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

 

[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.

 

[telectrix]

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.

that's no excuse for poor workmanship. if the spark can't do the filling/plasterwork to a decent standard, then he should sub it out to someone who can and add the cost to the customer's quote/bill.

 

[Toneyz]

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

I think that you have answered your own question there what accessibility?

 

[Midwest]

I've tried to look at the installation instructions for this CU, but can't get the download to work. IMO flush CU's are for new builds (granted the previous was flush), they have to be precisely mounted, to achieve desirable results. This particular model seems it can be flush or surface mounted?

It looks to me, as if its not flush enough, looking at the pretty pics on Schneider web site?

 

[Adam W]

that's no excuse for poor workmanship. if the spark can't do the filling/plasterwork to a decent standard, then he should sub it out to someone who can and add the cost to the customer's quote/bill.

Looking at the state of it he probably should have subbed the whole job out. It's all good and well just doing the electrical stuff if there's a plasterer and decorator coming along after you but that wasn't the case here; if this guy knew he couldn't do the job properly he shouldn't have offered to do it in the first place, or should have made clear it was the customer's responsibility to get someone in to make good. That's just as much a part of domestic work as doing metalwork is in commercial and industrial work.
If he has damaged these monitoring cables, not fitted the backbox so the rest of it fits together, and stuck it all together with silicone so the cover can't be removed without redecorating, then he hasn't even done the electrical bit right.

If all else fails you could get a chippy in to build a cupboard around the whole lot, just make sure you get a half-decent chippy and not one who will make a cupboard that looks worse than what it's hiding, maybe even drill into the cables in the process.

 

[Squid]

Jeeeez thats a bodge and a half.