Please comment on the quality of my electrician's work

[Andy™]

well the problem there is that looks like a 25mm box, shaver needs a 47mm box... so if that box was flush to the wall, then the shaver wouldnt fit inside it

 

[McRae]

Thanks for all the very helpful comments so far, I really appreciate the useful feedback. In fact I got 5 quotes, and these guys were near the top of the price range. I discounted the two cheapest as they just didn't inspire confidence, and this company had excellent reviews. The only electrician who was personally recommended wanted 7500 to rewire a 3 bed house, and that was just far too much. The other quotes ranged from 6500 to 4500, but obviously I know that if you go for the cheapest it ends in tears. Apparently, that can also happen when you go for one of the more expensive ones ...



Sorry, forgot to caption that photo, but obviously it is the hole for the bathroom extractor

 

[Lurch]

He's made it worse for himself there with the fan as if he would have fitted a duct and grille you would have probably covered most of the face damage on the brick to the point if it being acceptable.

If it helps, I don't think the guy is a complete cowboy (from what I have seen so far), maybe just a bit inexperienced in areas, or slightly lacking in care. Certainly not the worst I have seen by far, and definitely not someone who should be on Rogue Traders.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

It is almost impossible to fit a shaver socket in a single brick wall without some damage to the other side, i think i have managed it a couple of times and always put the fixings sideways to avoid breaking through

 

[ProDave]

Shaver sockets need an unusually deep box and as pointed out he didn't have one deep enough.

My bet is he drilled the bathroom fan from the inside, and then didn't fit the duct and grill because he didn't have a ladder long enough to get to it from the outside.
 

 

[McRae]

Thanks again everyone. I am definitely not trying to imply that this team are cowboys or utterly useless, that would be unfair. They just seemed not to take any care, drilled though pretty much every wall they found, and made some very poor decisions. I have told them that I do not have enough confidence in their work to allow them to fix some remaining issues. I want to be sure than I am not being totally unreasonable.

The plasterers have unscrewed switch faceplates and found loose wires in two of them, which had to be re-tightened. Surely that can't be acceptable either? I am not trying to do a hatchet job, we just need to understand what is and isn't reasonable. Thanks to the helpful replies, I am already prepared to accept that the old plaster may be easily damaged, so I will stop complaining about the chasing. However, I am totally untrained and a DIY nightmare, and if I drilled through a wall when fitting a back box, I wouldn't then do the same thing on the next 3 back boxes ...

BTW the radiator was existing, it wasn't fitted over the socket. They just tucked the socket partly behind it. Not catastrophic, just unnecessary and I wouldn't have done it.

Last image below - I just don't feel that is good enough

 

[Lurch]

Yep, again, not great but not terrible that chasing/sinking. Should be fine once it's plastered up though.

If he was an employee of mine I wouldn't be sacking him over it.

The loose wires though are more of a concern. I think you're going to struggle to get anything done with him if you have already paid, and you don't want him back so not sure what you are thinking of doing?

 

[Manator]

I have to agree with @Lurch, yes it is rough in places but not really rogue trader style.

 

[Sharpend]

Clearly in the last pic the differing heights are not acceptable. But unfortunately not uncommon. 

I would be interested in what or how you think it should have been or looked? 

As said old render/plaster is usually blown or loose and more often than not will fall away once chasing starts. 

Drilling through walls is unnecessary and is poor judgement/workmanship. 

A change of plan is usually bad planning although sometimes you may find that the original route is not as accessible as you thought and an alternative route would be chased. 

I'm also unsure what it is that you are hoping to achieve? As you have paid in full then I can't imagine that you'll get a refund, and if you don't want them back then what do you want? 

 

[Andy™]

My bet is he drilled the bathroom fan from the inside, and then didn't fit the duct and grill because he didn't have a ladder long enough to get to it from the outside.
 

you dont need a ladder to fit the vent if your crafty (/lazy)

 

[steptoe]

To be perfectly honest,

The bathroom vent hole is probably about as good as could be expected,

It does look like he has core drilled it and some brick has just split on the outside,

As @Lurch has said, its far from a disaster, just a bit 'untidy'

Lots of little nuffly things perhaps,

is there some underlying reason you are more p'd off than you have said,?

 

[Sharpend]

you dont need a ladder to fit the vent if your crafty (/lazy)

You wouldn't be suggesting breaking h&s and leaning out the window would you??? :innocent  

 

[steptoe]

you dont need a ladder to fit the vent if your crafty (/lazy)

Silicon, bit of 2x1 , some scraps of cable, leave it a couple of hours, fit fan,

There is even a nearby window,,,,,,

 

[Andy™]

You wouldn't be suggesting breaking h&s and leaning out the window would you??? :innocent  

nope

 

[kerching]

String through hole

CIRCULAR grille,attached to string

silicone around grille flange

pull,up through hole

tie off inside and let it go ff

sid this on 7 th floor of a block of flats

( core drilling from inside was buttock clenchingly interesting)

 

[Lurch]

I mean they are all good ideas, but you can also just buy duct kits designed to be fitted from inside.

