How bad is this rewire?

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by Memawheeze, Feb 13, 2021.

  1. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

  2. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

  3. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    It does look as if there is much more to be done. Cutting off old cables is rough but no biggie if they are disused. Lack of grommets cable runs in wrong place and earth sheath too short is just not good enough
     
    Memawheeze likes this.
  4. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    R A F
     
    Memawheeze likes this.
  5. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

    Thanks for your reply. The electrician was here with two guys for 5 days and said he had another 3 to go. He removed all their tools and the fittings I had bought and left on 29/01 after I said I wasn't paying anymore money until it was finished as I doubted he was going to come back. Waiting for NICEIC to reply about my complaint but not sure if I can trust them to be truly independent. He's left all the upstairs flooring with huge holes and it's really dangerous to walk on.
     
  6. AnotherTopJob

    AnotherTopJob Screwfix Select

    Looks rough but with 3 more days work to do, it doesn't seem you've given them a chance to rectify the issues?
     
  7. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

    He demanded more money, called me a 'f'ing bi*ch' and left. I had called trading standards that day and they said not to give him anymore money until he was finished. He also demanded all money in cash. He came to fit a fused spur for a new boiler and ended up convincing me I needed a whole rewire and would not be able to use my boiler until after the rewire. Boiler was plugged into an extension the whole time he was here, until the gas was disconnected due to him placing the electric payment meter onto a hot water pipe. I gave this person a few chances and he made me worry for my safety and also ruined precious personal items by not using any protective coverings at any point during the 5 days. He tried to drop my key off at my work on the 29th, expecting to collect another large payment. I called his bluff and said I'd come home. His stuff was gone and so were my lights and sockets. He 'fixed' all the upstairs flooring by quite permanently putting it down and replacing the carpets and underlay. He did all this before I'd even mentioned withholding the next payment.
     
  8. CeSparky1

    CeSparky1 Active Member

    I dont see too much wrong, its not great and obviously still a lot to do but I am guessing he is trying to do a rewire while also keeping power on for you which is always going to be difficult and not ideal. Demanding money in cash is not an issue as long as you get an invoice. Seems like the relationship broke down, always difficult when we are not hearing the whole story.

    Sorry dont mean to be rude and I am not saying they are not cowboys but I have also been on the other side where a customer accused me of making up work when I want to fit a 2.99kw oven and found it was connected to the ring circuit doing the entire downstairs I said because of the loading it could overload one side of the ring especially being in the kitchen and as per the regs as its over 2kw it should be on its own circuit. Currys come along when I am done to fit the oven and tell the customer there was no need to fit a new circuit and it would have been fine.

    My point here is that is very difficult for trading standards to do anything especially as the job was not complete as his defence to anything you find would be "I wasnt finished yet, obviously I would have sorted that before I was finished". As for NICEIC, remember its the electrician that pays them and they want their subs so again I dont think you will get anywhere. Dont mean to put a downer, best thing you can do is find a decent sparks that you can trust, pay him to complete the job and consider it a lesson hard learnt.
     
    Memawheeze likes this.
  9. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Are you saying he removed items that you have paid for and own without your approval? If so, that can be considered theft. Give him until 10:00 to return the items and when he fails, contact NICEIC again and consider further action.
     
    Memawheeze likes this.
  10. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    You’ve actually got two matters here

    1. a civil matter which is the poor workmanship and demands for extra cash. What did the original quotation say? Ultimately your recourse here is to the small claims court( not the first step however)

    2. A criminal matter which is the theft of your property. This should be reported to the police. They will not be concerned with the first matter but this is a police matter
     
  11. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

    Thanks for your reply, I completely understand that it's just my story I'm putting across. Just feeling very confused as he said the original fuse box could not run the boiler, he stated that he would not even allow the plug to be on the cable but yet he was in here asking me to turn it up as he was cold. This led to me really started to doubt it was necessary to have the full rewire. He conducted no tests and I'd had no issues with the electric at this point. It's a relatively old house and I've only just bought it so I feel he played on my fears that it needed a lot of work. He said staying here wouldn't be an issue or I would have defo moved out. One of his workers took a back box out in a room that was full of photos and items belonging to my parents who are deceased. He took no precautions and a blue Ikea bag of photos was covered in plaster. I spent what would have been my mums 63rd birthday, cleaning this off and assessing the damage to my possessions.
     
