Electric switch covered in plaster, now light doesn't turn off

[max861]

Plasterer has been in this week and after leaving today, he left the light on in the room. I went to the room to turn the light off and saw the switch in this state

Not only are the wires completely covered in plaster, the switch didn't turn the light off (the wiring has been compromised) so I had to remove the bulb instead to turn the light off. Also worth mentioning that he did trip the fuse several times when working near this switch.

He's back tomorrow to finish off the room. Do I point this out and expect him to clean it up before he's finished the job or is this considered normal in plastering and let the electrician sort it out? I am guessing the former but interested to hear from some more experienced on reasonable next steps.

 

[Other_Tucker]

We know them as yellow boxes at work. Every council kitchen we rewire gets these, so the power can be back on and the sockets are live but safe so the kitchen fitter tiles around them.

Same for any 2nd fix that we know is getting plastered, it's another visit to remove them but it leaves a perfect finished wall to screw plates back to

 

[brianmoooore]

Plasterers like a completely unobstructed area to plaster. If the yellow box is used, when the plaster is dry, you will probably find that if you check with a straight edge, the plaster around the switch will be slightly raised.
Ideally, live and neutral to the switch should be disconnected elsewhere, the switch removed, and the wires tucked into the back of the box. The wires and box can be easily cleaned up when the plaster is dry.
On the few occasions that I've had to leave a switch connected, I've placed two small freezer bags over it, with a cable tie holding the necks tight over the wires.

 

[nicebutdim]

It’s not just plasterers. Decorators sometimes take switch fronts off to paint around.

Joiners…. And specifically kitchen fitters are the worst.

You get a call from the customer…. Move a few sockets in a kitchen, wire in the hob etc… You get there and find sockets just hanging on wires… taped up bare ends with only a switch turned off keeping it from being safe…. And 3 under 10’s running about.



If any work involves removing switches and sockets from the wall, such as plastering… then the power should be isolated. Whether that’s inconvenient for other trades, it shouldn’t matter.

I find tilers to be worst of all. Like kitchen fitters they consider themselves electricians, but the extra depth they add means new plate screws - generally 2-3" chopped roughly and forced into place so every lug thread is f****d.

 

[Simon47]

Decorators sometimes take switch fronts off to paint around.

They do ?
In my experience they will tell you, after you've moaned that every ***ing new switch and socket is now painted, that "that's how it's supposed to be done". Seriously, I've been told that - both by decorators and others. I've yet to find anyone who thinks that loosening fittings and painting behind them is the right way to do it.

Once, when there were painters in at a previous employer, I removed a few things (such as the bracket for a fire extinguisher and some picture hooks) from the wall and left them under the edge of his sheets on the floor. When I went back to refit them I found ... they were already re-fitted and painted over !

Plasterers like a completely unobstructed area to plaster. If the yellow box is used, when the plaster is dry, you will probably find that if you check with a straight edge, the plaster around the switch will be slightly raised.

Yeah, nothing beats a blank wall to work on.
But I find that there tends to be a hollow around the boxes then. So bad in our extension (not that the plastering is anything but "interesting") that it's been really hard making good where I've been adding extra boxes (for TV, network, etc) alongside the power sockets. In fact, I was finding it so time consuming (I had to dig out what seemed like miles of cable to change runs/circuit arrangement for the lights) that I got a plasterer in - and I think he did worse than I did (but at least most of it is behind furniture).

Ideally, live and neutral to the switch should be disconnected elsewhere, the switch removed, and the wires tucked into the back of the box. The wires and box can be easily cleaned up when the plaster is dry.

That's what I do, but then I have no problem doing it myself - many homeowners won't be able/confident/safe (perm any combination) to. And with modern LED bulbs, they are generally cool enough to just unplug from the socket to turn them off.

Of course,

 

[DPG]

They do ?
In my experience they will tell you, after you've moaned that every ***ing new switch and socket is now painted, that "that's how it's supposed to be done". Seriously, I've been told that - both by decorators and others. I've yet to find anyone who thinks that loosening fittings and painting behind them is the right way to do it.

Once, when there were painters in at a previous employer, I removed a few things (such as the bracket for a fire extinguisher and some picture hooks) from the wall and left them under the edge of his sheets on the floor. When I went back to refit them I found ... they were already re-fitted and painted over !


Yeah, nothing beats a blank wall to work on.
But I find that there tends to be a hollow around the boxes then. So bad in our extension (not that the plastering is anything but "interesting") that it's been really hard making good where I've been adding extra boxes (for TV, network, etc) alongside the power sockets. In fact, I was finding it so time consuming (I had to dig out what seemed like miles of cable to change runs/circuit arrangement for the lights) that I got a plasterer in - and I think he did worse than I did (but at least most of it is behind furniture).


That's what I do, but then I have no problem doing it myself - many homeowners won't be able/confident/safe (perm any combination) to. And with modern LED bulbs, they are generally cool enough to just unplug from the socket to turn them off.

Of course,

Great Post. 'Interesting plastering ' made me laugh. Good band name that. Mind you I've had a few ales tonight. Busy round Doncaster on a races night. Where was I? What's the earthing system?

 

[nicebutdim]

Painters are a rare breed and all seem to share one common trait. That's all I'm going to post on the subject...

 

[davesparks]

Painters are a rare breed and all seem to share one common trait. That's all I'm going to post on the subject...

If you can p*ss you can paint, if you can urinate you can decorate.

 

[nicebutdim]

If you can p*ss you can paint, if you can urinate you can decorate.

This ties in very well with the trait I referred to.

 

[brianmoooore]

Had a tenant once ask if they could redecorate a couple of rooms. Permission granted.
They did one room in a medium blue and the other in maroon. Walls, skirting board, door frames, doors, switches, sockets, and the outer inch or so of the carpet.

 

[littlespark]

Had a tenant once ask if they could redecorate a couple of rooms. Permission granted.
They did one room in a medium blue and the other in maroon. Walls, skirting board, door frames, doors, switches, sockets, and the outer inch or so of the carpet.

They forgot the radiator and the windows.

 

[brianmoooore]

They forgot the radiator and the windows.

No they didn't! It was me who forgot to include them in list.