Channel 5 dodgy builders

[busy builder]

Melinda Messenger a builder ? whatever next !! She can come and inspect my installations anytime

The so called expert builder apparently hasn't heard of padstones either, and what builder turns up at the job in his Beemer ?

This programme really gets my back up, she's off to beg for free kitchens, flooring, lighting etc off poor shop keepers who can hardly say no with a pair of **** and a camera in their face. Whilst the 'expert' condemns everything in sight even when its perfectly okay. Like the wiring running horizontally ? whats wrong with that ? and not giving the electrician chance to use trunking either.

Okay, some of the other stuff was way out of order and I'm no way saying he shouldn't be run out of town for shoddy work. But this programme is journolistic sensationalism in its extreme.

 

[markwuzere]

in some ways i agree yes a padstone would have been fine for the steel to sit on, but thats about it, the rest of the work was shocking to say the least . Ive been in the trade 25 years and would have done the same and knocked the whole thing down just with less drama and no freebies oh and no melinda to look at, ah well i can dream :lol:

 

[joiner_sim]

I watched the last half of the programme, and felt sorry for the customer. But at the end of the day, common sense should always be used when employing some one to do work for you. Don't hand over every penny before the jobs even started, arrange installments to be paid to conincide with work completed/materials needed. Secondly I would always check the company out, get references from previous customers, even possibly go to see the work. Companies that belong to organisations etc are much better too.

Last september, I wanted a UPVC window installed, upstairs. With it being on the second floor I dint have any ladders long enough, these would have cost me over £100. The window that need to come out is an old box sash (which I didn't fancy the idea of too much). I looked at the price of how much I could get a UPVC window to install myself. It was between 200-300. So i thought 400 supply and fit is a fair price. So i started looking about for fitters. One advert in the paper gave supply and fit prices for standard windows, so we gave them a call. £350 good price, so we accepted the quote. (having previously been quoted 500-600 by one company) The company claims to be FENSA registered, and we paid for the fitting after they had completed the work, which was great! Only thing was we asked for FENSA certificate and they saiud it would be in the post in 6 weeks or so. Still no paperwork now, not that I'm too bothered. The window has been fitted to an outstanding quality, and I'm normally quick to critisize. I'm happy with the companies work, but for 350 quid I did wonder if it was going to be a cowboy job. But it turned out not to be. Just value for money! If anyone's interested, here's there website: http://www.squaresuk.com

 

[BradNaylor]

he company claims to be FENSA registered, and we paid for the fitting after they had completed the work, which was great! Only thing was we asked for FENSA certificate and they saiud it would be in the post in 6 weeks or so. Still no paperwork now, not that I'm too bothered. The window has been fitted to an outstanding quality, and I'm normally quick to critisize. I'm happy with the companies work, but for 350 quid I did wonder if it was going to be a cowboy job. But it turned out not to be. Just value for money! If anyone's interested, here's there website: http://www.squaresuk.com

I can't vouch for this particular company, but there are a lot of people fitting windows on the cheap outside the FENSA scheme. It doesn't mean that the job will not be done properly, just that there won't be any documentation.

This could prove a problem if you come to sell the house. Most people would get round this however, by not declaring that the offending window was a recent one.

Incidentally Simon, your window firm's website is down and they make no mention of FENSA!

Cheers
Dan

 

[ginsters]

you can get building regs aproval for upvc,if no fensa cert or an indemnity policy if your selling which are fairly cheap

ever seen homles on homes :shock:

 

[busy builder]

You don't need a FENSA cert to fit windows. Though to do it properly every window change/fit should have BC cert. FENSA gets around this to stop the BC being clogged up with every house changing windows asking for BC to inspect and approve.

A friend of mine had some windows fitted by a very reputable local company, they mad a shocking mess after the fitter left the 'apprentice' to do the job by himself.

They asked for new windows (yes they were all damaged) but company said no, they argued for a couple of weeks (it was holding my work up) and in the end she went to GGF who agreed to mediate.

1 week after this she got a letter from company threatening legal action unless she paid full amount (£6600, she paid £2600 deposit). The GGF wrote back and said as legals had started they could no longer mediate !! she was stitched up like a kipper....it went to court and she won.

