Has Electrician made a mistake with height?

[Phil Thompson]

I'd say it's your fault, you neglected to give heights, you neglected to address the situation at first fix, you then neglected to address it at 2nd fix, you then neglected to address it before decorating.

High level is Light switch height, low level is 12" from floor to bottom of box, and mid level is worktop height.

You stated high level and now you realise you should have said mid level, there's no excuse at all IMHO that gets you out of the wallpapering issue, as there is no way that you couldn't realise they were too high before that if they're at light switch height.

Just one of those things in life that you gotta take it on the chin, realise you made an error and stop trying to find excuses to blame the tradesman for doing exactly what you requested and for you letting it get to the point where your new wallpaper is going to be damaged.

That might sound harsh, but it's what I'd have done and assumed you were putting in one of the desks the printer sits on a shelf above the monitor, when you were asking for high level.


If you had wanted worktop/desktop height then that's what you should have stated instead of high level, the fact you made your own plan would have me believing you knew what you were requesting, so no need to question anything.

Hope that helps

 

[Octopus]

Not taking sides here BUT when ever a customer asks me for something "non standard" like this I will mark the wall and check that they are happy.

Why didn't you notice this before the room was plastered? let alone before it was wall papered!

 

[plantpot]

It's the electricians fault and you should get it changed for free.

There now you can tell him you researched the internet and found this.its all you asked the question for anyway!.

 

[Octopus]

As I keep saying the height was not marked because I thought there was a standard height for sockets for desk level equipment.

My question to you is if you were putting your equipment at desk level what height would you have positioned the sockets?

Where the customer tells me to put them....

 

[telectrix]

it's only 2 sockets, FFS, not the end of civilisation.

 

[rolyberkin]

What do they say, assumed makes an --- out of you and me!

The learning here is you as the client needs to state at what height you wnat things placed, I have made similar mistakes numerous times when I have not had site visits with contractors and have assumed they knew what I was talking about or wanted. The plugs can be moved so not the end of the world and a bit of decorating is perhaps required. Personally I would not get hung up on who is to blame and just get it rectified. I don't think you have any case for forcing him to do the work again for free as this should have been picked up by you prior to decoration or on the day or so after he finished the work. A snall claim in my opinion is throwing good money after bad.

Personally to avoid these type of issues I get people to do me a quick sketch as to where they want things with heights agreed, this way there is no argument later.

 

[gutterball]

If you told me high above cabinets, I would be thinking filing cabinets in an office. So about light switch height.

 

[Spoon]

Hi OP.

It does sound like you are trying to blame someone other than yourself. As you have mentioned yourself "I didn't notice that something was wrong because there isn't anything to gauge the height with."

How did you expect the electrician to know exactly what height to put the socket at, you didn't know until the furniture was in by the sound of it?

It was bad planning. Maybe he should have asked you specific questions for each height of each socket. Not the guys fault in my opinion. Get him to fix it. You pay. Do you not have a strip of wallpaper left over to do the socket part again?

He can fix this while doing the other things you want looking at.

 

[telectrix]

for the sake of a hour or 2 labour, pay him to lower the sockets. hang a couple of small photos of the missus and kids over the holes or line them out and have a couple of niches.

 

[andyb]

6 of 1, half a dozen of the other in my opinion.

The electrician probably should of asked for the height, but it's easily done. The sockets have been there for all to see from first fix, to plastering to second fix and then decorating. You've had plenty of chances to ask for them to be moved.

For what it's worth, if it was my job I'd be happy to drop the sockets at no cost, but I wouldn't expect to pay for any redecorating. That would be up to the client unless I'd been told a specific height and I'd put them in the wrong place.

 

[telectrix]

6 of 1, half a dozen of the other in my opinion.

The electrician probably should of asked for the height, but it's easily done. The sockets have been there for all to see from first fix, to plastering to second fix and then decorating. You've had plenty of chances to ask for them to be moved.

For what it's worth, if it was my job I'd be happy to drop the sockets at no cost, but I wouldn't expect to pay for any redecorating. That would be up to the client unless I'd been told a specific height and I'd put them in the wrong place.

on a major job like this appears to be, i'd do exactly the same. basically a bit of snagging, but as you say, customer to be responsible for decor repair.

 

[Wonderwall]

What is your electricians take on all this?

 

[telectrix]

i'd like to think that he'd do as my last post and andy's last post. maybe we'll hear a sensible resolution from OP.

 

[Spoon]

From what I've seen of the OPs posts so far it looks like he is trying to blame the electrician 100%. Yes, Andy's & Tels suggestions would be the best.
The OP also says "There are a few other issues with his work such as the dimmable LED strip light not dimming so perhaps he can sort them all out in one go." Besides the light what are the other issues?

 

[Hawk]

How come you didn't notice at first fix?

 

[Spoon]

How come you didn't notice at first fix?

Have a look the OP's post #17. As I've mentioned in my previous post, it looks like he didn't know what height he wanted until the furniture was in.

 

[NDG Elecs]

I think they are both to blame...so the spark should lower the sockets free of charge (especially given its a big job, goodwill and all that), and the customer can pay for redecoration. Ultimately the customer should check things are to their satisfaction before getting walls decorated etc. If you don't want tomatoes in your chicken salad sarnie you gotta articulate it!

Doh, just realised I am repeating what others said a few posts back....

 

[Risteard]

I think they are both to blame...

In fairness we have only heard one side of the story!

 

[telectrix]

mountains and molehills spring to mind here.

 

[Diddy]

Lol well I blame the op 95%. There is NO WAY I would move for free and to be even considering "See who pays for the redecorating".....Im glad it was not me as I would get the feeling that my customer was trying to blame me for his shortcomings AND worse than that getting ME to pay for them.
Your only defense here is that you "thought" that there was a standard height for such things....Well now you know there isn't - Do that sort of research 1st OR just measure up properly and give out proper plans. As for a light not dimming....faulty light fitting - not his nor your fault im sure if he supplied he will replace FOC.....but again if YOU supplied it would have to be paid for. Im sorry if this post comes across as harsh but i felt these things need stating.
I would bet that ALL of the electricians here have been in the situation where someone was vague with the usual problem of needing to keep working to get the job done (after all time is money especially if you are in danger of running into the next day ect ect.) Yes ideally the client is reachable but again the electrician doesn't know it's a problem given the vague description.