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Issues with house rewire

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  • 14-07-2019 5:58pm
    #1
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭


    I had a complete house rewire done recently and have a few concerns.

    Mainly being:

    The electrician drilled completely through a joist to hang a light bulb
    Diagonal wall chasing
    Exposed live wires in boiler room
    *pics attached*

    We chose him because he was a work connection of my partners and we had faith in him to do a great job, we had the job done off the books, no certs, bad move - probably but what’s done is done.

    We have contacted him regarding the above and he’s vehemently defending his work. He’s coming over tomorrow evening to discuss. We paid a lot of money for the job as we were promised top notch work.

    I’m by no means an expert on this but surely this is not good practice?

    Opinions appreciated

    Thanks


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Comments

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    #2
    bfclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 181 ✭✭bfclancy


    That most certainly is not a roof joist by the appearance of it.
    Diagonal chase was necessary to avoid the existing switch above I'd imagine what other route could he take


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    #3
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    bfclancy wrote: »
    That most certainly is not a roof joist by the appearance of it.
    Diagonal chase was necessary to avoid the existing switch above I'd imagine what other route could he take

    Surely the light switch could have been placed differently?
    And it is a ceiling joist...


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    #4
    Larbre34
    Registered Users Posts: 24,221 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    I love the fact there is an embedded advert alerting to cowboy electricians in this thread.


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    #5
    Sharp MZ700
    Registered Users Posts: 673 ✭✭✭Sharp MZ700


    What is the brass switch for? Did he make that hole in the ceiling for access?


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    #6
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    Sharp MZ700 wrote: »
    What is the brass switch for? Did he make that hole in the ceiling for access?

    I imagine an old broadband/phone connection? Yes he made the hole for access


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    #7
    Sharp MZ700
    Registered Users Posts: 673 ✭✭✭Sharp MZ700


    katie275 wrote: »
    I imagine an old broadband/phone connection? Yes he made the hole for access

    Just saw that now. Hard to think he couldn't have used that chase already... Maybe it's old timber trunking inside but if it was plastic he could've swapped the two. The cabling in the second photo is worth a photo, for the scrapbook.


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    #8
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    If there is no certificate issued,then what way is the new distribution board connected into the meter.?


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    #9
    Tuco88
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭Tuco88


    If thats a roof joist, I'd invest in a Carpenter.


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    #10
    olestoepoke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,386 ✭✭✭olestoepoke


    bfclancy wrote: »
    That most certainly is not a roof joist by the appearance of it.
    Diagonal chase was necessary to avoid the existing switch above I'd imagine what other route could he take

    Where does the OP say it was a roof joist? Its a ceiling joist and if stepped on by any unsuspecting person could be very dangerous.


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    #11
    olestoepoke
    Registered Users Posts: 2,386 ✭✭✭olestoepoke


    What were they thinking when they installed that light in the closet? Is that an exterior waterproof light? Those wires exposed like that can't be safe.


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    #12
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    olestoepoke wrote: »
    What were they thinking when they installed that light in the closet? Is that an exterior waterproof light? Those wires exposed like that can't be safe.

    Yes that's what I thought! Never seen anything like that before...
    Left over from another job perhaps?

    We are also having problems with several sockets, there is a lot of resistance even when plugging in brand new appliances, I mentioned this and showed him with my phone charger and he blamed the plug


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    #13
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    meercat wrote: »
    If there is no certificate issued,then what way is the new distribution board connected into the meter.?

    The old mains connection (30+ years old)
    My fault for not checking this out before agreeing to cash job but I wasn't aware of these consequences of going off the books


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    #14
    Suckler
    Registered Users Posts: 2,346 ✭✭✭Suckler


    katie275 wrote: »
    but I wasn't aware of these consequences of going off the books

    No sympathy. "cash job/going off the books" encourages substandard work and puts good tradespeople out of work.


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    #15
    EHP
    Registered Users Posts: 173 ✭✭EHP


    Suckler wrote: »
    No sympathy. "cash job/going off the books" encourages substandard work and puts good tradespeople out of work.

    Have to agree no sympathy for both the op or the sparks that did the job. Cash job or not you can report to safe Electric as he legally has to cert that job no matter what.


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    #16
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    Suckler wrote: »
    No sympathy. "cash job/going off the books" encourages substandard work and puts good tradespeople out of work.

    Fair point, we paid 7k and certainly did not expect sub standard work.


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    #17
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    Mention to him that you'd like to get the work audited by Safe Electric.

    If he panics and offers to fix and certify you might come away good.

    If he freaks and disappears or tries to dissuade you he probably isn't a registered electrician.


