Sparky puts blank plate where kitchen cupboard is meant to go
- Thread starter mrbg07546
- Start date
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What is behind the blanking plate?
something for the outside light i think?
Trying to understand that. But, if it is something to do with anything, you need to be able to access it. You also need to be able to access it if there is a screwed junction inside!
I suggest that you have a square hole cut in the back of the cupboard and fit one of these
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MTMDLB1.html
Bring the wires into the box and fit a blank plate, switch,. or whatever should be there.
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Let's have a pic of behind the blanking plate.
Yes that would be very helpful
Who designed the kitchen and what was asked of the Clumsy sparky with regards to the kitchen design and electrical work?
Regardless of kitchen design, that's the wrong place to put a plate?
It is only wrong because whoever has designed the kitchen, decided to put a wall unit where a switch plate was.
Do you think the electrician is some sort of magician, that can magically do away with things?
Last edited:
That's certainly how it looks, but photos can easily 'lie' in situations like that.
In any event, it's a problem that I've often come across in my house - in which very little is square, straight, flat, horizontal or vertical. If the window (or just the window reveal) is not vertical (and one doesn't want to rectify that), then one thing or another is almost inevitably going to end up looking wrong, no matter what one does!
Kind Regards, John
I wonder why the socket, blank plate and FCU are not all in one straight line? It would look better that way. A dual box for the FCU and the blank plate would be neat, in the photo it does not look as if the socket and the FCU are exactly level.
Could be that the socket is not screwed up at right hand lug.
It could be, it is hard to be sure in the photo.
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When mothers kitchen was done, the kitchen fitters drew on the plaster exactly where every unit was going before the electrician started so he knew where to fit everything, he in turn drew on the walls showing where every wire ran. Once tiled you could not see markings so it seemed such an easy method to ensure no conflicts between them.
Some times there is a conflict, where existing cables are already installed, where this is the case there will likely be some cost moving cables, same applies with pipes. In theory these conflicts should come to light at the planning stage, however even with projects as big as the building of Sizewell 'B' power station errors are made and a panel is placed in front of a valve so there is no access.
The person doing the panel has too options, one stop work and point out the error, two fit the panel (but don't fit all the screws) and wait to be told to move it. The latter means the company gets day rate to move it, so they get more money if they just follow the plans and fit it even if you know it's wrong. If you don't fit the panel because you see it's wrong, then you get less money, likely needing to authorise overtime to catch up.
To minimise on this clients employ clerks of works, these people try to smooth out the errors. The other method is to have a main contractor and they employ sub contractors. In the home employing a kitchen installation firm who in turn employs electricians is the way around the problem. They get a relationship built up over years where they help each other out. What is important with a relationship is you never say the other guy is wrong, you simply say what the problem is, and try to come to some way to solve the problem.
Yes we all get bloody minded from time to time, when younger I spent ages putting up tray work and trunking ready for my cables only to find the alarm guys had put their cables on my tray and trunking. This stopped me fitting my cables on my tray and trunking, so I simply snipped them and removed them and fitted my cables. Then it came to the call to managers office. Alarm guy quite rightly said there were no cables on the tray and trunking so no reason why he should not fit extra low voltage cables to it. So I was the one in trouble not him. It was a simple first to fit cables had the right to select any route, second has to modify to suit. Foreman said I should have snipped all cable ties and moved tray work and trunking slightly so my cables were the required space from theirs, then fitted my cables quickly.
Some times there is a conflict, where existing cables are already installed, where this is the case there will likely be some cost moving cables, same applies with pipes. In theory these conflicts should come to light at the planning stage, however even with projects as big as the building of Sizewell 'B' power station errors are made and a panel is placed in front of a valve so there is no access.
The person doing the panel has too options, one stop work and point out the error, two fit the panel (but don't fit all the screws) and wait to be told to move it. The latter means the company gets day rate to move it, so they get more money if they just follow the plans and fit it even if you know it's wrong. If you don't fit the panel because you see it's wrong, then you get less money, likely needing to authorise overtime to catch up.
To minimise on this clients employ clerks of works, these people try to smooth out the errors. The other method is to have a main contractor and they employ sub contractors. In the home employing a kitchen installation firm who in turn employs electricians is the way around the problem. They get a relationship built up over years where they help each other out. What is important with a relationship is you never say the other guy is wrong, you simply say what the problem is, and try to come to some way to solve the problem.
Yes we all get bloody minded from time to time, when younger I spent ages putting up tray work and trunking ready for my cables only to find the alarm guys had put their cables on my tray and trunking. This stopped me fitting my cables on my tray and trunking, so I simply snipped them and removed them and fitted my cables. Then it came to the call to managers office. Alarm guy quite rightly said there were no cables on the tray and trunking so no reason why he should not fit extra low voltage cables to it. So I was the one in trouble not him. It was a simple first to fit cables had the right to select any route, second has to modify to suit. Foreman said I should have snipped all cable ties and moved tray work and trunking slightly so my cables were the required space from theirs, then fitted my cables quickly.
Ah, making more sense now - it was a light switch.
I guess if an electrician was present he should have made sure where the cupboards were going and be aware if any electrical accessories would be in the wrong place - then again I don't know what was expected of him. I can only imagine the blank plate/light switch was there before a cupboard was decided to go there.
Either way, the cables should go upwards, meaning there should be enough length in the cables to re-position higher up into the cupboard.
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