B
Balfin
Hi, I’m not sure this post is really relevant here, but I’m looking for some advice about some electrical work that was undertaken at my home.
For background, I live in a converted cottage in Scotland which was to be a renovation job for my husband and I. The cottage is old stone (old) base with a 1970 extension to add a kitchen at back and an upper floor – all breeze block. The old stone part has panels and plasterboard on the inside the 1970 part not so.
Sadly my husband was diagnosed with MND shortly before Christmas, so what was to be renovation work has quickly turned into house adaption + decorating.
Naturally I thought it wise to start with the electrics – as an old house there are few (12 or so) sockets and we need a lot to cope with all the medical equipment going in for my husband.. The fuse box had already been replaced (6 months before). Being in something of a hurry I engaged a local electrician who had a shop on the high street and although I though his quote a little high, I went for it, believing that he had a reputation to upkeep and that he would do a good job.
He inspected the job and sent a quote – based on a fixed rate per socket (£60). I made it very clear that the house was to be renovated and that I was not concerned about the walls / skirting as these would all be getting replatsred/replaced soon in any case. I made it very clear that I wanted all wires raggled into the walls or under skirting – ie completely concealed.
Two electricians worked for two days on the job – at the end of the first day they had added sockets downstairs – run behind plaster – all good. Although the sockets themselves were raised (10cm) rather than flush with the wall.
Day two was upstairs. I returned to find they has run all the wires on top of the wall with large, square plastic insulating run all around the rooms and landing. All the socket units were sitting on top of wall – in short it looked an absolute mess with plastic running everywhere. It looked like the cheapest job possible had been done. Moreover, as space is an issue this is causing a problem for my husband as he has hoists etc which need to sit flush with the wall and have a free run – the socket etc are causing a problem.
I went to see the owner of the company – he told me there was no choice as the walls were breezeblock. He was very patronising and I left his shop very upset.
When I received his bill, he had charged for 2 days labour @£500 per day (£250 each electrician) + all materials, rather than the unit price he had quoted. The bill was £1500 double the quote
All in all a bit of a disaster. I am looking for some advice.
Is it true that wires can’t be run into breezeblock walls? Is there a better option? In light of what was scoped for the work – what would a good electrician have done and roughly how much should this have cost?
Is it worth trying to get this company to rectify the work? Or better to cut my losses and engage a new electrician? Given the electrics/wiring is in place - would the job of concealing the wires be more of a builder/plasterer job?
Sorry for all the questions, I would like to feel informed before I revisit the company or raise the issue again. If I wanted to make a complaint or refuse to pay the full bill – is there an industry advice centre that can advise? Would it be appropriate to make a complaint if I don’t get a satisfactory result.
My apologies for such a long post – many thanks for reading this far. I would be truly grateful for any advice that anyone could offer.
Thank you.
For background, I live in a converted cottage in Scotland which was to be a renovation job for my husband and I. The cottage is old stone (old) base with a 1970 extension to add a kitchen at back and an upper floor – all breeze block. The old stone part has panels and plasterboard on the inside the 1970 part not so.
Sadly my husband was diagnosed with MND shortly before Christmas, so what was to be renovation work has quickly turned into house adaption + decorating.
Naturally I thought it wise to start with the electrics – as an old house there are few (12 or so) sockets and we need a lot to cope with all the medical equipment going in for my husband.. The fuse box had already been replaced (6 months before). Being in something of a hurry I engaged a local electrician who had a shop on the high street and although I though his quote a little high, I went for it, believing that he had a reputation to upkeep and that he would do a good job.
He inspected the job and sent a quote – based on a fixed rate per socket (£60). I made it very clear that the house was to be renovated and that I was not concerned about the walls / skirting as these would all be getting replatsred/replaced soon in any case. I made it very clear that I wanted all wires raggled into the walls or under skirting – ie completely concealed.
Two electricians worked for two days on the job – at the end of the first day they had added sockets downstairs – run behind plaster – all good. Although the sockets themselves were raised (10cm) rather than flush with the wall.
Day two was upstairs. I returned to find they has run all the wires on top of the wall with large, square plastic insulating run all around the rooms and landing. All the socket units were sitting on top of wall – in short it looked an absolute mess with plastic running everywhere. It looked like the cheapest job possible had been done. Moreover, as space is an issue this is causing a problem for my husband as he has hoists etc which need to sit flush with the wall and have a free run – the socket etc are causing a problem.
I went to see the owner of the company – he told me there was no choice as the walls were breezeblock. He was very patronising and I left his shop very upset.
When I received his bill, he had charged for 2 days labour @£500 per day (£250 each electrician) + all materials, rather than the unit price he had quoted. The bill was £1500 double the quote
All in all a bit of a disaster. I am looking for some advice.
Is it true that wires can’t be run into breezeblock walls? Is there a better option? In light of what was scoped for the work – what would a good electrician have done and roughly how much should this have cost?
Is it worth trying to get this company to rectify the work? Or better to cut my losses and engage a new electrician? Given the electrics/wiring is in place - would the job of concealing the wires be more of a builder/plasterer job?
Sorry for all the questions, I would like to feel informed before I revisit the company or raise the issue again. If I wanted to make a complaint or refuse to pay the full bill – is there an industry advice centre that can advise? Would it be appropriate to make a complaint if I don’t get a satisfactory result.
My apologies for such a long post – many thanks for reading this far. I would be truly grateful for any advice that anyone could offer.
Thank you.
