Electric rewiring

veronica115012

Good morning, I need some advice regarding the cost for electrical work I received.

For a two bedroom flat in South East London, I received a quote £1,600 for: fuse board change, 10 power points in kitchen with new circuit, lower ceiling, fix plasterboard in bathroom and install 4 down lights as well as points for electric shower , mirror lights, shaver and extractor fan. Move lights to the centre in 2 bedrooms and living room (the lights are currently on the side of the ceiling); add a power point for electric fire place and an extra socket in one bedroom. All cables are chased into walls, but I need to provide all the fittings (except for plasterboard).

I accepted the quote, because I had previously received a quote for £2,800 from someone else for doing less work, so I thought this is a very good price.

The electrician came on Saturday and started the work, but when he got to moving the lights, he said that the main cable doesn't match the cable coming from the old fuse board and there is a hidden cable connection, which is illegal and he won't give me a certificate for that work. He said he'd need to carry the cables from the new circuit and chase through the ceilings to living room, both bedrooms and back to the hallway. I understand that he won't touch the sockets in the rooms, so it won't be a full flat rewire.

For this additional work, I was asked to pay £600, so in total it would be £2,200 without fittings. Does it sound fair? It is a lot of money which I didn't expect to pay, so I just need advice before I agree to this. What other options do I have?

Thanks,
Veronica

fluffpot

A hidden cable connection is not illegal, it's just not best practice. There are lots of properties out there with hidden cable connections. At the end of the day if the cable was not different at each end, he would never know if there were joins or not!

From your post, it looks as if this problem circuit it not one he is even working on

It should not stop him from given you a certificate as long as the new and old cables pass all the tests. He can also put a note on the certificate to the effect that there are hidden connections

The reason they are not good practice is that at if there is ever a problem with the cable join (eg it comes loose), then you have no idea where it is and finding it may well cause damage to walls/ceilings to find it

If you are prepared to go with this, then I would have a conversation with him and explain that you know the risks, and are happy to forgo the new wiring and paying out an extra £600.

BTW his price sounds very low and perhaps this is his was of trying to make some money back?

Good luck

brightontraveller

There not stating the reg /breach could be they don’t know? Could be they want to keep it simples? I’d imagine there thinking regulation 526.3 but regs a bit ambiguous what’s accessible, how? Etc plenty wouldn’t sign it off but some would?

There initial price was competitive some might say cheap and they wanted to make up for that with the extras but again they wouldn’t have known they were there so no guarantee of that?

Its no longer considered good practice to use non compliant junction boxes / methods in an installation so personally if the danger is there I’d consider removing it weather that means rewire or installing correct fitting making them accessible etc at the end of the day is normally a matter for the client to decide and most often cost decided...