Discuss New build sparkies in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

Welcome to ElectriciansForums.net - The American Electrical Advice Forum
Head straight to the main forums to chat by click here:   American Electrical Advice Forum

T

Toneyz

I when into the electrical wholesalers today and it is mostly frequented with sparkies that work for local electrical contractors that do new homes (Barratts, Persimmon etc) and I got talking to one of them regarding 18th edition and clipping cables in attached garages (the type that has open pr-made trusses) do you use metal clips to comply now I asked (as in my days on domestic it was standard plastic knock on clips) He looked at me blankly had not got a clue why I was asking. It reminds me of when I was a Q.S. for a house bashing contactor no concept of the regs/changes very dis skilled in my opinion 1.0mm lights 2.5 ring 6mm cooker A to B and the majority not a clue for testing turn it on it works it's not gone bang. It seems that there is a big dubbing down on this side of the profession with no concept to keep up to date with regs changes. Anyway rant over before I turn into Pete or Tel.
 
I when into the electrical wholesalers today and it is mostly frequented with sparkies that work for local electrical contractors that do new homes (Barratts, Persimmon etc) and I got talking to one of them regarding 18th edition and clipping cables in attached garages (the type that has open pr-made trusses) do you use metal clips to comply now I asked (as in my days on domestic it was standard plastic knock on clips) He looked at me blankly had not got a clue why I was asking. It reminds me of when I was a Q.S. for a house bashing contactor no concept of the regs/changes very dis skilled in my opinion 1.0mm lights 2.5 ring 6mm cooker A to B and the majority not a clue for testing turn it on it works it's not gone bang. It seems that there is a big dubbing down on this side of the profession with no concept to keep up to date with regs changes. Anyway rant over before I turn into Pete or Tel.
Dumming down is correct Ant, I could elaborate, but you know my opinions, we have spoken on many occasions, plus I don't need the comments I would get if I did elaborate, leave it at that shall we?
 
Well I can't be turning into Tel as I don't smoke and can't drink as much as for Pete well he is not so grumpy as you lot make out he is.
just Passionate Ant, Passionate.
 
Surely new build sparks working on mass new builds are just working to repeated design specs, a bit like shelling peas or giving out speeding tickets ;)
 
The problem i see with firms that just bash big housing estates is the money is rubbish so there is no time to teach apprentices properly. Lads have to knock their socks off to earn a living and end up cutting corners to keep up the pace. I’ve just won 25 houses and four flats at good rates...I got talking to a QS whilst pricing this job and showed him a spec of one type of house which is a 4 bed, detached with garage. There is not anything fancy...I would say a medium spec which consists off brushed steel accessories, pendants everywhere apart from kitchen and bathrooms which are downlights and a Bluetooth speaker in the kitchen. My price £6600....QS told me if was on a persimmons site then the same spec would be £3944 + £250 for the speaker total £4194. So about £2400 cheaper.

Edit: should of added the house Is 136 square meters and house bashing firms on big sites are pricing around £29 a square meter for the electrics.
 
Last edited:
Its too easy to heap scorn on those electricians,they work their socks off for tight fisted companies
Given more time they no doubt would have less excuse for slap dash or be less informed on these jobs
I am no way suggesting those electricians don't work their socks off ( I once was one of them)
 
Its too easy to heap scorn on those electricians,they work their socks off for tight fisted companies
Given more time they no doubt would have less excuse for slap dash or be less informed on these jobs
Very true. Especially when you start looking at speed and cost.
 
Just to add an oldie point of view, I had a stint at house bashing in the 70s the 1970s before some smart Alec jumps in with a comment.
Anyway I digress, the scenario went like this, one Electrician and about 5 or 6 Apprentices, once the Apprentices were shown what to do, some first fixing some 2nd fixing, my job as the Electrician was to oversee this shamble.
Not a lot can go wrong on repetition work, or so you would have thought, switches an sockets at the wrong height, how do I connect this 3 gang 2 way switch, and so on, someone mentioned speed and cost, it was the ethic in those days same as it is now, the trouble was and is still today lots of these Apprentices, qualified and became Electricians, only knowing new build house bashing, a sad reflection.
 
FatAlan , if you are young and fit then new builds are fine.
Throw in some t@e , whack in some back boxes
You don’t need a laser level or spirit level just ‘eye ball’ everything , throw it at the wall and that’s about it.

You get to meet some ‘interesting’ people and I even learned some polish while working in London.
The work is relatively clean and pay normally between £150-200 per day.
 
Points very well put by Pete, I suppose in Pete's day the regs and amount in houses was much less and easier it that way however harder in the sense of chasing hard brick drilling traditional joists mostly with no electric drill no battery drills I beams dot and dab.
 
Points very well put by Pete, I suppose in Pete's day the regs and amount in houses was much less and easier it that way however harder in the sense of chasing hard brick drilling traditional joists mostly with no electric drill no battery drills I beams dot and dab.
Got that right Ant
 
My firm used to have to outsource to outside contractors to rewire some properties...some existing and some new builds. A.bennetts were the worst offedners. Came across one yesterday on the cert they put they used 25mm for tails...so why am i staring at 16mm T+E??

Sockets...that aren't actually wired in...but just screwed to the wall...

Lots of other funny finds
 

Reply to New build sparkies in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Electrician Courses Green Electrical Goods PCB Way Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Pushfit Wire Connectors Electric Underfloor Heating Electrician Courses
These Official Forum Sponsors May Provide Discounts to Regular Forum Members - If you would like to sponsor us then CLICK HERE and post a thread with who you are, and we'll send you some stats etc

Electrical Forum

Welcome to the Electrical Forum at ElectriciansForums.net. The friendliest electrical forum online. General electrical questions and answers can be found in the electrical forum.
This website was designed, optimised and is hosted by Untold Media. Operating under the name Untold Media since 2001.
Back
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website. For the best site experience please disable your AdBlocker.

I've Disabled AdBlock