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bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 9:55 am Post subject: Bad DIY

Well the kitchen demolition is going well

The guys who are doing it have unearthed all manner of bad things in the kitchen that the previous owner had done when installing the kitchen

Firstly the oven was wired up to the hob with the wire being let on top of the oven casing which has been happily smouldering away every time i have put the oven on - this was about a quarter of an inch from the gas pipe - all the oven housing was blacked and bubbled with the heat

Secondly the sinks waste pipe was going up hill

Thirdly he had spurred electricity from the garage light and put 4 double sockets, a fuse socket and a spur for the dishwasher from that with an external light spurred from the upstairs lights

Fourthly, the under cabinet lights were wired up from under the roof with two bits of cable bonded together with sellotape

Fifthly, one of the junction boxes under the bathroom floor was completely left open underneath a cold and hot water pipe which had a bit of tape wrapped around a previous leak

I am not a violent person at all but if I see him again I am going to definitley poke him in the eye

The really awful thing is that he is a part-time fireman who advertises in a town about 15 miles away as a general handyman who is able to undertake plumbing, electrics etc...

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:02 am Post subject:
That is where the new electrical regulations, despite being a pain to some, could actually have been some use. Alot of people take the attitude that if it works its ok, end of. Like the clowns who wire showers into lighting circuits so they will only work when the landing light is on-yes really!! Be afraid:lol:

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Bad DIY

bernie wrote:

The really awful thing is that he is a part-time fireman who advertises in a town about 15 miles away as a general handyman who is able to undertake plumbing, electrics etc...

With that wiring, do you think he is trying to drum up trade?

As Bernie says, the new regs are a pain as everything settles down, but it is situations like yours they are intended to prevent. I'm sure the person who did it thinks he can do perfectly good electrics.

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:10 am Post subject: Re: Bad DIY

Judith wrote:

bernie wrote:

The really awful thing is that he is a part-time fireman who advertises in a town about 15 miles away as a general handyman who is able to undertake plumbing, electrics etc...

I am sure he thought he was doing it the right way but as the electrician we have got here at the moment said a lot of what he has done - particularly the oven but could well have killed us - another couple of years of the wiring casing smouldering away would have led to a fire

I am just glad that the guys we have doing the work are all qualified and will be issuing us with the relevant paperwork and guarantees

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:38 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

bernie wrote:

The really awful thing is that he is a part-time fireman who advertises in a town about 15 miles away as a general handyman who is able to undertake plumbing, electrics etc...

But do you think the law would make any difference to them? I expect they could be taken to court under existing regulations but I doubt it would be worth it which I expect will be the case with the new laws as well.

What is worth people noting though is when you move into a new house it's certainly worth checking over things like wiring where possible. So slide out a built in oven and check the cable, check sockets etc if you are competent and if you're not it would be worth getting someone who is. Even now I wouldn't trust a piece of paper.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:54 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Depends how it is handled - if there are a few good show trials, it might help.
You are never going to stop the complete idiots who think they should be allowed to do what they want in their own home - but at least there will be some come-back if someone like Bernie has their kitchen burn down as a result of crap wiring. I think that before Part P, it was a matter of caveat emptor.

Quote:

What is worth people noting though is when you move into a new house it's certainly worth checking over things like wiring where possible. So slide out a built in oven and check the cable, check sockets etc if you are competent and if you're not it would be worth getting someone who is. Even now I wouldn't trust a piece of paper

Sound advice.

mark

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 2191
Location: Leeds

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 11:58 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

You are never going to stop the complete idiots who think they should be allowed to do what they want in their own home - but at least there will be some come-back if someone like Bernie has their kitchen burn down as a result of crap wiring. I think that before Part P, it was a matter of caveat emptor.

There is another side to this - a friend of mine recently got qualified electricians in who made a bodge job of her lighting and left it in a dangerous state! - unfortunately the outfit that did it went bust so there is no way of tracking down the rogue electrician or getting compensation!

I have certainly seen more than my share of bodged jobs by supposedly qualified people!

I prefer to do my own as then i know it has been done carefully - I know where all the cables are - I know the rating of everything! I feel safer than trusting a stranger! And cos I'm not paying an electrician it cheap and easy to install ABOVE the safety standard!

I thoroughly understand electricity! I know the regulations! i have rewired and improved the safety of several properties I have occupied! (not for money - just my own home) I am a careful worker. But I have no qualifications! Am I not the best person to work in my own home?

OK take what you say about the idiots - but i think the worse crimes are done by cowboys in other peoples homes. Legislating against DIYand self sufficiency in thse matters is not the answer!

Mark

oldhibberd

Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 118

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 9:56 pm Post subject:
Think that as a general truism, the worst DIYer in the world is the person who owned your house before you!

mark

Joined: 14 Jul 2005
Posts: 2191
Location: Leeds

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:10 pm Post subject:

oldhibberd wrote:

Think that as a general truism, the worst DIYer in the world is the person who owned your house before you!

no - the person who owned house before me employed the worse tradesmen in the world and was infamous with the neighbours for it!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Feb 01, 06 10:11 pm Post subject:

Judith wrote:

Quote:

Sound advice.

While writing that I was also thinking of the number of people who've had mice nibble cables, I know of at least three cookers that have had their cables mouse nibbbled, one even had the remains of the mouse on the cable.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91� N

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 06 10:04 am Post subject:

oldhibberd wrote:

Think that as a general truism, the worst DIYer in the world is the person who owned your house before you!

Certainly true for my place. Once I moved in and had a chance to check the wiring I found wonderful examples such as junction boxes that were so full of cable that the only way he had fitted the cover on was by removing the earth cables and only having live and neutral

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 06 11:20 am Post subject:

I know we have all been at the mercy of cowboys in the past but at least if they put my life at risk as a result of the work they do I have some method of recourse but this guy has seriously put my familys life at risk

The electrician has checked the whole of the electrics in the house and has found live connections without any earth and more bits of cable stuck together with sellotape along with the other problems that he found regarding the kitchen

I feel quite upset about it really as it has undermined the safe feeling that your home gives you and we have been living here for 8 years

I know he has not done it on purpose to intentionally hurt us or intentionally risk our lives but I am afraid I am not going to be able to hold my tongue if I see him again

Regarding the guys that I have working here at the moment I have no idea if they are cowboys or not unfortunately I can only go on the fact that the electrician is qualified and his wife works with my OH and the kitchen fitter was the seventh that I spoke to and offered me phone numbers of other clients he has had for me to ring and a portfolio of pictures of his work

Bernie66

Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Posts: 13967
Location: Eastoft

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 06 11:29 am Post subject:
It sounds to me like you have pretty much every angle covered. 99% of people are ok, its just its the 1% that people talk about...don't wory yourself unduly.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 06 11:33 am Post subject:

bernie wrote:

Bernie, the only thing I can say to reassure you is that the person who signs off the work will be personally liable for it. He will be signing the certificate to say that he has tested that it complies with the building regs, and is therefore safe. It is not a company that has this liability - it is the person who signs the cert. - and that doesn't lapse if a company goes bust.

bernie-woman

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7824
Location: shropshire

Posted: Thu Feb 02, 06 11:36 am Post subject:
Thanks guys for the reassurances

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