Stories of working in rough dwellings, both Private and Social housing.

[Pete999]

I worked in some real dung holes whilst rewiring a local Council estate in South Twerton in Bath, you could work in one on a pair of Semis real nice people, move next door to a stinking hovel, got taken to the Council de lousing depot more than once, makes you wonder how some people could live in that state.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Started out re-wiring council flats and houses. Also student HMOs.
No good for those with weak stomachs or over sensitive nostrils

 

[Pete999]

Started out re-wiring council flats and houses. Also student HMOs.
No good for those with weak stomachs or over sensitive nostrils

Mind you some of the well off Gaffs weren't much better, were they?

 

[John Preston]

I did a rewire of a house that we had to refuse on the first instance. The lady had about 40 cats and no litter trays. The floorboards were caked in cat$hit and even though it was fumigated it was still terrible. They offered us 3 times the pay so we got wrapped up with gaffa tape and white disposable everything and got stuck in. The quickest rewire in the world.

 

[littlespark]

I still remember having to prise my screwdriver off the greasy linoleum floor in one council dive I worked in as an apprentice.

Even now, some houses can turn my stomach, even though the occupants are clean and well off, the houses are filthy.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

It aint much better today @Pete999 to be honest. Twerton is being gentrified as its about the only place that is still cheap but a lot of them prefab houses are cash only no mortgages. full of asbestos and metal cladding, non standard construction and banks dont like them. mainly bought by landlords cheap and rented out for a tidy sum.
Bit by bit its getting better but there is still some places in Twerton I avoid, im conveniently booked up when i find the address!
By the way I finished your little book, you certainly get around and have some stories to tell!

 

[The_apprentice2.0]

Week before last, as I walk in dog has a sh*te on the living room floor, woman apologised and put a piece of kitchen roll over it for the remainder of the day ..... never refused a brew with so much confidence before

 

[Pete999]

It aint much better today @Pete999 to be honest. Twerton is being gentrified as its about the only place that is still cheap but a lot of them prefab houses are cash only no mortgages. full of asbestos and metal cladding, non standard construction and banks dont like them. mainly bought by landlords cheap and rented out for a tidy sum.
Bit by bit its getting better but there is still some places in Twerton I avoid, im conveniently booked up when i find the address!
By the way I finished your little book, you certainly get around and have some stories to tell!

What places are you referring to Gav? I can think of one or two, Redland Park, Carrswood, Whiteway, can't recall the name those dwellings just off the LBR are, like a Rabbit Warren for druggies, it's been a while since I was there. I live in Newton Road, some good people there in my time, most were Admiralty employees, my Da was a QS for the Builder, so somehow wangled a House, seems that in some areas Council tenants have gotten a bad name,and for the majority it doesn't fit.

 

[StephenRowley]

My mum used to be housing officers the stories she can tell wpuld make your hair stand on end.

A few years ago she had a border type she dealing with. When inspecting the property all the old electrical accessories had been left in place after the rewire, sparkie must of just buggered off pronto.

 

[Squid]

Ah the joys of being an industrial sparks, you don't come in to contact with the lower scum classes, well until the plasters and painter and decorators turn up on site.

 

[edexlab]

Had a job doing social housing as above some good some really really bad places right next to each other!

That experience totally changed how I use my vote !
Nice old couple one day scum of the earth the next

One day we had to do a small job in a wardens house
Bloke said here's the key lads , help yourselves to tea and biscuits and I'll be back later
All we had to do was change faceplates in kitchen and fit and plumb a shower

Took first few switches and sockets off and all wiring was old colours
Phoned the clerk of works to check as the normal job we were doing was to completely rewire kitchens and bathrooms all new circuits

He checked and came back with the fact the whole place had been rewired 4 years earlier

I told him to come round and see for himself

He turns up an hour later with the certs and paperwork

I took the board cover off to show him the old T&Eand 2 VIR cables

Customer turns up ,Clerk starts asking him questions
"Yes it was definitely rewired 4 years ago , only took the two lads 3 hrs and they never made a bit of mess"

Turned out after the investigation that this NICEIC company had supposedly rewired 200 houses and had actually only changed the switches and sockets full certs done which were definitely "drive by tested"

A senior Housing association exec got sacked as he'd been in on it and the whole thing was kept quiet ,

We were given the rewires to do, contract stated very strongly we were not to talk about the HA business to anyone

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

What places are you referring to Gav? I can think of one or two, Redland Park, Carrswood, Whiteway, can't recall the name those dwellings just off the LBR are, like a Rabbit Warren for druggies, it's been a while since I was there. I live in Newton Road, some good people there in my time, most were Admiralty employees, my Da was a QS for the Builder, so somehow wangled a House, seems that in some areas Council tenants have gotten a bad name,and for the majority it doesn't fit.

Redland park is still a bit iffy... whiteway is okay now, even risewarn close is getting gentrified. Mainly private via right to buy and sold on. Good solid built houses better than most modern ones.
I live off lwr bristol road and its all being developed full of hmos and student blocks now.
Newton road aint too bad. Though across the road in redland park is rough as heck.
Poolemead road is okay apart from the apartment blocks! Often find doors hanging off there.
I grew up in Odd Down just up Rush Hill.
Snow hill is a bit iffy mind the tall blocks are a right eyesore and drug central.

 

[SteveG]

I could tell you a hundred stories of my council house rewires.
I'm 62 now but as an apprentice my company took on all those jobs.
It was good money though, we got 30 hours each per rewire.
So 60 hours a week, finish Friday dinner. All the houses were identical so we had the right floorboards up and the lighting wired before breakfast.
But shitholes...oh my god.
I was putting the batten holder up in the bathroom and the woman came in, hitched her skirt up, dropped her drawers and had a full mashings on the pot. I nearly puked at the smell.
Another woman brought her clients back - you know, clients.
About 6 a day. We had to run wires through the bedroom between the intercourse sessions.
We got fleas from one house so the council smoke bombed it and we got de-loused.
A gang decided to Rob our van but didn't realise 12 sparkies came in that van. They got the kicking of their life.
Found a wire under the floorboards that went next door. This house was stealing electricity, and they had everything plugged into it.
One house had no outside doors, just curtains. Half the floorboards were missing too. They had burned them on the fire to keep warm. Sad that really.

 

[FatAlan]

Yep, houses where your feet stick to the carpet and you can’t breath in due to the ammonia smell. Dog s**t on the carpet. Baby in high chair drops bread on floor, dog licks it, mum picks up and gives back to baby. Talk about building a good immune system

 

[Top Cat]

I could tell you a hundred stories of my council house rewires.
I'm 62 now but as an apprentice my company took on all those jobs.
It was good money though, we got 30 hours each per rewire.
So 60 hours a week, finish Friday dinner. All the houses were identical so we had the right floorboards up and the lighting wired before breakfast.
But shitholes...oh my god.
I was putting the batten holder up in the bathroom and the woman came in, hitched her skirt up, dropped her drawers and had a full mashings on the pot. I nearly puked at the smell.
Another woman brought her clients back - you know, clients.
About 6 a day. We had to run wires through the bedroom between the intercourse sessions.
We got fleas from one house so the council smoke bombed it and we got de-loused.
A gang decided to Rob our van but didn't realise 12 sparkies came in that van. They got the kicking of their life.
Found a wire under the floorboards that went next door. This house was stealing electricity, and they had everything plugged into it.
One house had no outside doors, just curtains. Half the floorboards were missing too. They had burned them on the fire to keep warm. Sad that really.

I know what you mean, I have been there. We use to go to houses with two electricians, one to do the job and one to look after the van!