Hello, new DIY warrior here

[Pat H]

Ideally 2 pictures. One of the back of each of the two way switches.
I'm assuming you have already removed them anyway and that was done with the power off for safety.

 

[ilsa]

Don't blame the electrician, when chasing walls out it can go either way depending on the wall itself, nice clean chases if the plaster is good or as with many old houses the plaster is already blown waiting to fall off the wall as soon as it touched, it's not the sparks fault it starts dropping off, i've been to jobs were i've told the customer before i started work you will need a plasterer to redo most of the wall as when you knock on the plaster it's hollow and you just know it wont be just filling a chase.

That work doesn't look like it's been done by a spark even a crap spark, more a diy warrior/landlord thinking they'll have a crack themselves and save a few quid, i'd get an electrician in who can rectify and improve whats already been done.

I'm not that worried about the plaster even though I had a different electrician in before and he did 4 chases, including old lath and plaster ceiling, neat work, even did some filling and all skirting boards stayed in place. With the last one plaster gone, skirting gone and me here with pictures of dodgy wiring. Go figure. I have my reasons to be weary

I might give the benefit of doubt that he didn't mess up the wiring as the wiring was already in place. But surely, an electrician chasing and fitting back boxes should have mentioned that something is not looking right and not just wire it up and leave. He's top of the Google search for sparks in my area too..hmm..

Lesson: I WILL ASK FOR CERTIFICATE FROM NOW ON. How do I ask for it? before the job?

 

[The Ghost]

A certificate should be issued at the finish of the job. It should not need to be asked for. But if you are not offered it with the invoice then I would consider withholding payment until it issued to you.

 

[Pat H]

Ah I see now. The lack of space in the back box is less of an issue if you are using the wooden backing for the switches as you will get some space there.

 

[Richard Burns]

That does not look very neat at all and I can see that there have been some problems.
I notice that each switch you have pictured has two 3 core cables and one two core cable, although I cannot see behind the obstructions for the other cables you mention.
The lower picture appears to have a supply being fed to the switch. This would lead me to expect that the two way wiring was two wire. However the arrangement in the upper pictured switch does not reflect this.

Because of these anomalies I might expect an error has been made somewhere and that a professional opinion should be obtained in order to test the cabling and determine the correct method that can be used for these switches.

One of the generally most reliable methods of getting someone reliable is to ask for recommendations from friends and neighbours as they will rarely recommend someone who has done a bad job for them (unless you really do not get on well with your neighbours!)

I hope you manage to get it sorted rapidly.

 

[ChipFanDave]

He's top of the Google search for sparks in my area too..hmm..

I will go with you are 100% being honest and I would say although those pictures look like a big bodge wiring job the use of sleeving is intriguing so......

Don't be shy if a "real" electrician did this then you should threaten to name them and then get him back to fix it. You will have very little legal recourse if you don't give them the opportunity to put it right.

 

[ilsa]

He's top of the Google search for sparks in my area too..hmm..

I will go with you are 100% being honest and I would say although those pictures look like a big bodge wiring job the use of sleeving is intriguing so......

Don't be shy if a "real" electrician did this then you should threaten to name them and then get him back to fix it. You will have very little legal recourse if you don't give them the opportunity to put it right.

The only problem with asking him to fix it, is that he will say "I didn't do it". His job was to chase two cable runs and install two switch covers. Took him two days! The wiring was already there ( I can't vouch he didn't change something ), very likely done by the previous bodge-job owner of this house, everywhere we look something is not done right.

However, good spark would have mentioned that something is not right?? Do they have to according to regs? We had a different electrician in earlier in the year, who mentioned that our fuse box is not safe and he refused to carry out any further jobs. So we paid him to change the box. Win-win.

 

[KennyKen]

What's going on with the UK? Every time I look on here there's someone doing rubbish work. You could probably run a successful business just fixing up the crap. From the sounds of it you've probably had a boil in the bag sparkie do this? If the wiring was already there, did he perform tests on cable to see if it was ok to use or that there wasn't an existing issue with circuit? People really need to realise the severity of electrical wiring and the dangers that occur not only with shock but potential fire hazards. Saving money on a cheap 10 week sparkie is going to cost you more. There's a reason most of the lads on here have been training for 5 years plus. Get him to show you his licence next time.

Oh and that Certificate you should not have to ask for it. It should have been issued after work had been completed

 

[Pete999]

What's going on with the UK? Every time I look on here there's someone doing rubbish work. You could probably run a successful business just fixing up the crap. From the sounds of it you've probably had a boil in the bag sparkie do this? If the wiring was already there, did he perform tests on cable to see if it was ok to use or that there wasn't an existing issue with circuit? People really need to realise the severity of electrical wiring and the dangers that occur not only with shock but potential fire hazards. Saving money on a cheap 10 week sparkie is going to cost you more. There's a reason most of the lads on here have been training for 5 years plus. Get him to show you his licence next time.

Oh and that Certificate you should not have to ask for it. It should have been issued after work had been completed

Kenny "Boil in the bag sparkie" a classic description, a ne name for the Electrical Trainee one I never heard of before, I'm sure it wont be the last time that phrase is used.

 

[KennyKen]

Kenny "Boil in the bag sparkie" a classic description, a ne name for the Electrical Trainee one I never heard of before, I'm sure it wont be the last time that phrase is used.

Lol I heard it from a bloke I used to work with.. Electrical Trainee that made me crack up. It's freaking scary.

 

[Pete999]

Lol I heard it from a bloke I used to work with.. Electrical Trainee that made me crack up. It's freaking scary.

Great minds Kenny