andy_spark
Senior Member
I completed a CU change for a customer recently (see my thread on British general consumer units).
He has bought a new house and a is refurbishing it and the 'kitchen fitters' had said about doing the electrics and installing a new CU. A mutual aquaintance recommended me and I got the job; new CU, water and gas bonding, main earth, tails give the place a good inspection as no PIR on sale of house, hang some annoying chandeliers from the old house his wife wants and so on.
I was told the kitchen fitters would be in the week after, to 're-wire the kitchen and add some new sockets' and I wasn't needed for that part of the job. Alarm bells start ringing.
I inspected the property on Tuesday and the estimate was agreed, arranged to work on the weekend keen to get my part done and dusted all certified and signed before they could get their grubby hands on it.
Arriving on saturday morning i found they have fitted 6 downlights in the newly plastered kitchen ceiling instead of the old fluorescent fitting making it a pain to test. noting on cert about wiring routings not verified.
I completed all my work Ok no major problems just the odd knackered switch.
When I returned this week to change the light fittings I was told by the customer, 'The builder said when the electrician has tested the kitchen sockets can he do them up half way only please? as they need to come off to be grouted.'
I told him I was not responsible for their work and would not be testing the sockets and certainly would not be signing for them. I went to great lengths explaining to him part p, notifiable work, install certs, special locations, approved contractor scams etc.
A rather shy chap then turned up to lay a new kitchen floor and seemed keen to avoid me. After he left I found out that he was the kitchen fitter too, and he'd originally been called in to fit a new flat roof on the kitchen and his van outside said he was part of the federation of roofers or something similar. Then after a quick inspection of his work I found the cooker isolator had been removed completely, cables chased into the wall not in the correct zones, little use of earth sleeving, and just generally poor work.
Customer said he would ask him (roofer) about the cooker isolator and he thought it would be there somewhere, his wife couldn't understand it as he'd been giving a very good service so far!! My theory is that the isolator lined up with where his shiny new cupboard was going so it was removed and the supply 6mm was put straight into the oven.
They are due back to do the bathroom next!
ray
I'm just glad I did the CU change now at least I know its OK, and they've paid.
Makes you wonder why we bother spending thousands to do offer a professional service. headbang
Sorry for going on a bit.
He has bought a new house and a is refurbishing it and the 'kitchen fitters' had said about doing the electrics and installing a new CU. A mutual aquaintance recommended me and I got the job; new CU, water and gas bonding, main earth, tails give the place a good inspection as no PIR on sale of house, hang some annoying chandeliers from the old house his wife wants and so on.
I was told the kitchen fitters would be in the week after, to 're-wire the kitchen and add some new sockets' and I wasn't needed for that part of the job. Alarm bells start ringing.
I inspected the property on Tuesday and the estimate was agreed, arranged to work on the weekend keen to get my part done and dusted all certified and signed before they could get their grubby hands on it.
Arriving on saturday morning i found they have fitted 6 downlights in the newly plastered kitchen ceiling instead of the old fluorescent fitting making it a pain to test. noting on cert about wiring routings not verified.
I completed all my work Ok no major problems just the odd knackered switch.
When I returned this week to change the light fittings I was told by the customer, 'The builder said when the electrician has tested the kitchen sockets can he do them up half way only please? as they need to come off to be grouted.'
I told him I was not responsible for their work and would not be testing the sockets and certainly would not be signing for them. I went to great lengths explaining to him part p, notifiable work, install certs, special locations, approved contractor scams etc.
A rather shy chap then turned up to lay a new kitchen floor and seemed keen to avoid me. After he left I found out that he was the kitchen fitter too, and he'd originally been called in to fit a new flat roof on the kitchen and his van outside said he was part of the federation of roofers or something similar. Then after a quick inspection of his work I found the cooker isolator had been removed completely, cables chased into the wall not in the correct zones, little use of earth sleeving, and just generally poor work.
Customer said he would ask him (roofer) about the cooker isolator and he thought it would be there somewhere, his wife couldn't understand it as he'd been giving a very good service so far!! My theory is that the isolator lined up with where his shiny new cupboard was going so it was removed and the supply 6mm was put straight into the oven.
They are due back to do the bathroom next!
ray I'm just glad I did the CU change now at least I know its OK, and they've paid.
Makes you wonder why we bother spending thousands to do offer a professional service. headbang
Sorry for going on a bit.
