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1shortcircuit
Some of you may have noticed posts I have made regarding doing work for builders and signing off other peoples work. It's a NO NO for me, from the start of my career to the end I have promised myself that I will NEVER sign off anybody else's work.
Anyway, a while ago I did some labouring work for a builder (Cheap - not even pocket money). I had just launched my business so things were slow and I needed an income. Builder was very happy, as he should be because I worked like a mule lol. In conversation he promised me that any future electrical work he got he would pass my way... yeah yeah whatever I was thinking whilst smiling and saying thanks.
The other week I get a call saying that he's got a consumer unit that needs changing and can I pop over to take a look? Yeah sure, no worries I'll pop over and take a look when I get a chance. When I get there a few days later I notice "He's" wiring an extension that he has built on the back of the house... I say nothing
Get asked a couple of questions about how he should install a 3 pole isolator in the toilet and run a switch wire etc lol
I notice 2x 1.5mm legs coming into the extension? "What are the two cables for then "Mate" I asked, "well, that's the lighting ring obviously" Oh really? Why a ring then "Mate"? Ermmmmmmm, oh yeah, it doesn't need to be a ring does it??? I just smiled "arghhh I don't know what I was thinking, daft sod" he says and laughs it off. lol
When I suggested he left the cable there he was not impressed "30 metres worth of cable there, I'm not doing that" I laughed whilst telling him it would probably cost him more to remove it from under the boards upstairs. I was wrong, "just as well I cut it into the concrete floor in the kitchen then eh" Yep, cut a small trench into the concrete floor straight through the kitchen.
Here I am taking all this in whilst looking around thinking I know exactly where all of this is leading
It's been a while now so I decided to pop over this afternoon to check out how he's been getting on. I was just going to call you he said, how weird is that??? All looks very nice, quality of work looks very impressive... Cables have all been pulled in and palstered over sockets are in position.
So I drop the bombshell... So then "Mate" how are you getting all of this work signed off then? lol Should have seen the look on his face. Ermmm well... I was going to get you to do it when you change the consumer unit... Ah right, you know I can only sign off the work I do though don't you? Errmmmmmm... Really????
To shorten the story it turns out that because I won't sign off his work, he feels it may be better if he gets someone else in to do that and the CU change. I told him that he definitely should because there is no way I'll be signing off anything other than my own work.
He didn't seem at all bothered by the time I was leaving because he knows hundreds of electricians, all of which will sign off his work lmao.
So then, that's my good deed done for the day. If anyone knows the area I work in and wants to sign off a builders work then feel free to PM me for the details don't be expecting a very pleasant response though :thumbsup
Anyway, a while ago I did some labouring work for a builder (Cheap - not even pocket money). I had just launched my business so things were slow and I needed an income. Builder was very happy, as he should be because I worked like a mule lol. In conversation he promised me that any future electrical work he got he would pass my way... yeah yeah whatever I was thinking whilst smiling and saying thanks.
The other week I get a call saying that he's got a consumer unit that needs changing and can I pop over to take a look? Yeah sure, no worries I'll pop over and take a look when I get a chance. When I get there a few days later I notice "He's" wiring an extension that he has built on the back of the house... I say nothing
Get asked a couple of questions about how he should install a 3 pole isolator in the toilet and run a switch wire etc lolI notice 2x 1.5mm legs coming into the extension? "What are the two cables for then "Mate" I asked, "well, that's the lighting ring obviously" Oh really? Why a ring then "Mate"? Ermmmmmmm, oh yeah, it doesn't need to be a ring does it??? I just smiled "arghhh I don't know what I was thinking, daft sod" he says and laughs it off. lol
When I suggested he left the cable there he was not impressed "30 metres worth of cable there, I'm not doing that" I laughed whilst telling him it would probably cost him more to remove it from under the boards upstairs. I was wrong, "just as well I cut it into the concrete floor in the kitchen then eh"
Yep, cut a small trench into the concrete floor straight through the kitchen.Here I am taking all this in whilst looking around thinking I know exactly where all of this is leading
It's been a while now so I decided to pop over this afternoon to check out how he's been getting on. I was just going to call you he said, how weird is that??? All looks very nice, quality of work looks very impressive... Cables have all been pulled in and palstered over sockets are in position.
So I drop the bombshell... So then "Mate" how are you getting all of this work signed off then? lol Should have seen the look on his face. Ermmm well... I was going to get you to do it when you change the consumer unit... Ah right, you know I can only sign off the work I do though don't you? Errmmmmmm... Really????
To shorten the story it turns out that because I won't sign off his work, he feels it may be better if he gets someone else in to do that and the CU change. I told him that he definitely should because there is no way I'll be signing off anything other than my own work.
He didn't seem at all bothered by the time I was leaving because he knows hundreds of electricians, all of which will sign off his work lmao.
So then, that's my good deed done for the day. If anyone knows the area I work in and wants to sign off a builders work then feel free to PM me for the details don't be expecting a very pleasant response though :thumbsup
