Another Customer Shafted by a Cowboy Builder

[Paul.M]

A workmate of my wife has had no end of problems doing a loft conversion turning it into an extra bedroom, toilet room and a shower room (mixer shower btw). Work started in 2009 and the builder had his own spark. The builder went bust before the job was complete so the home owner got his own spark to 2nd fix, test and cert but he did a runner with the money and did not test or cert the works!

The LABC are now on the owners back to get everything signed off and this is where I step in. Its only 2 circuits plus testing of the smokes, wont take long so I pop around to have a look, well.....

Ever seen a smoke detector on a light switch? I HAVE NOW lol. The 2nd "electrician" has 2nd fixed a smoke where a light fitting should be and left it in place ffs. (radio linked btw so not a massive problem, just made me laugh)

Brown and Blue in the loft but Red and Black in the CU for the two loft circuits? This work started in 2009 not 2006?

Lighting has a broken earth and has been put on the none rcd side of the 16th ed board. No reason for this, no borrowed neutrals on this circuit. Apart from not being able to do a r1+r2 or a Zs on the lights, rest of the test results are perfect.


I have to ask the question, why do some electricians do a halve arsed job and walk away? Makes the rest of us look bad.

What daft mistakes have you come across? Has anyone else seen a smoke detector on a light switch?

 

[Octopus]

All I can suggest is that these so called "sparks" are not sparks.

 

[sparkstu]

yeah i have to say i have seen smoke wired off 2 way strappers worst thing is there had been 2 other "sparks" go out and couldn't find the problem.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

it wont have been an electrician who did this

Paul: dont believe everything you are told, see or read...
i certainly dont...

 

[Des 56]

There has been a lot of hands held up with indignation that the smoke alarm is fed via a switched feed

Are you all very sure of your stance ?

I googled switched smoke alarm for a bit of fun,now,I wonder what info I found

 

[markythesparky]

I have to ask the question, why do some electricians do a halve arsed job and walk away? Makes the rest of us look bad.
Read between the lines, your workmate probably went for the cheapest price he could after his bad luck with the builder. This is the end result. Pay peanuts..... Get
Monkeys.

 

[Des 56]

Further to my own post
Here is a link to a smoke alarm,I wonder what are your thoughts,esp the paragraph on page 12 and the diagram on page 13

http://www.fireangel.co.uk/Uploads/Products/UserManuals/EZ-212 Manual.pdf

 

[DPG]

Not sure how you can guarantee that the light is going to be used for at least 2 hours. Seems like a ropey method to me. Daz

 

[SJD]

I came across a smoke alarm wired across L and switched L, it worked fine so long as the light was NOT switched on for at least 2 hours a week (with a standard filament lamp installed)! The customer didn't like the fact the lamp glowed slightly in the dark when switched off!

 

[danibanez]

Another common one is where they have slung in a bit of t&e instead of 3core to make a 2 way switch then end up using the earth as a strapper... Aah gotta love our cowboy friends .. Bless em for trying!!!

 

[Geordie Spark]

I have to ask the question, why do some electricians do a halve arsed job and walk away? Makes the rest of us look bad.
Read between the lines, your workmate probably went for the cheapest price he could after his bad luck with the builder. This is the end result. Pay peanuts..... Get
Monkeys.

................ and in the world of politics, banking and utility companies you pay truffles and get greedy pigs.

 

[amo]

we see more of these dodgy spark jobs as the days go by. soon being a spark wont even be a respected trade. Too many cowboys under qualified people out there nowadays

 

[Cdm Collin]

really i have to claim i've got witnessed smoking wired off only two approach strappers most severe factor possibly there is ended up only two additional "sparks" head out and could not obtain the trouble.

 

[Geordie Spark]

really i have to claim i've got witnessed smoking wired off only two approach strappers most severe factor possibly there is ended up only two additional "sparks" head out and could not obtain the trouble.

WTF is THAT language bonny lad ........ Geordie it certainly isn't !!!

 

[Des 56]

Collin This a Welsh translation of what I think you intended to say,marks out of ten for me if you please

I think you are saying.you have experience of seeing a smoke alarm wired as SJD post (Live+S live) there were sparks,the smokes were damaged and it demonstrates the installers were not competent