Putting stuff right.

[La Poste]

Greetings.

A friend of the family has had extensive building work done and also a re-wire.
The state of the work is pretty bad to say the least.
The builder in charge of the job has since folded the company and morphed into a new company and the Sparky is not from these shores and also unobtainable.

I have been asked in my spare time to go over the place and fix anything I find wrong.
The work was never signed off.

If I decide to give the place a once over what are the risks to me?
I was thinking of doing an EICR and then presenting it to the owner, I am competent to do this, C+G 2330, 2391, public liability and professional indemnity insurance and I have a fair bit of on the job experience.

What are the risks to the home owner in terms of never having the work signed off?
The local council obviously know the place has had building work done due to plans being submitted for approval but as far as I know they have had no paperwork for the electrical installation, surely someone must have noticed this down at LABC.

I won't be laying any new circuits or changing any circuit protective devices I shall just be going through things like terminations and measuring IR, EFLI, checking cables are the right sizes and circuits are not over loaded etc.

What would more experienced sparks do in these circumstances?
If I take the job on I think I will be spending quite a bit of my spare time there.

Thanks.

 

[Octopus]

Get the homeowner to ring Guildford LABC, outline the situation and see what they say.

 

[La Poste]

Get the homeowner to ring Guildford LABC, outline the situation and see what they say.

I think he's just hoping nothing will happen and keeping quiet.

I think I will phone them myself tomorrow and see what they say and then tell him, I get the feeling this is going to be one big can of worms.

 

[Octopus]

I get the feeling this is going to be one big can of worms.

An understatement probably.

I've seen loads of really poor electrics recently, all done as part of extensions to houses. Makes me wonder about the competance of the sparkies involved.

 

[Guest55]

I mean what is he looking at worst case scenario?
A fine, will an EICR by a LABC recognised sparky do?

What is the procedure for this sort of thing because I know it is the home owner who is ultimately liable.

It wont come to a fine or anything else as its not the homeowners fault he didnt recieve any certs.
The LABC will accept an EICR , why ? because if they dont they wont get anything.

 

[Guitarist]

An understatement probably.

I've seen loads of really poor electrics recently, all done as part of extensions to houses. Makes me wonder about the competance of the sparkies involved.

Seems that more and more people are just using "any old electrician" who puts in the cheapest quote, regardless of whether they can actually sign off or not. They rely on the builder to "see them right", and as we all know, there are a lot of cowboy builders out there....

 

[La Poste]

Well getting hold of the Sparks who did the work is probably impossible, he's long flown the nest.

I also get the impression this guy wants me to do this for naff all, I'm seriously considering just walking.

There was a quote in a previous post about "free time", do any of us actually have any free time?

 

[Guitarist]

"Mates rates" usually mean a bottle of wine or a pint. What you have described is just too involved. As you were not involved from the start you can easily tell them that you are a professional, and although you will sort the issues for them, your professional rates apply. Explain that the very fact you are going anywhere near it is being done as a favour, regardless of fees.