09-02-2020, 05:02 PM
1
Grrrrrr
Oh dear we have been without electricity for a few hours. Had to call an emergency electrician out at a cost of £175.. He's fixed the problem temporarily - it was the outside light's junction box. Rain had got into it & fused the entire house.Now a lot of things need replacing including a 'special' metal fuse box that costs £400, a waterproof junction box cost unknown plus any other things the electrician thinks we need to make us safe & see it doesn't happen again... I don't think we'll be paying much short of £1,000 for the damage todays rain has done to our property...
It didn't help that I'd got a raving husband shouting at me that I was mad to pay them £175 - he was practically fuming - not really understanding due to his Alzheimers, that I had no choice!! I bloody well hate being a woman having to make decisions that a man usually makes..
....
09-02-2020, 05:15 PM
6
Re: Grrrrrr
Originally Posted by carol
->
Oh dear we have been without electricity for a few hours. Had to call an emergency electrician out at a cost of £175.. He's fixed the problem temporarily - it was the outside light's junction box. Rain had got into it & fused the entire house. Now a lot of things need replacing including a 'special' metal fuse box that costs £400, a waterproof junction box cost unknown plus any other things the electrician thinks we need to make us safe & see it doesn't happen again... I don't think we'll be paying much short of £1,000 for the damage todays rain has done to our property...
It didn't help that I'd got a raving husband shouting at me that I was mad to pay them £175 - he was practically fuming - not really understanding due to his Alzheimers, that I had no choice!! I bloody well hate being a woman having to make decisions that a man usually makes..
A waterproof junction box is around £5.
£175? You've being ripped off, and if you accept his offer to replace the consumer unit for no good reason, he will rip you off again.
09-02-2020, 05:36 PM
8
Re: Grrrrrr
I know I was ripped off at £175 but that was for the call out fee and the fixing of the problem.The electrician who fixed it said it could only be temporary as it needed a new waterproof junction box. This was the junction box to the outside light.
He looked at our consumer box which is plastic and said it is now against the law to have plastic ones.
He advised us to have it replaced with a metal one which would trip each item individually and we would never again have to put with all the electrics going off due to one fault.
I understand what he's saying. Having no electrical experts amongst my family or friends I just have to weigh it up for myself.
Thanks to those who suggested checking the insurance. I'll do that.
09-02-2020, 05:46 PM
9
Re: Grrrrrr
Originally Posted by carol
->
I know I was ripped off at £175 but that was for the call out fee and the fixing of the problem.The electrician who fixed it said it could only be temporary as it needed a new waterproof junction box. This was the junction box to the outside light.
He looked at our consumer box which is plastic and said it is now against the law to have plastic ones.
He advised us to have it replaced with a metal one which would trip each item individually and we would never again have to put with all the electrics going off due to one fault.
I understand what he's saying. Having no electrical experts amongst my family or friends I just have to weigh it up for myself.
Thanks to those who suggested checking the insurance. I'll do that.
If you were having a rewire or extensive electrical work done, I would expect a metal (fire-proof under new Regs) to be installed. The work you are having done, the replacement of a waterproof junction box (a fifteen-minute job), is classed as a like for like swap so nothing needs updating to the new Regs.
Look for another honest electrician, blokes like him are giving us decent sparkies a bad name.
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