Workmanship - What to expect?

[jimbob18]

Hi there,

I posted a couple of weeks ago hinting at some issues I'd had with an electrician. Since then I've spoken to him, and he's been back and attempted to correct the work.

I'm still less than satisfied with the finished job.

Background: I'd originally asked him to quote for some wiring in the kitchen, he pointed out that with the changes required it would need individual RCD's for any extended circuits or new (Hob and Cooker) and that the preferred route would be to upgrade the Consumer unit.
I have no problem with that.

The existing consumer unit was mounted in the wall and I requested the new one be so too. Upon fitting, its clear that it has been sunk too deep into the wall, such that when the front cover is on, it is below the plaster rather than sitting flush against it, with the gaps filled with silicone/decorator caulk. It also sits un-evenly (see photo's)

I don't like this for two reasons - 1) it looks a mess, 2) any work will require redecorating around the consumer as to remove the cover will require the removal of the filler.

The electrician came back and had another go at re-fitting it. It's better, but I'm still not happy.

Before I go back to him, is there anything in the regulations that I can fall back on - i.e. having to cut the sealant around the front cover etc?

Am I being too picky here - the consumer unit is in the study - an inhabited room, so I'd like it to look as tidy as possible.

Cheers
James

 

[The Ghost]

Accesibility is a given in the regs. If you have to remove that sealant in order to gain access to the inside of the consumer unit that is not good. I can see that like me he is bad at using a sealing gun. Personally I would have made the cover free moving by putting a lip of aluminium around the surround or possibly plastic. As to the aesthetics, yes it is badly done perhaps a decorator should have been specified to finish the work, as I would have recommended. I presume you have an Electrical Installation Certificate for the work done? Picky? not really it is poorly executed especially within a study. But whether the person has the skills to finish it perfectly seems to be moot.

 

[westward10]

He should have said this will look cack if I flush fit it how shall I proceed before he fixed it in place.

 

[mydigitalhome]

Suggest make a bezel to go round it. Sometimes manf. makes a flush mounting kit which costs more worth checking to see if one is available.

 

[Adj]

There are plenty of flush mounting consumer units on the market. Are you saying that a surface mounted cu was recessed into the wall or that a flush mounted cu was used but is smaller than the original hole.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I'm still less than satisfied with the finished job.

Background: I'd originally asked him to quote for some wiring in the kitchen, he pointed out that with the changes required it would need individual RCD's for any extended circuits or new (Hob and Cooker) and that the preferred route would be to upgrade the Consumer unit.
I have no problem with that.

The existing consumer unit was mounted in the wall and I requested the new one be so too. Upon fitting, its clear that it has been sunk too deep into the wall, such that when the front cover is on, it is below the plaster rather than sitting flush against it, with the gaps filled with silicone/decorator caulk. It also sits un-evenly (see photo's)

I don't like this for two reasons - 1) it looks a mess, 2) any work will require redecorating around the consumer as to remove the cover will require the removal of the filler.

The electrician came back and had another go at re-fitting it. It's better, but I'm still not happy.

Before I go back to him, is there anything in the regulations that I can fall back on - i.e. having to cut the sealant around the front cover etc?

Am I being too picky here - the consumer unit is in the study - an inhabited room, so I'd like it to look as tidy as possible.

Cheers

he is there to make you property safe. and you are complaining about the decoration that he made ,what about the big read isolation rotary switch then .

 

[jimbob18]

Westward10 - The CU fitted is designed to be flush mounted, the actual box is smaller than the front, it's the same principle as a metal back and socket or light switch.
Adj - sort of, the original CU was much smaller, a CU designed to be flush mounted has been done so into a hole in the wall made much bigger than it needed to be.
buzzlightyear - are you saying if I asked the same electrician to fit a socket, I should expect him to make a whole much bigger than a backbox and just fill it with sealant? While the isolation switch maybe unslightly, it has been fitted neatly.

 

[The Ghost]

I'm not so sure about neatly. I am a bit worried about those single cables apparently coming out of it.

 

[DPG]

As Vortigern says, what's the story with the (apparent) singles coming from the isolator. And what is the isolator for?

 

[jimbob18]

The singles are a couple of CT sensors - like these - Learn | OpenEnergyMonitor - https://learn.openenergymonitor.org/electricity-monitoring/ct-sensors/introduction - for monitoring the electricity usage and solar power. I hadn't mentioned that, but he also managed to damage those too - he cut a slot on in the front cover for them to go through, but didn't make it big enough so they got crushed when he tightened the front on!

