Advice wanted - unhappy with rewire

Sarah123 · Feb 23, 2019

Hi all

Hoping I could get some independent advice on here. We've just bought our first property and had to get a full house rewire on the property (3 bed semi). Our electricians had finished the work within 2 days (2 electricians working on it). When asked when they were coming back, they said they didn't need to come back for a second fix as they'd finished it all. As we didn't know any better, we assumed all was fine and paid up because that said they wouldn't give paperwork till payment was made.

Since then, we have had a few issues. Our plasterer has been really surprised at the poor standard of work - they have had to plaster around all sockets and spotlights in kitchen.

1. The holes made to put in the sockets are generally quite a bit larger than the face of the external socket casing.
2. One of the sockets had a loose wire that was not connected when the plasterer was plastering around.
3. Another socket melted the builder's plug (smoke coming out as well), but didn't activate the trip switch.
4. An armoured cable they put in to light the garage is coming out of the consumer unit and through the floorboards in the bedroom in front of (rather than behind) the skirting board.
5. No paperwork 3 weeks after despite chasing him for this before everything else happened.

Would really appreciate any feedback as not sure if these are common or we really are within our rights to be taking this further? We tried contacting the electrician a couple of days ago, but he's not able to come till Monday evening, but his general response is telling me that he's blaming the plasterer's work.

Thanks!

Sarah123 · Feb 23, 2019

Andy78 said:
It's usually 28 days after work completion for work to be notified.

Good to know - thanks

telectrix · Feb 23, 2019

this is how it should look.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Advice wanted - unhappy with rewire

Andy78 · Feb 23, 2019

I'll have finished a first fix rewire by the end of Tuesday. Plasterers are coming in to fill my chases and skim every wall after that. Customer asked if I could second fix before the plasterer but I refused because it will make the plasterers job more difficult and probably result in soiled/damaged accessories.
That's how it should be to my mind. The quality of the finished job is worth more than getting my final invoice in early.

dinger809 · Feb 23, 2019

Hi, looking at those pics, putting back boxes in solid walls, you nearly always end up with larger holes than the boxes, due to the nature of brick/block work and plaster breaking off.
As others have said, fixing the face plates back, should be done after the plastering and painting has been completed.
As for the live coming out, with all due respect, if this had been fixed I’m securely (I always give my conductors a good tug to ensure they’re secure) it shouldn’t have happened, even if the plasterer has pulled the socket, as this could happen to anyone taking off the face plate in this instance.
A loose conductor should have been detected during testing, with a higher resistance reading. It would be interesting to see the schedule of test results for this circuit

Bob Geldoff1234 · Feb 23, 2019

I will weigh in here with my opinion.In general,from the photos,it doesn't look a bad job at all.There are grommets in the boxes,sleeved earth wires etc.The main issue is that they have put the socket fronts on before the plasterer has done his bit.Also the swa in front of the skirting could have been done better but generally a cupboard would be built around the consumer unit and wiring which would cover the swa,so really it's not too big a problem.
The wire coming out of the socket is due to the plasterer pulling it too far forward and yeah it should have been tighter.
The blown single socket looks like it's been caused by what ever was plugged into it,not the socket or the wiring.But with out taking off the single socket to check behind,its only speculation.
So in general the install isn't as bad as everyone is making out ie calling them cowboys etc.Trust me I have seen alot worse.
The only real crime these electrician's have committed is second fixing too early in my opinion.

telectrix · Feb 23, 2019

and cutting out for boxes with a wrecking ball. no excuse when we have angle grinders and the like enabling neat cut outs requiring the minimum of filling.

dinger809 · Feb 23, 2019

Also, the cables should have had capping over them before the plasterer does his bit, to stop the plaster rotting the cables. This is a job for the electrician and is part of the first fix

ChrisElectrical88 · Feb 23, 2019

Plastering looks doggers.

Boxes are not to bad, more care probably would have been taken if the plasterers wernt following

Agree plasterer before second fix, however the client has possibly asked for it this was as a lived in house?

Dave OCD · Feb 23, 2019

I think it's shoddy, I'd definitely have put the chased in new cables in oval tubing or at the very least capping and fixed it back properly too. And they're definitely not clean workers.

telectrix · Feb 23, 2019

plaster does not rot cables.old wives tale from the days of lime plaster and rubber cables.

dinger809 · Feb 23, 2019

telectrix said:
plaster does not rot cables.old wives tale from the days of lime plaster and rubber cables.

The cables should still have something over them, capping, tube or the like

ChrisElectrical88 · Feb 23, 2019

Not according to the regs they dont need to. Ovel tube everyday for me though

Andy78 · Feb 23, 2019

dinger809 said:
The cables should still have something over them, capping, tube or the like

Not always needed at all and definitely not indicative of a bad job.

