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

 

[rolyberkin]

My friend had builders do her electrics as it was 'in with the price' they left her without power for three days despite two electricians attending to fault find. In the end I went around there to sort it out and it took me an hour to find the faults and put them right. I now only work for two local builders (who I trust and are personally known to me) for any other building jobs I insist on working for the client direct, they engage and pay me on completion of work. That way I am not anything to do with the vast majority of muppets out there who call themselves builders.

 

[reddwarf4ever]

Just thought I would throw this in for good measure, had an old potterton 20+ year old boiler, contacted a ‘ professional CH “ installer, very nice sign painted van....anyway he installed the new boiler, but once installed he said “ the boiler requires 3 wires, as the new boilers require 3 wires, the two I had plus a permanent live, to allow the run on when the CH pump gets a signal to stop, to prevent the boiler cooking......I asked if he could do this , then I got the now infamous phrase “ I am not an electrician “.....the boiler system had been partly drained for the install and kept banging and crashing and cutting out.....without the run on...
( valant later informed me that installing without the 3rd run on wire invalidated the warranty )
The installer tried to remove the air with some hose from the boiler vent.....but after an hour or so decided he could do no more and left.....
I phoned a know electrician who said he would wire up both ends if I ran the cable from the boiler to the CH programmer......I then got a plumber to look at the air problem and he married the make up tank vent with the outlet pipe and the problems disappeared.....a lot of the issues with air was how Alex changed the airing cupboard to the other side of the house but left the make up tanks where they were, lots of long pipe runs, back and forth....oh well it’s ok now.....
I really like to have tradesmen I can trust, jack of all trades master of none builders can KMA.......
Also had a professional tiler tile my kitchen 3 times, each time the tiles sloped down.....I told him I was fussy and would pay extra for a 100% job, he said “ no need that's the quality I do” ........4th time the tiles were ok........it’s so hard to get a good reliable tradesman.....it really is......

 

[reddwarf4ever]

Moving off topic now, so will end it there, thanks for being patient, listening to my rants and your observations......

 

[Octopus]

Unfortunately when you need a decent tradesman, you will probably have to wait as their diaries are quite full, and they won't be the cheapest either ....

 

[dmxtothemax]

Whilst we understand your concern, we also know that you get what you pay for ! There is a reason why good electricians cost good money ! You choose/accept cheap, you get cheap ! And as most of it is probably hidden away ? there is no easy way to check it all, short of ripping it all out, All you can do now is be sure you have the highest level of protection and wait n see !

 

[The Ghost]

I have to say, when you saw the builder was struggling with the electrics this should have rung alarm bells. I would say to all such people in your position use your common sense and get someone who is registered with a CPS provider. i.e. a proper electrician.

 

[telectrix]

get someone who is registered with a CPS provider. i.e. a proper electrician.

or a Electrical Trainee with little or no practical experience.

 

[DPG]

As said above, you need this system checking fully. It needs every cable checking fully, whether they are buried/under floors or whatever. That light switch under the floorboards is unbelievable.

If you don't get this checked fully you are putting lives at risk. Can't understand how it has got to this stage if you and the builder knew he wasn't up to the job of doing the electrics part way through the job.

 

[pirate]

Builders? Don't get me fkn started!
Off topic, I know...how about a new thread?

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I'm thinking of asking a painter I know to replace my roof, can anyone foresee any potential problems?

 

[pirate]

No, if he is a half-decent tradesman you may well be on a winner! And ask your roofer if he is any good at painting...chances are he will be ok at that too!
But ask either to run a new circuit for you?
It's all about expertise...

 

[danzor]

I used to work for a builder, I only found out recently he threw asbestos sheets into the foundations... I’m glad I don’t work for any builders now.