  12. CeSparky1

    CeSparky1 Active Member


    Did he say why it could not be connected to the original fuse box? was it the boiler that was the issue or the immersion heater? It could have been that there was no cpc continuity (earth) so needed a new cable run but if putting in a new circuit in the wall would need to be RCD protected so if you had an old rewireable fusebox then you would probably need a new consumer unit. It could be any number of things that its impossible to know without visiting the property before the rewire.

    Really sorry to hear about the photos, unfortunately and I have been guilty of this we often get so focused on the job we forget that their are things around, not this its any excuse. I always try to pride myself with leaving a property in as clean a state as when I came but its sometimes hard as dust from a rewire does get everywhere. I refuse to do any rewire work with people living in the property for this reason as well as it makes it so much more difficult trying to leave customers with power and tidy up each night, just takes too much time and too much hassle.
     
    Memawheeze, tore81 and Bazza like this.
  13. tore81

    tore81 Screwfix Select

    have to agree with that I drylined and built stud walls rather than chasing in. Hate it
     
  14. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

    New boiler, coming from a back boiler. There was a fused spur for the existing system but he said nothing about it.He just said that the fuse box was ' too old' and there was no alternative but to do a full rewire. The guy from Provider who came out to shut off the boiler due to the issue with the hot water pipes, was an electrician and he said that he could have just put in a 6 fuse box or a RCD for the fuse? He also said that the fuse box was 'historically proven'? The shower already runs on a RCD. The electrician kept saying that the house was really old and it was dangerous as it was. He said my shower was a death trap due to water damage from a water tank above it, but he then told me that he wasn't replacing any cables for the shower, just moving the switch. I was prepared for the dirt and dust and I even explained the issue with the photos to myself as just lazy and thoughtless, not deliberate. But after asking them to tell me if they needed anything moved (I work 5 mins away so was on hand the whole week) they started to get more messy and left plaster and dirt in random places like my toaster (in a bag under my dining table) and inside the duvet on my makeshift bed (sofa)? I've not had ceiling lights since 26/01 or heating since 30/01. I had one electrician come in a quote stupid money to fix the meter and start it all again as he said he couldn't trust the other guys work.
     
  15. baldelectrician.com

    baldelectrician.com Well-Known Member

    It looks a bit rough

    Did he provide you with a written quote?

    Roughly (not exactly) how much did he quote and what was involved?

    Did he say he was doing any remedial works such as plastering?

    Did he provide you with the required 14 day cooling off paperwork as per legal requirements?

    It looks a shed consumer unit (does the picture show the new one installed)

    He has energised the install- has he provided any certification for this?
     
  16. jonathanc

    jonathanc Guest

    Who would trust that work? In any event swearing at you is not on under any circumstances.

    what was the quote he gave you btw?
     
  17. baldelectrician.com

    baldelectrician.com Well-Known Member

    I have a feeling the NICEIC will ask that you let him finish the works as part of the complaint, this is good as you can have them deal with the complaint

    How much have you already paid?

    Just noticed the new consumer unit is not connected at all, so part of my previous post has been answered.
     
  18. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    It's a red flag that he is demanding money half through the job, I hope you get this resolved, as already mentioned NIC will want the the spark to finish the job, he shouldn't of left you without any heating and if it was me I would look at getting someone else depending on how much you have paid, I dont suppose this company is in the north east as I know a few that are shady and scare customers into rewires
     
    Memawheeze likes this.
  19. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

    He was sent by the gas engineer to fit the fused spur. He said no one would fit a spur until the rewire. Said he could do it the week after the boiler was in, so quoted on the 13th, I accepted on the 14th and he started on the 25th of January. He said £2600. £900 upfront to pay for the materials which I though was fair, £850 when 60% done and £850 when he was finished and I was 'happy with he job'. So far I have paid the £900 as I told him I wanted to wait to pay the rest (after he'd removed everything from the house). He texted me this breakdown, and after saying he would take it by bank transfer, suddenly said he needed it in cash. He waited until I'd agreed before saying he wouldn't do any plastering. The big consumer unit is the new one and the old is the black box at the side. He fitted the consumer unit on 27/01.
     
  20. Memawheeze

    Memawheeze New Member

    He's based in Fife
     

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