 

[steptoe]

I mean they are all good ideas, but you can also just buy duct kits designed to be fitted from inside.

Ye, push through, 117mm hole, don't cover up the outside splatter though, and, don't look so good IMO,

But, they do have their uses. 

Anyhow, non of that is any reason why original spark thought he'd save 10mins and £2:59 not to fit a grill and pipe, just another lazy spell, unless its some weird 5th floor room any decent spark should have ladders to reach a normal 2 storey house. 

 

[Lurch]

push through, 117mm hole, don't cover up the outside splatter though, and, don't look so good IMO

Some are like that, some are like the boiler flue type flanges so once you push it out there is a nice rubber flange that pops out. I think the Vent Axia one actually has a full size grille that pushes through the duct and then folds out and clips on so it looks no different to a standard grille.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hello,

We have just had our house rewired, and unfortunately we have a dispute with the electrician. There are several issues to be resolved, but we have totally lost confidence in their work. I would be very grateful if I could get some feedback and comments, so I can see if we are being unreasonable, or if their work is below an acceptable standard. I can't post any pictures until I have made a number of posts, but I will reply to any reply I receive to try to reach the point quickly where I can post images. The key issues are as follows:

1. Most of the back boxes for the switches and sockets are not flush with the wall, some are set back by several centimetres. This makes it more difficult for the plasterer to get an edge, and whilst I appreciate that there are ways round it, surely it is normal practice to fit back boxes flush with the wall?

2. The chasing in looks like it has been done with a hilti. I do appreciate that a rewire is a messy and disruptive job, but surely it is possible to chase down the walls with some degree of care. Photo to follow.

3. Possible due to issue 1, most of the holes for the fixing screws for the sockets have been drilled through into adjacent rooms. Some of these have been filled, but others have been left with screws and rawplugs projecting 1cm out of the wall behind. Photo to follow.

4. A double socket has been fitted so close to a radiator that one socket is covered by the rad valve, and can't be used.

5. I asked for an extractor fan to be fitted in the bathroom, but no ducting has been fitted through the wall, and no external vent cover fitted. I queried this, and was told that I hadn't asked for or been invoiced for these items, so shouldn't expect them. (??) Furthermore, he drilled out from the inside of the wall, thus seriously damaging the old external bricks on the front wall of the house. Surely you would normally drill in from the outside to avoid this. Photo to follow.

Please do give me feedback, and I will post pictures as soon as I can. Thanks.

Simon

I've just read through this thread......   then read it again.....

Then again...  and had several good looks at the pictures........   :C     :shakehead

Personally if any of that was my work I would be ashamed of it!

BUT......    to put it into perspective I would want to see the written agreement of what was contracted to be done!

Although I would never do or agree to do work to such a shabby standard.....

Maybe... they have done exactly what was requested?

e.g. any work I do that involves a four figure sum in final payment, I would have an itemised written quotation detailing what has been agreed to be done.

I would never fit an extractor without ducting and grills (internal or external) where needed.

Why is that chase so wide for a light switch???   how many  cables were they going to bring down the wall....

Or is it a classroom or office  with 10 or more switches at the end of the cables that needed to be run down such a wide chase.

Why have the accessory fronts been fitted before plastering has been done???????

Just going over to the elephant in the corner of the room.....  :Chairfall     Whatever happened to 'first' and 'second' fix???

(e.g. Why has the front been put on the shaver socket before the hole has been patched and/or tidied up!)

I cannot think of many plasterers who could work round front plates without wrecking them by covering them in plaster other such mess!!!

Who in their right mind would even consider wiring up the front plates etc... knowing that  captain messy and the plastering crew have got to get to work??????

:shakehead :shakehead

If I had left a job in such a state I wouldnt be surprised if I didn't get a call back from the customer saying they were a bit disappointed in the quality of the work

:mellow:

BUT,....  also if I had been messed around waiting excessive timescales for other trades before I could do second fix..

I wouldn't be too happy myself either!

Guinness

 

[Slowhand]

Some properties l've worked in have breezeblock walls that are not very thick at all.

Once you've found that out you have to be careful not to chop or drill through.

It is a pain but you can drill the backbox area to the right depth by marking your drillbit with tape or a marker pen.

Chop out gently and fix the box through the holes on the side.

The pictures ( as said before ) show inexperience so could this be a 5WW?