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!)

 

[Str82ais]

The chasing for a box and a channel is new and was carried out as per 2ndEl instruction. Ignore that for now.

Nigel’s plan for the bottom row was:

Feed the oven from the first white socket. The double socket will feed the washing machine and have a spare socket. He blanked the middle socket.

At worktop level: Nigel installed a new socket through chasing a box in the wall and feeding it through the grey cable from the bottom row.

Along that same worktop row: he installed two spurs (one for the hood), and one for the under cabinet lights, followed by a spare double socket for general kitchen use.

 

[Str82ais]

Note everything at the worktop level is in this picture is new and is Nigel’s work.

There was a fair amount of chasing here. Four boxes plus the white-covered vertical chasing.

The deep, rectangular chasing up top — that’s not Nigel’s work and is based on 2ndEl’s instruction.

The way Nigel left it was he left the two grey cables at the pencilled line. He hung one of them off a clip which is not far from the pencilled line, and the other he pulled diagonally and hung at the clips just above the newly-drilled box.

 

[Str82ais]

The boiler is fed via the cable on the opposite wall. You can see there are two joins there. This long cable was supposed to run under the kitchen sink unit.

The two cables coming out of the wall connect to the spurs shown in the second picture. One for the boiler, one for the dishwasher, which supposed to be in the corner.

 

[DPG]

Some of that looks very amateurish. To be fair though your opening post about the boiler cable said the problem was it being 1. 8m long. Then you said it had a joint in it. Now it's got 2 joints in it.

 

[Dustydazzler]

If it were me and this is just my personal view , I would re-wire the lot before even attempting to set the new kitchen units in.
For a good experienced sparks it a days work , day and half tops to fully re-wire that small kitchen space...

 

[Midwest]

I’m not quite sure the blue cable is suitable to provide a supply for a cooker point.

The cable for the boiler supply needs replacing, to remove unnecessary joints, and fixed to the wall; the service void under the floor units could be used.

The cable from above the worktop to the sockets below, should either be flushed in or run on the surface; a combination of both is not very good workmanship.

I’ve used plastic trunking to run cables in the floor service void, but I would normally wait for the plaster finish to be completed.

All in all, it’s not a very professional finish, even at just the first fix stage. I wonder about the rest of the install, that this alteration is joining up to?

 

[Str82ais]

Not sure I understood your last question, Midwest. The other wall has electrics on it but I left it out for now because it’s passable.

 

[Str82ais]

Guys,

The 2nd electrician has done a runner. He did not turn up today. Despite confirming on whatsapp on Thursday and despite new chasing having been instructed based on his new requirements.

Both electricians were sourced via mybuilder.

I am cornered and need to move quickly.

What’s the least amount of work necessary to finish this job?

I rung around several local electricians but it seems that they are loathe to “finish” each other’s work. Nobody wants the job.

If I find someone, can you advise on specific, clear instructions to conclude the job ASAP?

 

[Benchaffey]

'what's the least amount of work necessary to get it finished' that there is a good reason why nobody wants to do it.
The works not great, but with an Aldi budget did you expect waitrose?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Look , this is not rocket science. You need the kitchen rewired before you start putting units in.
It’s an absolute bread and butter job for any domestic electrician.
It’s about a day or twos work max.
This shouldn’t be that difficult for you to find a local electrician willing to do it.
Don’t ask for people ‘to finish of another’s botched work’ but ask for a quote on a full kitchen rewire.
I note your London area , try my trusted electrician or Thomas Nagy

 

[Midwest]

Not sure I understood your last question, Midwest. The other wall has electrics on it but I left it out for now because it’s passable.

The existing installation has to be adequate for the new alteration or addition, which includes earthing & bonding. In my experience with some kitchen refurbs I did, some additional works were required. Not impressed with whats been done here, so not confidant your existing install has been checked for its suitability.

 

[Midwest]

If I find someone, can you advise on specific, clear instructions to conclude the job ASAP?

No we can't basically. You need to source a suitable competent electrician. The use of web sites such as Check a Trade etc etc, do not vouch for competency. Not the Schemes can validate competency, but at least they verify qualifications, insurance, test equipment etc.

Competent Persons Register | Home - https://www.competentperson.co.uk/

Word of mouth, is another good route in choosing a trades person.

 

[Sintra]

Guys,

The 2nd electrician has done a runner. He did not turn up today. Despite confirming on whatsapp on Thursday and despite new chasing having been instructed based on his new requirements.

Both electricians were sourced via mybuilder.

I am cornered and need to move quickly.

What’s the least amount of work necessary to finish this job?

Maybe you are just hard work and both have realised that. The least amount of work is a kitchen rewire, not bodging about with the existing wiring.

 

[Str82ais]

The existing installation has to be adequate for the new alteration or addition, which includes earthing & bonding. In my experience with some kitchen refurbs I did, some additional works were required. Not impressed with whats been done here, so not confidant your existing install has been checked for its suitability.

The entire flat has been EICR’ed and it’s fine.

 

[Str82ais]

Maybe you are just hard work and both have realised that. The least amount of work is a kitchen rewire, not bodging about with the existing wiring.

Let’s not have a client vs trade battle here.

Define “hard work” — yes, I am looking for a discount on your quote and yes I do ask you to repeat the information you stated. Professionals are used to being questioned, people with a chip on their shoulder can’t handle it. They start pulling a fast one and try to deceive and trick and fool.