How much should tradesmen finish off jobs?

7roland8

Just a quick question - recently had a new kitchen installed and the kitchen firm got a plumber and electrician to come in for small jobs - but we had to pay for them separately.

No problem with the kitchen but we don't feel the electrician and plumber finished off as they should - or maybe it is for us to do.

The plumber had to move the waste pipe and left the old hole in the wall without filling it in - or filling around the new waste pipe to avoid play. Hubby had to do it or we'd have mice or ants invading.

The electrician had to move our kitchen switch a few inches - and left it like this? Is that just cosmetic work for us to do ourselves? Maybe we are being too fussy.
We have complained for him to come back anyway as he hasn't connected the earth back under the sink - no payment till thats done.

DRP

I'm amazed there isn;t a new socket there instead of the grotty old one - did you specify re-using the old?

paddypaws101

In my experience, plumbers and electricians will at best roughly 'make good' an area, but it is up to you or a decorator to do the cosmetic work.

DaftyDuck

That looks like an unbelievably poor job to me....

Yes, I'd expect a basic fill from a plumber, "making good". But, I'd expect a new socket from a leccy, and even my mum could have done a better job than that with filling!

societys_child

Looks to me like someone has asked the sparky to come and move the cooker plate over a few inches and that's what he's done.

Surprised he didn't mention supplying a new one, but depends on what he was asked to do . .. and how much money he was involved. Matches the adaptor and that plug tho' . . .

7roland8

Thanks all - plugs won't be staying and socket does not look so bad in the flesh.
Only moved a it bit and I'm sure we said just to move it - they never quoted before and we were trying to keep costs down - it was bad enough getting washing machine drainage changed that we hadn't bargained forI


Thanks for the comment about 'making good' - I thought it might be something like that - didn't expect them to decorate but I shall have words when he returns.

docmatt

Why did he use mashed potato to fill the space where the old socket was? Was someone cooking dinner?

DaftyDuck

docmatt wrote: »

Why did he use mashed potato to fill the space where the old socket was? Was someone cooking dinner?

That's what made me think of my mum at post #8 - her pastry was that lumpy!

Often better if a trade does nothing than does it badly, as it'll be difficult to get a good finish now.

DRP

DaftyDuck wrote: »

That's what made me think of my mum at post #8 - her pastry was that lumpy!

Often better if a trade does nothing than does it badly, as it'll be difficult to get a good finish now.

Yes good point.

I had my house rewired in the new year and we (still) have plenty of holes where sockets and switches have been moved, but there was no attempt to stuff them with marshmallows or similar.

skintandfat

7roland8 wrote: »

We have complained for him to come back anyway as he hasn't connected the earth back under the sink - no payment till thats done.

The cooker control unit you have is not a standard size, you will struggle to get a new one.
The sink does not need to be bonded now and I would not have done this either.
I don't plaster (as it may end up looking as bad as this) as I am not good at it, although I make this clear to the customer when on site / before doing the work.

I find it is experience that makes you aware of your limitations (such as plastering)

DaftyDuck

I had a helpful odd-job man to fix an oil tank stand behind a barn. He had loads of cement mortar left over, and found all sorts of small gaps in the eighteenth-century brickwork of the house to fill in. He had enough left over to ensure he did a good job, covering the bricks on either side as well.

Took me ages to rake it out, and even longer for the bits I didn't notice that had set hard.

He did mean well, he really did, so I didn't grumble at the time.