Rewire and some niggles and problems.

[ericmark]

I am aware I can go a little OTT when looking at some one else's work, and I don't want to be unreasonable.

I said from start use common sense, so if existing cable is OK then use it etc. And if there was already trunking in a corner then using a larger trunking rather than running loads of chases down the wall was OK. but no trunking in middle of the rooms.

I said all down stairs sockets at heights for the disabled, but upstairs not really worried about as mother could not get upstairs so only able persons using them.

So they did not finish on Friday so said I could do plastering and they would return Tuesday to finish, all looked good, until I started on the plastering.

Noted one socket upstairs just above skirting on landing, does mean no plastering to do, and remember it was being put there so if I rip the shower out of the bedroom I can replace with a FCU and fit more sockets in the bedroom. But then I noted two more sockets on the shirting, in two of the bedrooms, one with a chase above it so no real reason to be mounted so low.

Am I being unreasonable asking for it to be at least as high as the original socket? Now fitted.

Also the garage wiring was originally done in twin and earth from the loft, he asked if he could take supply from bedroom, I saw no problem with this, it was only to charge mobility scooter and run lawn mower. I had considered not having the garage wiring done, but he included it I think as a move to get me to use him. I pointed out it was twin and earth and said I know not allowed, but I did not do it as walking around.

Well two problems, one they have also used twin and earth, even after I pointed out not suitable for outside, and have not re-used the catenary wire post on the garage so new cable is too low and too tight to lift over the caravan when storing in garden.

There is a stair lift, the lift was fitted after the carpet on top of the carpet, to lift the floor boards the carpet needs lifting and instead of removing the last section of rail 8 wood screws and one rail screw and one Allen bolt, they have cut the carpet around the lift, this carpet now longer held down under the stair lift will fowl the lift. It now needs carpet plates to hold the carpet down so it does not fowl the lift. Am I unreasonable to ask that they do that work? I am doing all re-plastering as agreed but I had not realised they were cutting the carpet around the lift. Had they said I would have removed the last section for them.

The main guy on the job was good, but on Friday they flooded the place to try and get it finished, so about 6 electricians working in the house on last day, one socket is quite a bit out of true, and the capping below it is proud of the plaster, quite a few places the capping and conduit is showing through the plaster but sure it will not show once painted. However they don't seem to have made their mind up, some areas no capping or conduit so why have capping and conduit proud in other areas? Why use capping?

Garage supply will need doing, but as for rest, should I complain or not?

 

[Doggit]

Definitely; you are the customer, and you've got a right to express you're views over the quality of their work. How far you get will depend on how much more you're still got to pay them.

You've got different standard of work, because different guys have worked in different rooms.

I suspect they've taken you're easy going attitude as a licence to be slapdash - unless they're normally like that, which could explain why they havben't done the garage up to regs. Where did you get them from, and did you get any references.

 

[ericmark]

I will clearly have a go about the garage, that is clearly wrong and the guy should not be signing the installation certificate with that cable in place. As to the socket hight that is more of a problem, there is nothing to say they should not be just above skirting, and two out of three I would understand the reasoning, only the third where the chase is already there would I really say what is going on here, why not use the chase since it is there.

The carpet is a real problem, it will clearly foul the chair lift as it is, so it is likely when calling the chair lift to the lower station it will hit carpet and activate the safety switch. It only just missed it before, now it will hit it. I don't see why I should have to pay out to rectify the problem, releasing the 8 wood screws would have likely allowed the carpet to be removed and refitted, but either carpet plates or new carpet is now required, the latter would require complete removal of stair lift and refitting after, which means to correct will likely cost more than the complete rewire.

