Rewire questions

[Salathiel]

Just bought a house and had it rewired, what was in there was just horrific but I won't bore you with the detail.

Anyway, paid for a full rewire of the sockets to put in 2 new ring mains, and a partial rewire of the lighting circuit (check for safety, reuse cable if fine) and to have old fuseboards replaced with with a modern consumer unit as well as a couple of other bits and bobs (removing dodgy rig to garage, removing redundant immersion switch left loose, loosely wired in what used to be the kid's bedroom(!)).

Would appreciate views on:

Should the old socket cable have been completely ripped out? I had assumed yes but have found instances where it has just been cut back and left buried in the wall

I have concerns about how safely wired one of the light switches is, got an admittedly cheap mains voltage tester pen that suggests potential on the faceplate and the wiring looks a mess - this should have been checked right?

Old junction boxes, one held together with wire remain under the floorboards on the landing, at least one of them is still carrying power - should these have been replaced, and I read somewhere that regulations now do not allow for any screwed connections to be hidden, is that right?

I haven't paid the guy yet because of these outstanding concerns (they were meant to finish last friday but I kept having to point out bits they hadn't finished, which in fairness they did then do without grumbling, but still....) - and they haven't yet given me a safety certificate which they promised to do in the quote, its absence is also making me suspicious.

I'm paranoid about electrical stuff so might be overworrying this, but would appreciate any opinions.

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Surely the removal of the old wiring will cause disruption to the wall finishes, unless the whole lot is being re-plastered etc.

You can bet your bottom dollar you will not see the certificate until you have paid.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Should the old socket cable have been completely ripped out? I had assumed yes but have found instances where it has just been cut back and left buried in the wall

Old cable should be removed where possible to do so, but it will have been left buried in the wall if the alternative is destruction of the surface finish

I have concerns about how safely wired one of the light switches is, got an admittedly cheap mains voltage tester pen that suggests potential on the faceplate and the wiring looks a mess - this should have been checked right?

Is this a metal faced switch? And what sort of cheap voltage tester pen?

Old junction boxes, one held together with wire remain under the floorboards on the landing, at least one of them is still carrying power - should these have been replaced, and I read somewhere that regulations now do not allow for any screwed connections to be hidden, is that right?

Junction boxes held together by wire unacceptable and must be replaced by ones that require use of a tool to access live parts.

Screwed connections under floors are acceptable if there's an access trap cut in the floor but most people would replace with maintenance-free JBs in this location now due to access issues with laminate etc.

I haven't paid the guy yet because of these outstanding concerns (they were meant to finish last friday but I kept having to point out bits they hadn't finished, which in fairness they did then do without grumbling, but still....) - and they haven't yet given me a safety certificate which they promised to do in the quote, its absence is also making me suspicious.

You don't pay until the job is done and the job isn't done until the certificate's signed. Did you agree a withholding of final stage payment for snagging works?

 

[Salathiel]

OwainDIYer

Thanks, that is really useful - I don't want to be unreasonable with this guy but at the same time I do require peace of mind! So I can live with the buried cable, that makes perfect sense.

Chief safety worries are with the dodgy looking switch and the dodgy looking junction box. (also shouldn't the JBs be screwed to the joist?)

I'll try to upload pictures of both, as well as the Mains Voltage Tester I've used.

Thank you very much for taking the time to comment.

PS. I haven't paid him anything at all yet, he has not been pursuing payment either. I'm not a skinflint, I want to pay him the agreed price for the agreed job as soon as possible but I can't risk him just disappearing once paid and leaving me with a headache, don't have time (and somewhat short on expertise) to sort out myself

Untitled

• Salathiel
• 9 Oct 2013
• 1

Untitled

• Salathiel
• 9 Oct 2013
• 1

Untitled

• Salathiel
• 9 Oct 2013
• 1

 

[OwainDIYer]

Switches look rough but hopefully he will remove and replaster/make good.

The unsheathed red wire between the switch boxes MUST BE sheathed or in conduit. Live and neutral MUST BE run as a pair through the same cable and box holes (eddy current in metal boxes).

Are those switch boxes actually big enough for the dimmer switches?

The junction boxes should be screwed to joists and the cables clipped each side. The cable sheath MUST BE continued inside the junction box.

Overall the standard of work looks rough but not actually unsafe.