 

[LewisM]

Might just be the pictures but it looks like hes used a surface mounted CU the lid and backing plate look the same size where as the lid is normally a lot bigger as below

 

[westward10]

Think you are spot on there Lewis.

 

[jimbob18]

Lewis, Westward10 - The CU is flush mounted, not surface mounted. It has been mounted into a whole which is too big, and has been mounted too deeply within the wall. What you can see there is the hinged cover and the front - they're both the same size - it's a bit hard to see in this photo, but it's a flush mounted CU - EZ9E12MCU - 12 way Metal Easy9 Consumer Unit | Schneider Electric - https://www.schneider-electric.co.uk/en/product/EZ9E12MCU/12-way-metal-easy9-consumer-unit/

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I really hope you haven’t paid this guy yet.
Forget about the Regulations.
You want a good job, which you are not getting.
Give the electrician a list of all you are not happy with and refuse to pay until they are sorted.
I think you have to give him two attempts to rectify a problem, before you can get someone else in to fix it?

 

[Cadgey123]

That’s gonna be one hell of a job to move that box out by a few millimetres to get the cover on correct.

Hope the guy has a bag of filler to hand

 

[telectrix]

why on earth did he not reduce the size of the hole to suit the new CU? should have fixed the "back box" and plastered round it , then done the installation.

 

[David M]

why on earth did he not reduce the size of the hole to suit the new CU? should have fixed the "back box" and plastered round it , then done the installation.

My thoughts exactly!
Mount the CU back box flush with the existing plaster line, fill any deep holes with bonding plaster, over skim with finish plaster, job done. Patch up - less than a couple of hours work and a few quid on materials.

 

[jimbob18]

David M, telectrix - I don't either, I'm currently in email dialogue with him, he says "I believe it is as good as it will be". Sadly, yes, I've paid him. I'll be taking a look this weekend as to whether there's anything I can do with it (I need to take the front off to check the CT sensors mentioned earlier as they're not reading correctly since he did his work!).
Thanks for your comments - at least I'm not being too picky with the standard of the work!

 

[Toneyz]

My thoughts exactly!
Mount the CU back box flush with the existing plaster line, fill any deep holes with bonding plaster, over skim with finish plaster, job done. Patch up - less than a couple of hours work and a few quid on materials.

It is exactly the same way that you would do with a switch/socket box but same principle but on a larger scale.

 

[David M]

David M, telectrix - I don't either, I'm currently in email dialogue with him, he says "I believe it is as good as it will be". Sadly, yes, I've paid him. I'll be taking a look this weekend as to whether there's anything I can do with it (I need to take the front off to check the CT sensors mentioned earlier as they're not reading correctly since he did his work!).
Thanks for your comments - at least I'm not being too picky with the standard of the work!

His standard of electrical work might be very good, but lacks the skills to do the required "tidying" up bit. I know many a good spark who are very good electricians but are not much good at anything else. Then I also know many tradespersons who don't take pride in their workmanship.

 

[Pete E]

What type of screws hold the front cover on and would they be long enough if the back box was left at the current depth but the front cover mounted correctly?

If the screws are long enough and the front cover can be moved "out" a cm or two, I can't see why the plastering should be too difficult to fix...

Whether the original guy has the ability or the will to do that, its a different matter....

 

[FatAlan]

Is the wall it’s mounted in to completely flat?

 

[telectrix]

Is the wall it’s mounted in to completely flat?

it's a house, not a flat .

 

[jimbob18]

Hi there,
Pete E - longer screws would be needed, there would also then be a gap between the MCB's and the front panel - they'd be recessed.
FatAlan - the wall is flat - it's dot'n'dab plasterboard and I've checked it.
I took another look at it at the weekend, and tried to remove the front cover. 20 mins hacking away at the copious amounts of silicone sealer and I was unable to move the front panel - I don't know if there are any regs covering "Accessibility", but I gave up. Original spark is supposed to be coming back today, will see what he says.
Cheers
James

 

[mossep]

Best way to fix it is to do it properly, unfortunately this will take a bit of time. Unwire and remove the fuse board, pack out the main body of the fuse board using window packers, shims or something similar, refit and install fuse board, and fill around the mess of a hole that is left. Probably best not to silicone around it either as it wont take emulsion paint well when you come to touch up around it.

The electrician has probably made the best job he can of it to be fair, it could look a lot worse. Being a good electrician doesn't make you good at setting things out precisely or making good decor.