Author Topic: Electrical Safety (Read 10918 times)

Madrat · « **Reply #15 on:** July 29, 2015, 06:39:35 pm »

You only have to hit the trunking a few times when moving the sofa for example and it cracks, you are then left with exposed and hanging cables! How do you decorate round it? Or put shelves or cupboards over it?

Tech12 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 29, 2015, 07:39:18 pm »

To be honest I've never had any callbacks from anyone that's damaged trunking while moving furniture or in general use, I don't use anything special just standard high impact PVC trunking & run a bead of white silicone or decorators caulk down either side where it meets the wall, but that's just me. Decorators don't normally find it a problem they just run the paper up to & it fold into the crease then over the top, fold into the crease the other side then out onto the wall.
When fitting shelves you notch the shelf around the trunking, just use a tennon saw or Junior hacksaw & a wood chisel.
If your talking about kitchen cupboards, they stand off the wall anyway & the trunking will fit nicely behind them.

Madrat · « **Reply #17 on:** July 29, 2015, 07:45:50 pm »

It must be the contractors round here, I have seen so many houses done that way that 6 months later the trunking is cracked and broken, even in houses with no kids. I still wont have it, as you said it looks bloody ugly

Tech12 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 29, 2015, 07:53:42 pm »

Oh it's totally ugly, no doubt about that. As for breaking, it's worth paying extra for quality trunking & fittings. The make of electrical fitting is usually specified by the local authority, but the trunking isn't & the contractors or subbies can claw in a bit extra using cheappie trunking.
On a big contract, that can add up to a nice little bit.
You must be lucky with your council, most won't let you refuse safety upgrades. When I was doing council contracting, you had to report any refusals back to the council. They could then take what they deemed appropriate action, if the Tennant still refused to cooperate they could seek eviction & posession orders.

Madrat · « **Reply #19 on:** July 29, 2015, 08:47:39 pm »

They ended up changing the consumer unit and fitting electric smoke alarms, but when I said in front of the contractor that I had seen the quality of the workmanship and if they wanted legal action they could have it, they backed down, I also pointed out that it cant be that much of a safety problem considering it had been over 2 years from inspection to actual sending out contractors, they were a bit shame faced. We had also just finished decorating so were not in the mood.

Tech12 · « **Reply #20 on:** July 29, 2015, 09:04:25 pm »

Over 2 years, bloody hell that's ridiculous. They know what housing stock needs re-wiring & the contractors should be able to block price off plan, shouldn't take more than about 3 months. That's of course depending on the financial situation.