Dot Dab Plaster wall - 35mm box? Plasterer at odds with electrician

[hasel5]

Did the spec say 35mm boxes if so stick to your guns

 

[James]

If you had more than 1 quote for the job, now might be a time to review the quotes again before work starts.
it's not a good sign when they are saying it will be extra money to do it to the specification that you originally agreed on.
you should be getting what you asked for.

 

[Mike Johnson]

1min 14seconds plus vacuum cleaning time.

View: https://youtu.be/fueNBF7s1qQ

 

[telectrix]

Exactly this, the walls getting dabbed over so it doesn’t need to be an sorta of neat. SDS on hammer with the chisel bit and shave 10mm off. In red brick it’s only taking a day, absolutely tops and that’s if you have a smoke after each box!

might take me more than a day, due to old age and the fact that i'd have a smoke before, during, and after each box, with a pint of ale after every 3.
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1min 14seconds plus vacuum cleaning time.

View: https://youtu.be/fueNBF7s1qQ

fine on thermalite block....useless on hard brick.

 

[radiohead]

To the OP, ask the plasterer to generously dab all the way round each box. Often they don't...and there is insufficient board to fully support the accessory. The result is the point will never be secure and ends up being bodged in with filler when the edge of the plasterboard crumbles.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I would have discussed this with the customer at the beginning and asked what sockets they wanted as some now do need 35mm. I did get caught out once, so that dosen't happen now. The plasterer can't be expected to bring the plasterboard out another 10mm just to please the electrician.

Of course if the electrician has specified 25mm back boxes in the quote then perhaps they are justified, but it should still have been discussed before hand.

If the plasterer puts up his boards and plasters, and then the electrician starts digging out the boxes more, the plasterer will have more (unecessary) work to do. It does seem that the electrician should just get in there and dig 35mm boxes in by 10mm (I bet he quoted to chase them all in anyway!).

 

[radiohead]

Nobody should be installing 25mm boxes anyway, it's lazy and shoddy on new work where very little extra effort is required to fit a 35mm box which will enable future changes of accessories.
So many times I've been to new builds where a new owner has proudly presented me with a load of shiny flat plate accessories to replace the cheap white originals, and you have to tell them it cant be done without replacing all the boxes. There is no excuse for it.

 

[pirate]

I would look at this another way. Why use dot and dab? It would take less time to fit proper studwork than chase out 30 backboxes, the finish would be better, and easier to obtain, the installer of the plasterboard would have an easier and quicker job, the plasterer has no extra work, and the electrician has a quicker and easier job too, with the benefit of a useable gap behind the board.

 

[telectrix]

I would look at this another way. Why use dot and dab? It would take less time to fit proper studwork than chase out 30 backboxes, the finish would be better, and easier to obtain, the installer of the plasterboard would have an easier and quicker job, the plasterer has no extra work, and the electrician has a quicker and easier job too, with the benefit of a useable gap behind the board.

and 6" lost from the width of the room (assuming 2 opposite walls are studded).

 

[pirate]

Like that would make a difference? I'm assuming we're talking about a room here, not a cupboard!

 

[Vortigern]

Slightly off topic but how do you wire the ring in this case, horizontally or vertically between sockets?

 

[JLeague]

Just an update. Even though I specced it as 35mm I have decided to go with 25mm back boxes and slim profile face plates / sockets.

I am on a schedule and I need the electrician to finish before the plasterer comes in with his team which I cannot delay as he has secured all the plaster so if I didnt start on the agreed date he would need to be paid for 2 days delay for his whole team - 3 of them.

I am not having any dimmer switches - just standard light fittings and downlights.

 

[UNG]

Like that would make a difference? I'm assuming we're talking about a room here, not a cupboard!

It could make all the difference between a kitchen optimally fitting the space or not. A 3m x 2.5m room would lose just under 0.5m² of floor area, it doesn't sound a lot but in some areas of the country that could be a very expensive 0.5m²

 

[telectrix]

Like that would make a difference? I'm assuming we're talking about a room here, not a cupboard!

no wood left for a cupboard. it's all been used for your studding, and 1 tree less to absorb C02.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Call me old fashioned, but IMO plasterboard should only be used on ceilings, dot and dab was invented to speed up construction no other reason, any muppet can do it, very little skill involved, with hard plaster, cupboards and fittings can be fitted directly to the wall no need for noggins, but it does need skill which seems to be lacking in the building trade these days.
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Like that would make a difference? I'm assuming we're talking about a room here, not a cupboard!

Kitchen units are normally a multiple of 600, 300 & 400 so any reduction of space is at a premium to get all the units in, kitchen planning needs a bit of skill.

 

[nicebutdim]

Call me old fashioned, but IMO plasterboard should only be used on ceilings, dot and dab was invented to speed up construction no other reason,

I've never seen dot and dab used and only became aware of its existence a few years back, from watching youtube videos. I don't think this technique is used in NI at all. It seems a bit mad to take a solid wall and turn it into a hollow wall.

 

[JLeague]

I've never seen dot and dab used and only became aware of its existence a few years back, from watching youtube videos. I don't think this technique is used in NI at all. It seems a bit mad to take a solid wall and turn it into a hollow wall.

I thought one benefit was having a little air gap of 10-15mm helps with insulation a bit like double glazing - but I may be totally wrong!

 

[Mike Johnson]

If I remember correctly the Gypsum White Book says sufficient dab should be put on the wall to fill the void.

 

[Ian1981]

Call me old fashioned, but IMO plasterboard should only be used on ceilings, dot and dab was invented to speed up construction no other reason, any muppet can do it, very little skill involved, with hard plaster, cupboards and fittings can be fitted directly to the wall no need for noggins, but it does need skill which seems to be lacking in the building trade these days.
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Kitchen units are normally a multiple of 600, 300 & 400 so any reduction of space is at a premium to get all the units in, kitchen planning needs a bit of skill.

I’ve never ever seen dot and dab used on ceilings as the plasterboard is fixed to the timbers by screws, dabbing it , it would simply fall down or move.

 

[Mike Johnson]

You don't dot and dap on ceilings, I thought that would be understood and did not need explaining, perhaps you are too young to remember the traditional way of constructing domestic buildings.