I've just moved into a new house, It's a 4 year home built by a major developer. The previous couple who lived here were non-diy savvy and from speaking to them on numerous occasions the only work done on the house was decorating and flooring which they got people in to do.
Now, the house has Crabtree accessories which I personally think are unsightly and have yellowed over the last few years even through nobody has smoked in the house. So, I'm currently going around changing them out for Hager items and making a few minor alterations.
I have an external single garage. It is fed by a 6mm² T&E to a double back box in my dining room. In the back box there is a set of connectors where it joints onto a 6mm² 3 core SWA which goes into the garage. I can't see any ducts and the cable appears to be directly in the ground. While I was swapping out accessories I decided to change the blank plate on this back box and found this...
http://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/7LZeKwG.jpg?3
http://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/hY5PUL8.jpg?2
So no earthed armouring, no earthed back box and no earth tape on the black conductor of the SWA. Now I must admit I've seen a lot worse, but I'm quite annoyed that you buy a new-ish house with a copy of the EIC and come across something like this.
Now, regardless of the fact this doesn't meet BS7671 522.8.10, I thought this was downright lazy and of course I couldn't leave it as it was.
https://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/CtEbUX8.jpg
No my tidiest job but I managed to gland the cable off in the wall which left me with very grazed knuckles. I've used a serrated washer on the back of the SWA gland to ensure good continuity between the gland and the back box and I've obviously earthed the back box.
Now there's the issue of the hole I cut in the wall. The house is dot and dabbed so it's a simple case of cutting in a new piece of plasterboard, gluing it in with dry lining adhesive and a light skim of filler. The issue is my Wife who has said if it was such an issue, surely I should get the contractor back to fix or at least pay to fix the mess and she wants me at the bare minimum to contact the NHBC.
Now, would you just fix this yourself and leave it where it was or would you get others involved to pay for the costs of repair?
The only other interesting thing is there is a 30mA RCD in the garage despite the garage being fed from an RCD protected section of the CU in the house.
Now, the house has Crabtree accessories which I personally think are unsightly and have yellowed over the last few years even through nobody has smoked in the house. So, I'm currently going around changing them out for Hager items and making a few minor alterations.
I have an external single garage. It is fed by a 6mm² T&E to a double back box in my dining room. In the back box there is a set of connectors where it joints onto a 6mm² 3 core SWA which goes into the garage. I can't see any ducts and the cable appears to be directly in the ground. While I was swapping out accessories I decided to change the blank plate on this back box and found this...
http://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/7LZeKwG.jpg?3
http://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/hY5PUL8.jpg?2
So no earthed armouring, no earthed back box and no earth tape on the black conductor of the SWA. Now I must admit I've seen a lot worse, but I'm quite annoyed that you buy a new-ish house with a copy of the EIC and come across something like this.
Now, regardless of the fact this doesn't meet BS7671 522.8.10, I thought this was downright lazy and of course I couldn't leave it as it was.
https://i.Upload the image directly to the thread.com/CtEbUX8.jpg
No my tidiest job but I managed to gland the cable off in the wall which left me with very grazed knuckles. I've used a serrated washer on the back of the SWA gland to ensure good continuity between the gland and the back box and I've obviously earthed the back box.
Now there's the issue of the hole I cut in the wall. The house is dot and dabbed so it's a simple case of cutting in a new piece of plasterboard, gluing it in with dry lining adhesive and a light skim of filler. The issue is my Wife who has said if it was such an issue, surely I should get the contractor back to fix or at least pay to fix the mess and she wants me at the bare minimum to contact the NHBC.
Now, would you just fix this yourself and leave it where it was or would you get others involved to pay for the costs of repair?
The only other interesting thing is there is a 30mA RCD in the garage despite the garage being fed from an RCD protected section of the CU in the house.