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    #18
    Hibernicis
    Registered Users Posts: 1,577 ✭✭✭Hibernicis


    katie275 wrote: »
    The electrician drilled completely through a joist to hang a light bulb

    That’s not a hanging light bulb, it’s a recessed downlighter with no thermal barrier fitter. Some of those can get extremely hot, and in this case it is close to wood which of course is combustible.


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    #19
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    EHP wrote: »
    Have to agree no sympathy for both the op or the sparks that did the job. Cash job or not you can report to safe Electric as he legally has to cert that job no matter what.

    I agree
    A certificate should be provided. It’s a requirement and the new tails should be connected into the esbn meter.
    This needs to be done now and it may lead to problems down the road as it’s not permissible to certify another electricians work.


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    #20
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    katie275 wrote: »
    The old mains connection (30+ years old)
    My fault for not checking this out before agreeing to cash job but I wasn't aware of these consequences of going off the books

    So your new installation is connected to old (and possibly undersized) cables. This is not the way it should be. I’d also wonder about where the neutralised earth is connected. Any photos of cables where they are terminated at meter
    You really do need a certificate.
    To have this job done officially may not have cost you much more tbh.


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    #21
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    What came over you to think that you could just not bother having the work certified?
    You lined youself up for a world of hassle!

    What if there was an electrical fire and the insurance company asks for evidence of the certificaition of the electrics?
    What if you are selling the house in future and the buyer asks for the certification?

    Did you have a temperature when you made this deal?


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    #22
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,596 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Mod note:
    The OP should have used a REC, but didn’t. Everyone is clear on that now, so let’s take move on. From now on posts should be aimed at assisting the OP with resolving the situation rather than giving the OP a hard time.

    Thank you.


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    #23
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    Ok fair enough.

    Well op if you want the electrician to fix things it really comes down to whether if you have paid them yet?

    If not you have leverage against them.

    You need to demand from them that the brief has changed, you now require the work certified without any exception.
    If he fails to agree to this then you'll be getting on to Safe Electric. You are obliged to do this anyway if you are aware of uncertified or substandard work being carried out.


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    #24
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    We went uncertified because we had another huge unexpected expense and had to review our budget. It's not like we paid buttons, we paid 7k cash and have paid in full.
    At the time the only implication we could think of was house insurance and spark said the way to get around is to say the house was rewired when we bought it.
    Of course in hindsight we would do it all officially.
    Also, he is a registered electrician and is an electrical instructor as his 9-5, we really thought we were in good hands


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    #25
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    katie275 wrote: »
    We went uncertified because we had another huge unexpected expense and had to review our budget. It's not like we paid buttons, we paid 7k cash and have paid in full.
    At the time the only implication we could think of was house insurance and spark said the way to get around is to say the house was rewired when we bought it.
    Of course in hindsight we would do it all officially.
    Also, he is a registered electrician and is an electrical instructor as his 9-5, we really thought we were in good hands

    Tell him you now understand the implications of not having a certificate and require one.
    It may cost extra but that’s the only way to proceed now.


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    #26
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    You can check if he’s on the list of contractors

    https://safeelectric.ie/


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    #27
    katie275
    Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭katie275


    meercat wrote: »
    You can check if he’s on the list of contractors

    https://safeelectric.ie/

    Thanks for that, he's not listed but website says:
    As enrolment on the public website is not required, not all RECs may be searchable.

    Will ask him this evening about getting certs issued now


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    #28
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    TheBoyConor wrote: »
    What came over you to think that you could just not bother having the work certified?
    You lined youself up for a world of hassle!

    What if there was an electrical fire and the insurance company asks for evidence of the certificaition of the electrics?
    What if you are selling the house in future and the buyer asks for the certification?

    Did you have a temperature when you made this deal?
    Its easy to be all knowing in hindsight, from the op point of view


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    #29
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    katie275 wrote: »
    Thanks for that, he's not listed but website says:
    As enrolment on the public website is not required, not all RECs may be searchable.

    Will ask him this evening about getting certs issued now

    You can phone them and ask if he’s a member.
    As others have said ,it’s a criminal offence to carry out such work if he’s not registered and to portray himself as a registered contractor.
    Ask him for his registration number and also his qc number
    A quick google search about unregistered electrical contractors will bring up some prosecutions and also a jail sentence


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    #30
    TheBoyConor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭TheBoyConor


    Your only option now is to have it all certified since you know about the requirement to certify. If something goes wrong in future and someone is injured or something then pleasing ignorance is gone because you knowingly and deliberately carried on with an certified installation.


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    #31
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Suckler wrote: »
    No sympathy. "cash job/going off the books" encourages substandard work and puts good tradespeople out of work.

    Thankfully, becoming a registered contractor eliminates cowboy work from the cowboy electrician when he registers, and any journeymen he may hire.


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