Ripped off by cowboy

[Str82ais]

Hello all,

I just bought a flat and had an electrician install a new fuseboard, 2019 compliant, do some surface trunking to install new sockets, and prep the kitchen for renovation. Well, he turned out a “bad guy.” I could tell halfway in because he started saying that’ll cost extra to everything. His apprentice drilled six holes through the other side of the walls he was drilling through. Just to afix the surface trunking. I had chosen to do surface trunking to avoid chasing and to avoid redecorating costs. Needless to say, I am now redecorating!

By the end, it was evident he was rushing the job. Kept saying I wasn’t paying him enough and that’s what you get.

He said I would get a certificate. In the end, he rushed off in a huff and did not hand me anything. I paid him £1120. He said he was owed £250 more.

I got a new electrician today and he said he would charge £750 to “correct” the other guy’s mistakes and issue both flat and kitchen certs of compliance with regs.

What is going on? How should I have handled this better!

I am planning to live in the property, do I need to get certs at all?

Am I being ripped off? (YES!)

 

[Midwest]

No need for excessive cynicism. This thread has been on for 3 days now and I am CLEARLY not attempting a DIY job. Please tell me you don’t think I am going through this big deception to get you guys listing out the steps.

I am not sure the NICEIC and other regulating/advisory bodies recommend that somebody with an electrical problem should just call an electrician in and sit back. That’s what some electricians may like but that’s wrong ethically and morally. In case something goes wrong, both parties need to be clear what they want and what will be delivered.

When I ask for clarity of instruction, I am not asking for a 123 list of steps. I am asking for the tasks that you believe need addressing to increase my safety. I specifically said I am trying not to pay again all over so am looking for the most important bits that need addressing. Telling me to lie back, daddy’s home, and pay what I get told, smacks of tradesmen closing ranks and agreeing to fleece a customer.

Many other respondents have been very helpful and I am thanking them and am very grateful for everyone’s engagement. But I also have to speak out when I find someone trying to be helpful to me and also trying to get me to shut my eyes.

Like I said when I first replied to you, Midwest: when there’s problems, the first things tradesmen say is: “well what did you instruct him to do, what was the quote for?” So, let’s agree that this is a legitimate question and that I am not trying to short-circuit anyone or pull a fast one. I am the victim here.

I think you getting hold of the wrong end of the stick here.

When my car requires repairs or a service, I take to the local garage I’ve used for years. I trust them to carry out the work; if they say the big ends gone, I just say how much, and then get them to fix it.

I have tried to help, suggesting the governments competent scheme. Have you had a look there?

If you’ve had an EICR done, what did it say about the blue and orange cables. They are not normal standard cables?

 

[Dustydazzler]

maybe it's cold and/or miserable.???

That's what my wife says I am

 

[Toneyz]

These orange and blue looking cables as Westward has mentioned is a prewired conduit system with singles in it I remember it being advertised in the 80/90's as Aricon in P.E magazine.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Ah yes wasn't it used almost exclusively for 1970/80s pre fabs ?

 

[Midwest]

These orange and blue looking cables as Westward has mentioned is a prewired conduit system with singles in it I remember it being advertised in the 80/90's as Aricon in P.E magazine.

Argh, just noted that.

 

[The Ghost]

Thanks for the pic @Str82ais it is good to see you seem to have RCD protection for a start. And a metal CU. So as it is a flat I guess one Ring final circuit to the kitchen one to lounge and bedroom and a lighting circuit. Ideally I would hope to see a separate circuit for the boiler and the cooker. I see you have spare ways to acheive that and a spare RCBO under the tape presumably the original supply to the cooker which should be locked off. The lack of a lock on that RCBO shows that no one is following accepted safe practices. From your pictures it looks like you need the cooker switch installing and the first fix finishing along with the second fix for your sockets. As already said by @Dustydazzler it would be around a day and a half work at London prices I guess that is about £600. The cable coming out of the bottom socket draping along the new bonding does not quite acheive a safe zone is it is not quite where you would expect to find it if it were buried in that position so needs leaving ideally so one can see it and not drill into it. But it would aggravate me personally and I would have to move the socket below so that it came straight up from the socket and bury the cable with oval conduit. There is not a lot to do but bear in mind you do need a certificate for the installation. An Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC). Which means testing will be carried out proving it is safe to commission (switch on) and safe for your use with live tests. I just wonder if you have made provision for extraction fan above the cooker as I cannot see any FCU or socket for that? Also from the pics I would say you don't have enough sockets in the kitchen. Hard to properly judge as I have not seen all walls and don't quite know the size of the kitchen.

 

[rapparee]

I specifically said I am trying not to pay again all over so am looking for the most important bits that need addressing.

I am the victim here.

Who cares, the third electrician has no obligations to you.

Nobody could be arsed poking around with this botch job.

If you want it fixed pay for it, if you don't want to spend the money. Don't worry about it. Make do with what you have.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Day rate in London probably £400 per day , so yes £600 labour should just about cover it...
Probably be looking at around a grand for the entire job lock stock and barrel

 

[UNG]

No need for excessive cynicism. This thread has been on for 3 days now and I am CLEARLY not attempting a DIY job. Please tell me you don’t think I am going through this big deception to get you guys listing out the steps.

The only thing you are making clear is you would like the Rolls Royce but want it at the price of a Mini

I am not sure the NICEIC and other regulating/advisory bodies recommend that somebody with an electrical problem should just call an electrician in and sit back.

I think you will find that is exactly what they say and recommend

That’s what some electricians may like but that’s wrong ethically and morally. In case something goes wrong, both parties need to be clear what they want and what will be delivered.

Can you give some clarity as to why this might be wrong ethically and morally
There are a lot of things I don't like or find restrictive but thats life

When I ask for clarity of instruction, I am not asking for a 123 list of steps. I am asking for the tasks that you believe need addressing to increase my safety. I specifically said I am trying not to pay again all over so am looking for the most important bits that need addressing. Telling me to lie back, daddy’s home, and pay what I get told, smacks of tradesmen closing ranks and agreeing to fleece a customer.

That needs to be agreed between yourself and the electrician if you can find one that will work for you. If you have not noticed there is a hell of a lot of difference being sat behind a computer screen and being hands on on the job
Whether you consider it tradesmen closing ranks that is entirely your opinion you could probably ask 10 electricians and they would all come up with different solutions and wide range of prices and differing timescales to complete the work and that is how it works the customer then makes a choice who to employ

Many other respondents have been very helpful and I am thanking them and am very grateful for everyone’s engagement. But I also have to speak out when I find someone trying to be helpful to me and also trying to get me to shut my eyes.

Like I said when I first replied to you, Midwest: when there’s problems, the first things tradesmen say is: “well what did you instruct him to do, what was the quote for?” So, let’s agree that this is a legitimate question and that I am not trying to short-circuit anyone or pull a fast one. I am the victim here.

You sound like the typical irritating potential customer I walk away from before I even quote they know what they don't want but don't really know what they want, you get the sense they are going to try to add additional work to a fixed price and don't want to pay the additional costs

Would you be offended if an electrician came to look at your job and you told him he was wrong because a group of forum contributors told you it should be done a certain way and he told to stick your head somewhere, if it was me I would be walking after some expletives and telling you to get them to sort it

You are only a victim of your own annoying whinging, mistakes and stupidity