Channel 4's Help My House is Falling Down Electrical Advice

[KoBe]

Hello all,

I was just wondering if anyone saw the Channel 4 programme with Sarah Beeney, help my house is falling down.

I was a little disturbed by the advice she gave to the homeowners about carrying out the installation of the new cabling for the re-wire and then get a Qualified Electrician to carry out the final connections and testing. In my opinion I don't think this is safe advice as how can an unqualified person know where the safe wiring zones are, how to carry out cable calculations to ensure the correct size of cable is being used etc etc. It seems to me to make a bit of a joke of all the time spent as an apprentice, numerous college courses and all the BS7671 updates.

I would be interested to know anyone else's thoughts on this matter to see if this is normal or whether i'm going to start getting calls to say that the customer will install the cables can we do the rest! I personally don't see how you can sign the work off if you cannot guarantee where and how the cables have been installed and whether the cable is to an approved standard.

Look forward to any replies.

Regards,

KoBe

 

[monkster]

Part pee springs to mind or the lack of it who will be signing installation off,is it any wonder the trades goin down quicker than a lead balloon

 

[Octopus]

Sarah Beeny needs to understand the rules of the Part P and sign off if she is going to make such misleading statements.

Sure there's a saving for a homeowner for them to cut out for new back boxes etc but who's going to check where they run, whether the load is right, holes drilled in joists in the correct places etc, etc,

I looked on the "Help My House is Falling Down" website earlier and strangely I couldn't find a contact us email - wonder why!

 

[SimpleSimon]

What poor poor advice. Now a load of us are going to get calls over the next few weeks with customers along the lines of
"I saw it on the TV!! they said it was ok to put it in myself, so why won't you sign it off!!"
More agro for us.

 

[robskiing]

I seen it myself as well she went on the lines of we can save money by doing some of the electrical donkey work ourselves but you need to call in a professional to rebuild the retaining wall talk about undermining our profession further still especially when times are tough out there its probably more important getting the 1st fix right .

 

[Spoon]

I also watched it. It had me shouting at the telly, especially when the buy who was helping said that it was easy. Now I dont do house re-wires, but I know that its going to be hard to find someone to sign off on some work that someone has done.

 

[Adam W]

We had a discussion on this fairly recently - everyone on here said they wouldn't go in and certify a DIYer's work.
I can imagine this programme will prompt a load of people to have a go themselves and get advice from here. We used to get loads of them - "my electrician has agreed to sign off the work but he's gone on holiday so I need professional advice on what I should be doing".

 

[drew35]

I already had an answer phone message this week, someone saying they've run all the cable in a new barn conversion, and can they connect all the accessories themselves before I come and just make the connections into the consumer unit. I left him a message telling him to make the connections into the consumer unit himself as I wouldn't be touching it.

 

[robskiing]

We all now need to make a strong stance on this and just say no to all diy installations regarding signing off.All my experience ive gained over many years means nothing if these chancers are prepared to risk themselves and their families just to save money

 

[monkster]

The only thing to be gained from all of this is that if electricians take a firm stance about signing anything off that there may be a chance of work ? when it goes bang because no one has tested the installation then the phone starts to ring,imo sara beehny needs a kick up the harriss for undermining every spark thats out there !

 

[Octopus]

I think that Sarah Beeny needs to be contacted by all us sparks pointing out the "error" in her communication last night.

 

[richy3333]

Best contact I could find is Contact Us - Channel 4 - 4viewers

I've filled in the form to let them know what I think

 

[robskiing]

On that programme seems to be a lot of misleading regarding clients budgets she had virtually a new house and garden for a miserly budget of 23K when told the rewire would cost 5k i thought she was going to pass out to be honest i would want a lot more to work in that damp and mouse ridden hovel.

 

[robskiing]

Ive also sent a reply to channel 4 venting my anger had to get that one off my chest i can breathe easily thanks for the link richy 3333

 

[bristollspark]

I am glad i am not the only spark out there that was mad at what sarah said.
such bad and misleading advice to the homeowner.
program started off good i thought in respect to us sparks,then it all went pete tong.
i would say a email to ch4 about this from us all,and we may get a sorry from them,yea right!.
I expect the homeowners son thinks he is a spark now,and a painter and decorator.