What's involved in testing/signing off electrical work?

Beccy66

We've had a bit of a dispute with an electrician who's wired some lights and sockets in a new extension and fitted a new consumer unit.

He says there's still a "good day" of work to do labelling the consumer unit and testing and signing off the electrics. I am tempted to get another electrician in to do it but having done some research it seems that it's hard to get someone to sign off someone else's work.

I just wondered roughly how many hours of work the testing and signing off should be. We feel we've already paid over the odds for labour costs and are keen to keep a check on any new work.

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Sorry, I can't answer your question but...are you paying him by the hour?

keystone

Beccy66 wrote: »

We've had a bit of a dispute with an electrician who's wired some lights and sockets in a new extension and fitted a new consumer unit.

So what is the nature of the dispute except you "feel" you have paid over the odds. Has he done the work you asked him to do? Did you get a quote for the work and did you agree to it? Have you agreed anything other than a fixed price?

He says there's still a "good day" of work to do labelling the consumer unit and testing and signing off the electrics.

Well he's probably correct and its part of the job - its not an extra.

I am tempted to get another electrician in to do it.............

Why? It has to be done anyway.

.....but having done some research it seems that it's hard to get someone to sign off someone else's work.

Why should anyone else sign off his work at his risk?

We feel we've already paid over the odds for labour costs and are keen to keep a check on any new work.

Did you agree a price for the work? What was the scope of the work? How much was the quote? Testing, documenting and signing off is not new work. It's part of the job.

Cheers

fluffpot

a good day to to so the testing of a new fuse board sounds about right to me - although personally I would have done this before the fuse board change in case there were any problems

And concur with Keystone...

Beccy66

To answer some of the questions above:

We didn't hire the electrician - we had buiilders project managing the work who hired him. The first sum that went to him was part of their overall cost and would have covered fitting a new CU, spotlights, sockets, wiring for kitchen, wiring for new boiler, wiring for underfloor heating, new thermostats etc. We had no direct role in negotiating that payment and don't know how much it was for.

It was when we had an additional bill for three and a half thousand pounds for extras that we started to ask questions. That price included 9 LED spotlights (it turned out for some reason that the lights he's put into the ceiling are decking lights), a few other ordinary spotlights and sockets in addition to the ones which we'd already paid for and fitting some speakers which we'd bought and paid for in the ceiling. It was a new extension so there was no plaster to cut through etc.

I won't go into detail about what we've since found out and the discussions we've had but we have got the price reduced slightly although we're still questioning some of the costs. It's partly our fault for not checking it all up front but since it was coordinated by the builders we were always one step removed.

It's all resulted in the fact that we don't really trust him any more and would rather not have him back, which is why I was asking the question. It seems however that he does have to sign off his work for building control.

keystone

Ahh so the plot thickens. Your contract is with the builder so its him you should probably be losing trust in not the sparks. So a few small observations:

1. Extras whould be discussed and specified and costed and agreed before they are carried out.

2. If builder has lost money on some other part of the contract you need to be sure he's not using this to claw back some of his losses.

3. If electrician fitted lights that builder free issued to him thats not his fault its the builders and you should not have to pay to have those lights replaced with the correct type in any case whoever ordered the wrong ones.

4. A couple of spotlights, sockets and speakers are not £3ks worth of work.

5. Your argument is with the builder TBH. He needs to fully justify this additional £3½k down to the penny before you even consider paying it.

Cheers