I've paid them already.

Are the cables themselves buried, and just the back boxes surface mounted?

Not a big job to chop a couple of back boxes in, what's the wall made of, studding or solid or dot n dab?
 
The cables themselves are buried.

It's a solid wall to the best of my knowledge.

I would get crackin' then :) Isolate, take note of what's connected to what, photograph the connections, and make sure you don't put the bolster chisel through a buried cable.....
 
Cheers. Can I sink the existing surface mount boxes in the wall or is it better to use back boxes meant for in-wall mounting? Does it make a difference?
 
use back boxes for flush mounting. They're slightly smaller than the faceplace so when the switch goes on it conceals the plaster edge.
 
Did they bury the cables in the wall on the bathroom side or the landing side?

Send pictures if you can before you start work to be on the safe side.
 
There are no visible cables on either side. The switches are not on the wall between the bathroom and the landing, but the adjoining wall between the landing and a bedroom, 2" from the corner.

The underfloor heating cable goes into the corner, through the wall and then down to the floor on the bathroom side.

Picture attached.
 

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Glad you sent the picture.

I was under the impression those two accessories were fitted to surface mounted boxes.

They appear to be flush.

They can't be any more flush than that.

Would you mind elaborating a bit more on what the problem is please?
 
Maybe it's the angle of the photo.

Is there a 5-6 mm white spacer between the wall and the accessories? Maybe that's the problem??
 
Yes it's the angle, I was trying to show where the cables go. Hope this photo makes is clearer.

The boxes are 35mm deep.

Apart from these, I also have a transformer for the extractor fan (not shown here) which is on a 20mm surface mounted box, and would like to sink that in the wall too.
 

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Last edited:
Ah.

Yes.

I see how ugly that is now.

Best get some flush boxes then. Available 35 mm deep. There are 25 mm flush metal boxes, but don't know how much wiring you have to accomodate.

If it is a solid brick wall (you have indicated you think it is) you need the metal flush knock out boxes. AND some 20 mm grommets.

If it's plasterboard get 35 mm deep plastic dry-line boxes.

If it's an old house and it's lath and plaster then you need metal boxes notched into one of the vertical wooden studs.
 

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