I had missed these errors until it came to plaster, with floor boards up hard to see into each room during the rewire, and for those last few hours there were so many electricians on the job it was hard to keep track. In general it was a good job, when I say niggles it really is niggles, I could raise the sockets, I could replace the garage supply, I could fit carpet plates, just why should I, I've paid some one else to do the job because I realise my dexterity is not really good enough since my accident, also my test gear is faulty and needs replacing, and the council fees for DIY are so high, so £1000 for equipment and council fees, and £1000 for materials means I have paid £1000 for labour two guys for 4 days, and extra 4 guys for 4 hours at the end, still not finished so at 8 hours a day even if I was working at their speed it would have taken 2 weeks, at my speed more like 4 weeks, so £1000 for 4 weeks work is worth paying in my mind. OK they don't have to pay council, but I would, so seemed best way to go.

If they don't do corrections well no real problem, but am I being reasonable asking for sockets to be fitted at original hight? Considering that now the cable has been cut and terminated in the socket.

 

[Doggit]

I suspect it was putting in the extra guys, where things went wrong, as they weren't on the same page as the initial men. At the end of it, it was the contractors responsibility to maintain standards. IMO you have a right to query the disparity in the work, and just because the wires have been terminated, doesn't mean they can't be extended, or crimped.

It's very much down too you how far you tell them the work was a bit sub standard.

You didn't need to do a building control notice, you could have done the work, and then had it tested; recent rule change.

 

[JohnW2]

... and just because the wires have been terminated, doesn't mean they can't be extended, or crimped.

It doesn't. However, if they have incorrectly sited the socket and therefore cut the cables too short to reach the proper locations, I would think that the customer would have every right to expect that the socket be reinstalled, in the right place, with continuous cables, not ones with crimped joints in them.

You didn't need to do a building control notice, you could have done the work, and then had it tested; recent rule change.

Tell me more - that's a new one on me (particularly for Eric, who is in Wales, where even the concept of 'Third Party Certifiers" {who have to be engaged before the work starts} does not exist).

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I suspect it was putting in the extra guys, where things went wrong, as they weren't on the same page as the initial men. At the end of it, it was the contractors responsibility to maintain standards. IMO you have a right to query the disparity in the work, and just because the wires have been terminated, doesn't mean they can't be extended, or crimped.

It's very much down too you how far you tell them the work was a bit sub standard.

You didn't need to do a building control notice, you could have done the work, and then had it tested; recent rule change.

Does that include Wales? I think a FCU to replace low socket then socket at the right height would be the way I would do it, but now fitted I think in real terms I will have to accept it. The garage however will need changing, whole reason for changing cable was dad had used wrong cable, replacing it with wrong cable is clearly no good, plus too low to get caravan under.

As to carpet again not sure what to do? needs carpet plates to hold carpet down so it will not fowl the chair lift. 8 Screws where all that held the rail down if they had just removed the 8 screws they could have slid the carpet from under rail and not cut it.

 

[JohnW2]

Does that include Wales?

Frankly. as I wrote/implied, I don't think it even includes England, unless it was a somewhat misleading statement intended to relate to 'Third Party Certifiers'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

It is rather pointless now as far as this rewire goes. I have paid some one else to rewire as I may rent out, so need the paperwork.

 

[deadshort]

I hope you have mains inter-linked smoke detection and a carbon monoxide detector fitted then ?

regards,

DS

 

[ericmark]

Yes they are part of the telecare package, auto call out of fire brigade if not cancelled etc.

It seems they are willing to correct the errors, the electrician who will be signing the paperwork has already raised some of the errors, like using twin and earth outside.

 

[ericmark]

They returned and moved the living room light, and swapped the garage wire for a black cable which seems better for outside than twin and earth, as the job was finished I realised I was going to be short of sockets, so I have gone to add a few more, however where I thought all sockets were on a ring, I have found one at least which is a spur, so to extend I have swapped the double for a grid switch with a single, fuse and switch in order to supply three more double sockets from the 13A fuse. Now I wonder about the other sockets I was going to take a spur from, they already may be spurs or have spurs from them.

But all in all a good job, not one I would have wanted to tattle given the time constraints.