Builder safety worry

[reddwarf4ever]

in 2003 i engaged a builder to extend my property.

1-when I asked for 3 light switches to control 1 light, it took him a week to find out how to do it....he ran multiple cables , just in case, until he found out how it should be done...
2-he fitted a consumer unit, but immediately it kept tripping every time an appliance was used.....this went on for many many many hours, eventually he disconnected some protection within the box, think it looked for difference between live and neutral, he said it wasn’t needed anyway, after 2-3 years it suddenly started emitting smoke.....I called an electrician and he said it had been wired up wrong and replaced it completely...
3-today I removed some flooring and skirting board in my spare room, for decorating and a plumbing change, but found he had used a domestic light switch as a junction box below the floorboards and behind the skirting I found a 2.5 cable supplying a socket running behind the skirting, it had a connecting block joining it to another cable, which was buried into the floorboard.

In my builders defence, he once said to me, when I enquirer about an electrical issue “ well I am not an electrician” says it all I guess, I should have said, get a real one then, but at the time tensions were high and the the extension was taking far longer than expected and costing a lot lot more, so couldn’t afford to rock the boat......I wonder what other surprises await me in the future.......

Is my experience typical ?......scares the hell out of me

Thanks Alex rybak whereever your are

 

[telectrix]

unfortunately this is what happens when you let builders mess with something beyond their simiam brain power.

 

[buzzlightyear]

that why part p was brought out to stop f88king t**ts killing people .

 

[Octopus]

I recommend your have a comprehensive EICR done on your installation ....

 

[telectrix]

wor

that why part p was brought out to stop f88king t**ts killing people .

worked well didn't it? still got bob the builder/kev kitchen/wayne wet-pants/ diy dave/ "doing electrics".

 

[buzzlightyear]

and the customer think we are pulling their pants down when we price for a jobs .

 

[buzzlightyear]

In my builders defence, he once said to me, when I enquirer about an electrical issue “ well I am not an electrician

yeah, must done the job cheep. you could taken you car to a butcher down the road and see if he could fix you car!

 

[pirate]

ah, the wonders of "having the builders in"! No, my friend, you are not alone...far from it!
You have been lucky, having found these problems before a major catastrophe. OK we all have our "Builders disaster" story...fact is, they get there electrician mates in, pay them buttons, and off they all go to the pub, splitting the cash...
I had an extension put up a few years ago. I am fussy, and told them so..."Do not take this job if you don't want me on your back" I said...
Every evening when I got home from work, I would ask them to undo the wiring they had done, and spent ages typing notes (OMG, I hear you experienced guys say!) but next evening...ignored! I asked the chief "electrician" why he had undone my telephone cabling and junction boxes...he said, "you don't need them there, they are fine over here"

and when the stair goes in over them..that'll be fine? Perfectly accessible? He said he didn't know about the stair...job and finish, get the cash and go...
I sacked him... gave him a week to finish off...and 3 weeks later, as I was fixing the hall flooring ready for the carpet fitter, I looked under the floor to see the 2.5mm T+E wrapped a few times round the hot water feed from the CH boiler...
So, paranoid? Me? I sympathise with all you proper professionals out there, but the cowboys are killing you, and that is why, DIY'er that I am, I am glad to be a member of this forum where expertise and common sense rule the roost...
I love electrics, have learned so much from your banter, but I do know my limitations...however, I also do know a "proper job" and it is heartening to see on this site that the vast majority, rather than going for the cheapest fix, advocate the "best practice" route, and a few pence on the job is not an issue.
Builders?
New builds?
Cheap parts?
UGGH!
Rant over....

 

[buzzlightyear]

rather than going for the cheapest fix,

yeah, pay cheap pay twice!

 

[reddwarf4ever]

Wasn’t just the electrics, found almost zero insulation on the 1/2” copper piping, was run so close together I barely managed to squeeze some of the thinner foam insulation as far as I could reach.....when I took out an electrical socket, the piping from the boiler could be seen in the cavity again no insulation.....but on the plus side I do get nice warm walls and floors OMG
I often worry about buying a non new house in case of DIY muck ups, but builders can be just as bad....

Had no end of rows with Alex.....I started a builders book, where each evening I wrote any concerns / expectations, he was meant to respond each day....a response only happened only once or twice in the year.....was a 3 month job, don’t get me started on the roof.........he was going to hire a professional roof tiler, but was too expensive, so done it himself “ how difficult can it be ?”
The roofer who came round said the roof joists were not spaced correctly.....” doesn’t know what he’s talking about says my Alex.....OMG

 

[telectrix]

i though roof joist spacing was automatic these days. a lego roof truss kit ready assembled so even the roughest builder can get it right, or am i dreaming?

 

[reddwarf4ever]

Don’t know, if it could have gone wrong it did......was the worst experience of my life.....including two divorces.......

 

[123]

I recommend your have a comprehensive EICR done on your installation ....

Unless the the inspector is allowed to lift floors etc, s/he will not find half of the mess that's hidden away on that install

 

[1Justin]

I would say your experience is not uncommon. There are loads of small builders out there still badly fudging electrics.

 

[Octopus]

Unless the the inspector is allowed to lift floors etc, s/he will not find half of the mess that's hidden away on that install

You never know ..... The boiler circuitry could be interesting