No Cpc To Lights Question

[jdes]

Hello,

I was hoping someone can offer a bit of advice please. I've just had a look at a job where the customer was advised by another spark (who was doing his extension) to have his upstairs lights rewired.

so he explained how his the light in the main bedroom would flicker when using the switch which it did, so i had a look thinking loose connection but i think the switch is just knackerd. Anyways i noticed that he didnt have any cpc at the switch so i quickly had a look at other switches and lights and found the same thing. I thought OK put a sticker on the board and explain about no metal fittings etc but then realised every switch downstairs was brass and he had several metal light fittings, all not earthed! (i even had a switch live wire pop out of one of the brass switches!)

Explained the options and suggested a complete rewire on the lights but he wasnt keen and wants me to price just for upstairs and do downstairs at a later date.

As you can imagine i'm not exactly too keen on this job but is there anything stopping me from doing the lights upstairs and leaving the down lights as they are but maybe issue a danger notice?

I think he thought i was just trying to blag more work from him

Cheers

James

 

[Manator]

Another option would be to replace the brass fittings for plastic.

Under fault conditions a serious injury or death could occur, however all you can do is what the client wants. There would be no problem rewiring the upstairs lights and just issue a warning notice for the downstairs lights. On your certificate you could write a report in the section 'comments on existing installation' this will prove your diligence and your advise.

 

[ProDave]

Surely it's the downstairs that's in more urgent need of remedial action, that's the one with the metal lights and fittings?

Show him the prices of double insulated metal light fittings and switches http://www.double-insulated-lighting.co.uk/?gclid=CPTi0_HOgrkCFcfJtAodaDQA3Q

That might convince him a rewire is a cheaper option,

 

[jdes]

Yeah i'll offer to replace existing metal fittings/switches for plastic. It was a bit frustrating trying to get across how the downstairs lighting was the real issue!

 

[jdes]

oh yeah forgot to mention..."We've had no problems with these downstairs lights the 14 years we've lived here!"

ok thanks i'm happy to sign it off as safe then

 

[batty]

So he is having an extension done by another sparks are you the second opinion then?  

These people make me really cross no thought for safety of themselves or there family.

 

[ProDave]

+1

And why will he spend thousands on an extension, but won't spend a few hundred making the existing part of the house safe?

 

[deanopath]

Manator is spot on, I've had to do this many times for clients not wanting to have all works carried out in one hit, but after they mull over the advisory sheet you leave them regarding the remaining hazard they usually call you back in to do it!

 

[Theorysparky]

sometimes you need to sell the dangers to them

even go for the hard sell.....

I always give them the two options

rewire or plastic

as for  'its been ok for 14 years' comment

blunt as f#ck me...... you wouldn't keep a car that long because you know its going to fail sooner or later

electrics are the same

take that to trading standards

 

[Manator]

There are some very good comments on this thread.

The problem with all electrical installations is that the clients do not see the threats associated with them. Theory raises a very good point, if the client had a car that was taken for a MOT and advisory notes were made for the next MOT, the client will either rectify those faults or buy a new car.

The simple and most logical reason for this would be legislation, if the car fails you simply can not drive it!

With electrics there is no such legislation, so if it fails you will never 'ever' be prosecuted. A member of your family may die, but as it is not law you will be free from prosecution.

Sad but true

 

[pewter]

i love the 'its been ok for X years so far'

well let me know when you have a fire or get a shock then.

Did wiring for an extension years ago. Big flash extension in big fancy house for big rich posh folk. Our wiring was all new circuits. We pointed out some existing circuits in the house were in rubberised cables, client was just not interested in upgrading.

These idiots that choose to ignore our advise deserve any misfortunes that come due to there poor installation.

 

[jdes]

Thanks for all the advice,

I'll be ringing the customer tomorrow with all the options and explain the cost of each to him and see what he says.

If he only wants upstairs lights doing i guess its better then nothing but i will emphasise how bad his downstairs ligthing is and recommend it gets done.

Haven't checked the other circuits but probably a can of worms i dont want to open.

cheers

 

[whatLEDspec]

Only thing I would be a little careful of is if things do go wrong at a later date, be it just a small shock off a switch or something worse and you only did the upstairs you would still be the last sparky to sign bits off on their house and I would be a tad wary of any repuation damage that might come round from it.

Got to agree with ProDave though, people's priorities can be really scary when it comes to where they spend their money.

 

[batty]

As long as you mention on the cert they did not want to rewire, I would assume the offending circuit would be getting some RCD protection. At the end of the day you cannot upgrade every installation to current regs it will never happen you can only advise.

 

[samson337]

I see it this way. Your called in to look at a job, you tell them what it needs, then they decide. Fix what they ask then leave. Right down what you've done, and then in the box below put comments on existing installation. Your arse is covered