Hello, new DIY warrior here

[Andy78]

I can't quite wire it up right.
Any help?

Yes, get an electrician in !

 

[ilsa]

I don't think an electrician did that work. And those switches aint gonna work on that box. You did this did you? The back boxes arent deep enough. I don't think I would care to advise you in this case. You must get an electrician in this is not safe.

Electrician did it...
Well, the cables were there but run in trunking on top of the walls with some plastic bog standard boxes and switches. I wanted cables to be chased and new reproduction bakelites to be fitted ( they come on a wooden plinth).
I hated how the guy worked. He managed to destroy walls, but the chases were not deep enough, so the boxes are not deep enough. Wiring IS REALLY, really tight in there. However, it did work right before I disconnected the switches. Or it seemed to. I'm not sure if I checked all positions...

 

[ilsa]

Electrician sounds like a good idea then. Just not the same one.

 

[ilsa]

When he left the job, the wiring in the boxes was so tight, that it was pushing the cover open and there was no space for all the screws that go in the box to hold the covers on.
I wish he just would have said: hey, the back boxes I have are no good for this job, let me pop out and get some suitable ones, £6 please.
Argh...

 

[ilsa]

When I look for an electrician, what is the best way to describe this job? Deepen the chase, fit bigger / better suited boxes, inspect and fix the wiring if needed? How do I tell if the next electrician knows what he's talking about? Or is it like Bible: trust, don't ask any questions and then pray..

 

[The Ghost]

If an electrician did it where is the certificate. A proper electrician will issue a certificate. Go on line go to Electrical safety first.org look for an electrician. Or go to the Trustmark website type in your post code choose electrician. All the people on those sites are registered through a government scheme proving their ability to undertake such work. Look in you local paper adverts. In any event the wiring is poorly terminated, stripped and the earth is floating etc. etc.

 

[Pete999]

When I look for an electrician, what is the best way to describe this job? Deepen the chase, fit bigger / better suited boxes, inspect and fix the wiring if needed? How do I tell if the next electrician knows what he's talking about? Or is it like Bible: trust, don't ask any questions and then pray..

Ask the Electrician you contact if he could call in to give you a quote on some remedial after the last "electrician" messed up

 

[ilsa]

Thank you guys, I will follow your advice and get someone to look at it asap, as I can't carry on with the rest of works because of this

 

[jackylad]

Don't blame the electrician, when chasing walls out it can go either way depending on the wall itself, nice clean chases if the plaster is good or as with many old houses the plaster is already blown waiting to fall off the wall as soon as it touched, it's not the sparks fault it starts dropping off, i've been to jobs were i've told the customer before i started work you will need a plasterer to redo most of the wall as when you knock on the plaster it's hollow and you just know it wont be just filling a chase.

That work doesn't look like it's been done by a spark even a crap spark, more a diy warrior/landlord thinking they'll have a crack themselves and save a few quid, i'd get an electrician in who can rectify and improve whats already been done.

 

[The Ghost]

Still like to see the certificate tho'

 

[Pat H]

Ideally 2 pictures. One of the back of each of the two way switches.
I'm assuming you have already removed them anyway and that was done with the power off for safety.

 

[ilsa]

Don't blame the electrician, when chasing walls out it can go either way depending on the wall itself, nice clean chases if the plaster is good or as with many old houses the plaster is already blown waiting to fall off the wall as soon as it touched, it's not the sparks fault it starts dropping off, i've been to jobs were i've told the customer before i started work you will need a plasterer to redo most of the wall as when you knock on the plaster it's hollow and you just know it wont be just filling a chase.

That work doesn't look like it's been done by a spark even a crap spark, more a diy warrior/landlord thinking they'll have a crack themselves and save a few quid, i'd get an electrician in who can rectify and improve whats already been done.

I'm not that worried about the plaster even though I had a different electrician in before and he did 4 chases, including old lath and plaster ceiling, neat work, even did some filling and all skirting boards stayed in place. With the last one plaster gone, skirting gone and me here with pictures of dodgy wiring. Go figure. I have my reasons to be weary

I might give the benefit of doubt that he didn't mess up the wiring as the wiring was already in place. But surely, an electrician chasing and fitting back boxes should have mentioned that something is not looking right and not just wire it up and leave. He's top of the Google search for sparks in my area too..hmm..

Lesson: I WILL ASK FOR CERTIFICATE FROM NOW ON. How do I ask for it? before the job?

 

[The Ghost]

A certificate should be issued at the finish of the job. It should not need to be asked for. But if you are not offered it with the invoice then I would consider withholding payment until it issued to you.

 

[Pat H]

Ah I see now. The lack of space in the back box is less of an issue if you are using the wooden backing for the switches as you will get some space there.

 

[Richard Burns]

That does not look very neat at all and I can see that there have been some problems.
I notice that each switch you have pictured has two 3 core cables and one two core cable, although I cannot see behind the obstructions for the other cables you mention.
The lower picture appears to have a supply being fed to the switch. This would lead me to expect that the two way wiring was two wire. However the arrangement in the upper pictured switch does not reflect this.

Because of these anomalies I might expect an error has been made somewhere and that a professional opinion should be obtained in order to test the cabling and determine the correct method that can be used for these switches.

One of the generally most reliable methods of getting someone reliable is to ask for recommendations from friends and neighbours as they will rarely recommend someone who has done a bad job for them (unless you really do not get on well with your neighbours!)

I hope you manage to get it sorted rapidly.