Sparks vs Plumbers... What's the score?

[Deuce]

A mate of mine bought a house and asked me to check things over. It ended up with replacement CU , among other things. A couple of months later, this is work done by a 'heating engineer', who installed a new boiler to a property. He broke into the downstairs RFC with a 20 amp 4 p joint box, under the floor.

Wow, 20amp on a RFC... I guess he just had one in the back of the van and figured waste not want not?

Just out of interest is it the case now that all boilers have to be on a dedicated radial? Or for certain sizes is it still ok to spur off the RFC to a FCU, or incorporate the FCU into the ring directly? I only ask as I noticed mine is on a ring, and I thought a few years ago there was a reg change about that. It might just be a CORGI internal standard, not a formal regulation as such.

 

[ipf]

Wow, 20amp on a RFC... I guess he just had one in the back of the van and figured waste not want not?

Just out of interest is it the case now that all boilers have to be on a dedicated radial? Or for certain sizes is it still ok to spur off the RFC to a FCU, or incorporate the FCU into the ring directly? I only ask as I noticed mine is on a ring, and I thought a few years ago there was a reg change about that. It might just be a CORGI internal standard, not a formal regulation as such.

No need for a separate circuit. Depends on the heating system and size, really, but as long as there's local isolation and fuse, no problem.
In this case it was a quick repair job. I changed the JB, which was required anyway, but if I'd been installing the supply, I'd have put it on a new circuit for the sake of it......spares in the cu and only about 5 yards to the boiler.

 

[GBDamo]

Another example: Most connections made by seasoned sparks are good, but few are 100% perfect. Let's say most are 99.9% as perfect as they could ever be though, and more than good enough. In a plumbers world a 99.9% perfect connection is an abject failure. 99.999% is still a tiny drip every 10 minutes and still a failure. It's 100% or failure.

Not quite so,

I've seen fluxed joints hold cold water at full mains pressure without a drip.

I've seen a tee in a central heating pipe that was never soldered, only started leaking after twenty years+ when a new radiator was fitted.

I've seen a pipe clipped onto a protruding nail that was holding water.

Funny thing luck.

 

[Deuce]

Not quite so,

I've seen fluxed joints hold cold water at full mains pressure without a drip.

I've seen a tee in a central heating pipe that was never soldered, only started leaking after twenty years+ when a new radiator was fitted.

I've seen a pipe clipped onto a protruding nail that was holding water.

Funny thing luck.

Well in all 3 cases, a perfect seal was in place = no leaks

I still stand by what I said though, an electrical connection has to be good enough. A plumbing connection has to be absolute or it's a failure. And yes, sheer luck or a surprise snug fit can achieve a perfect seal but it's not a method I would rely upon!!

I employ the services of both trades, so in the end I see the value and skill in both. They are two very different trades too, although both share a hell bent desire to be the first to fix to stuff up the others planned route through a building.

 

[oracle]

Getting a plumber to repair my boiler was difficult. After 5 or six calls one guy said he would come but it cost £100 to arrive at my door.

He came and asked for the money so I told him I would pay him before he left and could he look at the boiler.

We went to the bathroom and he glanced at it then said he didn't know the make and could I pay him now I said lucky you look there's information and drawings on the top of the boiler.

He read them and fiddled with it for a bit then said it was an electrical fault and I needed to call an electrician and could I pay him now. I said you are really lucky, I am an electrician

He pointed to a part of the boiler and said this valve isn't opening, so I checked for voltage and said it's got a supply your valve is stuck.

I don't know where to get a new one so can you pay me now. I gave him the drawings again and showed him the contact details for the supplier

He phoned them and ordered one. He said that it would take two days and cost £150 including fitting and could I pay him now. I gave him the £100 and said I would pay the rest when he got the boiler working

Two days later the job was done and I paid him the balance. Who said you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink?

 

[ipf]

Getting a plumber to repair my boiler was difficult. After 5 or six calls one guy said he would come but it cost £100 to arrive at my door.

He came and asked for the money so I told him I would pay him before he left and could he look at the boiler.

We went to the bathroom and he glanced at it then said he didn't know the make and could I pay him now I said lucky you look there's information and drawings on the top of the boiler.

He read them and fiddled with it for a bit then said it was an electrical fault and I needed to call an electrician and could I pay him now. I said you are really lucky, I am an electrician

He pointed to a part of the boiler and said this valve isn't opening, so I checked for voltage and said it's got a supply your valve is stuck.

I don't know where to get a new one so can you pay me now. I gave him the drawings again and showed him the contact details for the supplier

He phoned them and ordered one. He said that it would take two days and cost £150 including fitting and could I pay him now. I gave him the £100 and said I would pay the rest when he got the boiler working

Two days later the job was done and I paid him the balance. Who said you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink?

With a job of that size he wouldn't have got a cent off me before it was in perfect working order.
These p****s want who want paying up front!...….has he no accounts at suppliers? Can't be much of a business if he pays up front for his materials.

 

[telectrix]

i pay for materials upfront. reason being is i don't want a huge account bill arriving 4 weeks after doing a job, then being quiet and using the monies for other things and then struggling to pay off the account. i always get an upfront payment of 50% from customer on any jobs over £200. works for me as a one man concern.

 

[ipf]

Getting a plumber to repair my boiler was difficult. After 5 or six calls one guy said he would come but it cost £100 to arrive at my door.

i pay for materials upfront. reason being is i don't want a huge account bill arriving 4 weeks after doing a job, then being quiet and using the monies for other things and then struggling to pay off the account. i always get an upfront payment of 50% from customer on any jobs over £200. works for me as a one man concern.

Fair enough tel, as a one man band in your case, with agreement made. But cash for turning up when he's not even seen the job is rubbish......and I don't think, in a similar situation, you would be saying 'give me 100 up front before I change your light fitting......I'll get the stuff in a couple a days and install it, before final payment'.
……..and I'd want a safety certificate for the work.

Fair enough tel, as a one man band in your case, with agreement made. But cash for turning up when he's not even seen the job is rubbish......and I don't think, in a similar situation, you would be saying 'give me 100 up front before I change your light fitting......I'll get the stuff in a couple a days and install it, before final payment'.
……..and I'd want a safety certificate for the work.​