Various bits of work needed... Various questions!

[Squid]

Was offered a place a Guys Hospital dental school to be a dentist. Messed my A levels up as I spent too much time studying beer, girls and playing squash. In some ways I’m glad I haven’t spent 30 years looking in people’s mouths or though I suppose £70 for 10mins descaling May change ones view.

Must be better than crawling through a loft with a fat gut and 1980's itchy insulation, you could have retired by now with perfect teeth to the Algarve.....

 

[peterhyper]

Was offered a place a Guys Hospital dental school to be a dentist. Messed my A levels up as I spent too much time studying beer, girls and playing squash. In some ways I’m glad I haven’t spent 30 years looking in people’s mouths or though I suppose £70 for 10mins descaling May change ones view.

Do you mind me asking if you are really a fat Alan?

 

[MJPD29]

Do the chasing in yourself it isn't hard but it is time consuming and will run up.yout bill just get the spark to mark the wall where he wants it cut, And leave the rest to him. Cheapest quote is very rarely best and don't compromise your safety to save a few quid!

 

[peterhyper]

Do the chasing in yourself it isn't hard but it is time consuming and will run up.yout bill just get the spark to mark the wall where he wants it cut, And leave the rest to him. Cheapest quote is very rarely best and don't compromise your safety to save a few quid!

What an excellent suggestion, and maybe the op might even pay the lucky spark who gets this job in magic beans.

 

[Devonchris]

I hate dentists so I never really go...

Getting someone to admit diy electrics is not a good idea, and can be costly in the long term especially at house sale time, is like pulling teeth.

 

[Max Rasa]

Very good Devonchris

Forgetting my OP for a moment, I am interested to know as electricians at what point you begin to think DIYers should down their tools and butt out? Like I asked a few posts ago, do you think DIYers should go no further than changing a light bulb? I'm not challenging that idea, I'm just curious.

 

[Charlie_]

Will you be paying your electrician on a quotation basis or will he be on day rates? (day rates best for him in this instance)
I think the best option would be to do the whole job with him, working as his labourer/mate...
This way everything will be overseen by a qualified spark and you will also gain lots of knowledge along the way

 

[peterhyper]

Will you be paying your electrician on a quotation basis or will he be on day rates? (day rates best for him in this instance)
I think the best option would be to do the whole job with him, working as his labourer/mate...
This way everything will be overseen by a qualified spark and you will also gain lots of knowledge along the way

Charlie, firstly many congratulations on being the top poster of the month.

I personally wouldn't ever agree to a job where the customer wants to be my labourer.

 

[FatAlan]

Charlie, firstly many congratulations on being the top poster of the month.

I personally wouldn't ever agree to a job where the customer wants to be my labourer.

I know what you’re saying Pete. You’d certainly not want to make it common practice. It raises the whole issue over mates and apprentices and how much time supervision detracts from you doing the job and the relative costs involved. In the long run if a DIY’er wants to assist it could cost them just as much if not more as you’d have to slow down in order to check the standard of work.

 

[The Ghost]

I can appreciate that, but where would you draw the line? Sounds like somewhere between changing a light bulb and changing a wall socket?

what point you begin to think DIYers should down their tools and butt out

Ok I'll bite. So the thing is we work within a statutory and regulation type framework. It is clear that only a person who is skilled and trained should be doing electrics from that framework. That excludes you doing electrical work. When I take on a job the responsibility for the safety of the building and persons around that installation becomes my sole responsibility. Hence I would not have you doing work on my installation. It is very much a matter of the constraints of the law and regulations this mindset comes from. Personally I take that responsibility seriously and as much as I can sympathise with your "...its only a couple of wires how difficult can it be?..." approach it is not quite so simple. As stated you are jeopardising yourself, future sale of your house and compromising your insurance. Leave it to the professionals is my advice when it comes to potentially onerous consequences. That way you deal with a set of problems that apparently the average diyer is oblivious to.