cu change price at the big orange shed

[applemac]

went down the warehouse full of edjits today looking for garden stuff

wondered down the leccy isle to find a big notice consumer unit change by our local blah blah £449.. not inc bonding or any faults...

im charging £350 including new tails not inc bonding...

sorry no pics :]

 

[Engineer54]

yes...i dont see a problem at all in electricians trying to keep their costs down....the same goes for customers.....
sometimes its hard when a customers first words are `how much`...rather than `will i get value for money`.....theres been quite a few occasions when we have worked for customers who wanted to get their own gear for us to install.....i don`t see an issue with it.......makes me chuckle sometimes when we`v explained to them that what they have bought isn`t suitable for the proposed install....
reminds me of the C/U change we had on at this place about a month back....poor lass came back with a 16th ed board...the wholesalers should have told her really....hmm.....

I don't think anyone has a problem with electricians using these CU's from B&Q and the like. But i'm sure there are some here that actually believe, that all these CU's at these shed's are being sold to Joe Public. Even when the public do buy these budget CU's from the shed's, it will be more likely with a view of saving money on materials with the local electrician rather than with the idea of doing the job themselves...

Yes there are idiots about, but you can't save the world from these people, they live among us and always have done!! lol!!

 

[oldtimer]

I don't think anyone has a problem with electricians using these CU's from B&Q and the like. But i'm sure there are some here that actually believe, that all these CU's at these shed's are being sold to Joe Public. Even when the public do buy these budget CU's from the shed's, it will be more likely with a view of saving money on materials with the local electrician rather than with the idea of doing the job themselves...

Yes there are idiots about, but you can't save the world from these people, they live among us and always have done!! lol!!

Yep but some of them buy a CU then try to fit it themselves and then come on here saying "My RCD keeps tripping evertime I put the bathroom light on " type of thing

 

[Sausage]

Yep but some of them buy a CU then try to fit it themselves and then come on here saying "My RCD keeps tripping evertime I put the bathroom light on " type of thing

And the trouble with that is.....?

It gives somebody a remedial, and us something to talk about. Otherwise the forums would be full of pictures of perfect installations that they have just done, and want to share.

 

[Swicade]

There trouble with that is.....?......

Where do you start? could be quite a list but the main thing i can think of as worst case scenario is death and destruction...

Death while trying to do it OR doing it and killing someone else....Destruction by possibility of house burning down....

Tbh it's got naff all to do with keeping any forum busy/amusing with lots of questions.

 

[Sausage]

There trouble with that is.....?......

Where do you start? could be quite a list but the main thing i can think of as worst case scenario is death and destruction...

Death while trying to do it OR doing it and killing someone else....Destruction by possibility of house burning down....

Tbh it's got naff all to do with keeping any forum busy/amusing with lots of questions.

True, but the number of units flying out of the sheds vs the number of houses burning down/ people being electrocuted, doesn't really support that does it?

 

[Swicade]

Even 1 would be 1 too many.

I guess going by the logic that it's all fine and dandy anyone can buy a consumer unit and fit it without any qaulifications/knowledge then all those sparks doing domestic work may aswell pack up thier tools as anyone can do thier job after all.

 

[trev]

There's a difference between getting a CU from a shed and chucking it in and installing one properly in accordance with the regs though

 

[Sausage]

No, sparks can just carry on pricing and doing all the work that they are qualified and competent to do, and Joe public can carry on buying whatever they want to complete whatever project they fancy having a go at, electrics included, and any electrical work they do that then doesn't work can be made better by a good sparks.

And the world turns.

I won't be losing any sleep over people doing work in their own home. I hope they live to call an electrician though! That's the job of the Electrical Safety Council and others to raise awareness.

 

[Swicade]

Totaly agree Trev.

Tbh my personal issue is that alot of DIYers can have issue's with changing lights,sockets,lightswitches etc so i think selling consumer units in the sheds is just asking for trouble as the temptation is there for people to try fitting them and cause problems. I just think selling more complicated stuff (like CU's,boilers and the like) in DIY stores is wrong and tempting fate.

I will stress this isn't just about CU's my concerns are for other trades aswell where a certain amount of skill is involved.

 

[oldtimer]

Its all to do with attitude and as I say to customers priorities so the see a £50 CU and want you to put it in for £100 and that includes the CU but at the same time they will pay £350 to service their car that takes 1 hour and £30 materials

 

[PGTips]

In my opinion this whole problem lies with the suppliers ofthe product whether it be Edmondson’s, Newey's, CEF or B&Q for lettingsomeone walk in of the street and buy the electrical products without reallyunderstanding what they are both buying and getting themselves in to.
What’swrong with being asked for your JIB card (No idea how long that will be aroundfor) before you can purchase electrical control gear etc to show that you areat least competent to do so?
How many times have you been at a trade counter atEdmundsons etc, and been greeted by some muppet asking the guy working behindthe counter who knows less than the guy who is going to carry out the work, howto install the product he's in the process of purchasing?
I know I have in wholesalers in and around where I live where this has happened all toofrequently.
Absolute madness?
Now compare this to security product stockistswhere products are usually 12/24 volts. Firstly you have to be a company operatingin the security industry, have an account and proof of identity before aproduct is sold to you.
Who's got it wrong?
They're selling products that ifyou put your tongue on them would give you at best a little tickle. We'redealing with stuff that if you did the same would blow your head off.
Have a goHarry walks in off the street and asks for an expander board for an alarmsystem, and gets turned away from the security wholesaler for not reaching thebench mark. He then drives round to Newey's, Eddy's etc and buys a similarproduct that may or may not work in the alarm system it's intended for from them because he is allowed to do so.
Thereneeds to be more regulation in our industry to stop the general public frombeing able to do this at these types of outlets.
I think we as electriciansneed to become more protective of our industry.
What does it take? A death of apolitician or two (not that that’s a bad thing)? Oh yeh we've had that already haven't weand part "P" was rolled out wasn't it?

 

[Engineer54]

Amazing, another electrician that thinks the general public owes him a living!!!

He still hasn't grasped the fact if you start restricting the sale of electrical products, they WILL increase in price exponentially, and make his life of finding new work, all the harder!!

Your talking as if this is something new, ...it isn't it's been going on even before i came into the industry. It wasn't a problem then and it's still not a problem now. Perhaps you should remember your cries of woe, the next time you change a set of brake pads on your car or van for instance. Perhaps the sale of brake pads and other safety related items should also be subject to restricted sale too, in your world??

 

[sparks1973]

And the trouble with that is.....?

It gives somebody a remedial, and us something to talk about. Otherwise the forums would be full of pictures of perfect installations that they have just done, and want to share.

this is a forum for electricians to come in and discuss......
the fact that its also a public forum is a bonus....
it should never be just seen as a `drop in centre` for confused berks that have been undertaking works that require....

a)an understanding of how to connect properly

b)an understanding of the likely max loads that are likely to be placed on a C/U (including diversity)

c)any concept of how to cert

d)any testing knowledge (other than functional)

e)in possession of any test gear

f)any awareness of safety (safe isolation etc)

it just goes on.......

 

[Octopus]

If members aren't happy with the big sheds selling certain products, then they should boycot them at the big sheds and/or their trade wholesalers - maybe then the manufacturers may wake up.

 

[Engineer54]

If members aren't happy with the big sheds selling certain products, then they should boycot them at the big sheds and/or their trade wholesalers - maybe then the manufacturers may wake up.

Wake up to what??