Baddegg · Feb 23, 2019

I always oval my cables dinger, but that’s more to prevent the spreads nicking the cable and just plastering it over, don’t believe there’s any requirement in the regs....

dinger809 · Feb 23, 2019

Andy78 said:
Not always needed at all and definitely not indicative of a bad job.

I think it’s laziness and should be done. In my humble opinion it shows a lack of professionalism and personal pride.

SJD · Feb 23, 2019

dinger809 said:
The cables should still have something over them, capping, tube or the like

Depends, the capping or oval conduit is more to keep the plasterer from damaging the cables with their trowel.

One builder I sometimes work alongside, prefers to avoid capping as it tends to bulge and can lead to thin patches of plaster. But his guys are careful and can work with cables just clipped to the bricks/blocks without damaging them.

dinger809 · Feb 23, 2019

Andy78 said:
Not always needed at all and definitely not indicative of a bad job.

I’ve not said the regs demand it, but as I said to another, in my opinion it should be done and shows a lack of professionalism and personal pride leaving the cables like that. It does protect them to during plastering and just feels (in my humble opinion) more professional

Rpa07 · Feb 23, 2019

That brown doesn’t even look like it’s been clamped so the tug test probably wasn’t carried out. I know the electrician and his mate need to defend themselves so not wishing to come down heavy.
Is 2 days a bit of a rush for a full rewire with two of them. I feel it would lead to some sloppiness and with a want not to return to second fix but to do it all in one instead speaks of greed to me and not customer satisfaction.
I hope he steps up and puts all right and proves us wrong, for the sake of the trade.

Sarah123 · Feb 23, 2019

dinger809 said:
Hi, looking at those pics, putting back boxes in solid walls, you nearly always end up with larger holes than the boxes, due to the nature of brick/block work and plaster breaking off.
As others have said, fixing the face plates back, should be done after the plastering and painting has been completed.
As for the live coming out, with all due respect, if this had been fixed I’m securely (I always give my conductors a good tug to ensure they’re secure) it shouldn’t have happened, even if the plasterer has pulled the socket, as this could happen to anyone taking off the face plate in this instance.
A loose conductor should have been detected during testing, with a higher resistance reading. It would be interesting to see the schedule of test results for this circuit

Thanks - that's a good point. We could ask for the schedule of test results. I'm hoping he'll be bringing some paperwork on Monday.

Baddegg · Feb 23, 2019

I would take some solice in the fact that if 2 people rewired a 3 bedhouse in 2 days they fairly experienced Sarah, if a little hasty,

Sarah123 · Feb 23, 2019

Rpa07 said:
That brown doesn’t even look like it’s been clamped so the tug test probably wasn’t carried out. I know the electrician and his mate need to defend themselves so not wishing to come down heavy.
Is 2 days a bit of a rush for a full rewire with two of them. I feel it would lead to some sloppiness and with a want not to return to second fix but to do it all in one instead speaks of greed to me and not customer satisfaction.
I hope he steps up and puts all right and proves us wrong, for the sake of the trade.

Thanks all for your replies - it's definitely helped us feel more justified in the concerns we have, but helped us to know what is reasonable to expect in terms of cutting out etc. All much appreciated

Leesparkykent · Feb 23, 2019

The chasing does look sloppy but the installation could be fine. To be totally honest the cock up seems like, lack of planning/naivety on your behalf which the electrician shouldn’t be held countable for imo. The installation could be turned off, unscrew the accessories, pull them forward, sandwich bag them up, plasterer can make good then screw the accessories back. Plasterer is probably making a mountain out of mole hill because his work looks rubbish!

Blaspark · Feb 23, 2019

Sarah123 said:
Thanks all for your replies - it's definitely helped us feel more justified in the concerns we have, but helped us to know what is reasonable to expect in terms of cutting out etc. All much appreciated

Contact us - http://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/Contact-Us
I wouldn't trust them to put it right. Contact their scheme. Ask them to help. Contact your local council and complain about people operating like that in the local area ask your council to liase with the scheme as well.

Blaspark · Feb 23, 2019

Leesparkykent said:
The chasing does look sloppy but the installation could be fine. To be totally honest the cock up seems like, lack of planning/naivety on your behalf which the electrician shouldn’t be held countable for imo. The installation could be turned off, unscrew the accessories, pull them forward, sandwich bag them up, plasterer can make good then screw the accessories back. Plasterer is probably making a mountain out of mole hill because his work looks rubbish!

If the electrician didn't test he should have made it very clear not to use the power. Either she's lying or the spark should be out of business. This is a Web forum, we can't decide

Bob Geldoff1234 · Feb 23, 2019

Blaspark said:
Contact us - http://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/Contact-Us
I wouldn't trust them to put it right. Contact their scheme. Ask them to help. Contact your local council and complain about people operating like that in the local area ask your council to liase with the scheme as well.

Hold on there mate.A bit OTT.So for screwing accessories on too early they need reporting to numerous organisations for this heinous crime? Get a grip.It's posts like this that get my goat

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