 

[LarryS.]

regs on windows is news to me :shock:

just bought and fitted a new kitchen window (took about 4 hours to fit) but didn't inform any regulatory body. not sure why its regulated as the job was a doddle

 

[Chippyjoe]

The reason for the regulations are to make sure that the correct glass e.g. Pilkington K or the equivalent is used,toughened glass used in the appropiate places and fire escape hinges on certain windows.
Also if the windows that are being replaced have trickle vents in them, the new ones have to have them as well.
All this is supposed to be done by any reputable window company that flies the Fensa flag.
Alternately it can be done by an application to the local council as mentioned in an earlier post.
I do all my replacement window jobs this way as I am not Fensa registered and it seems to me that it carries a bit more clout having a certificate from the council rather than one from a window company.
That is not knocking any of the window companys out there, just my opinion.

Mark.

 

[joiner_sim]

They did claim to be FENSA registered, but who knows. I thought Id seen the logo at some point. There website maybe down, but there still up and running, still have a big half page advert in the local newspaper once a week.

Regardless of wether or not they done it by the book. They did a great job, and coming from me that must be a great job. I have called back tradesmen before to come and fix things that were wrong. The best one was when we had a tiler come and tile our fireplace. All tiles were crooked and wonky. So he had to come back and take the lot down and replace!

I would of fitted the window myself, but at £350 for supply and fit, my free of charge labour didn't seem worth it!

 

[chippy1970]

Whilst the 'expert' condemns everything in sight even when its perfectly okay. Like the wiring running horizontally ? whats wrong with that ?.

Thats not OK its against regs to run horizontal wiring. I wont go spouting off reg numbers and all that, I am a chippy/joiner by trade but work with very good electricians and I have been told by them its against regs so you better check for yourself but I think you will find your wrong.

 

[Jake]

Whilst the 'expert' condemns everything in sight even when its perfectly okay. Like the wiring running horizontally ? whats wrong with that ?.

Thats not OK its against regs to run horizontal wiring. I wont go spouting off reg numbers and all that, I am a chippy/joiner by trade but work with very good electricians and I have been told by them its against regs so you better check for yourself but I think you will find your wrong.

He's right - there's nothing wrong with either horizontal or vertical wiring (within the permitted zones). Diagonal is the no-no.

 

[BradNaylor]

The reason for the regulations are to make sure that the correct glass e.g. Pilkington K or the equivalent is used,toughened glass used in the appropiate places and fire escape hinges on certain windows.

The cynic in me might suggest that the reason for the regulations is that it is an an early step towards making it mandotary that a tradesman gives you an official chitty for any job that you might have done.

Making it a simple task for HMRC to verify the amount of work each tradesman has undertaken.

Leading to the end of the 'foreigner' as we know it.

But maybe I'm just a cynic...



Dan

 

[neilc]

Whilst the 'expert' condemns everything in sight even when its perfectly okay. Like the wiring running horizontally ? whats wrong with that ?.

Thats not OK its against regs to run horizontal wiring. I wont go spouting off reg numbers and all that, I am a chippy/joiner by trade but work with very good electricians and I have been told by them its against regs so you better check for yourself but I think you will find your wrong.

I haven't been a contract electrician for a good few years, but I do remember that at the very least its very bad practice to run horizontally.
Neil.

 

[Rich]

Whilst the 'expert' condemns everything in sight even when its perfectly okay. Like the wiring running horizontally ? whats wrong with that ?.

Thats not OK its against regs to run horizontal wiring. I wont go spouting off reg numbers and all that, I am a chippy/joiner by trade but work with very good electricians and I have been told by them its against regs so you better check for yourself but I think you will find your wrong.

I haven't been a contract electrician for a good few years, but I do remember that at the very least its very bad practice to run horizontally.
Neil.

I don't know of any "qualified " sparky who would run horizontally, imagine if you were given a blank wall and there were 3 double gangs if you assumed that the runs were vertical you could consider that drilling here or there would be safe, imagine if the runs were horizontal, oh my goodness, :roll: pipework is the same, it's all about being a tradesman and trust.

Rich.

 

[Jake]

I haven't been a contract electrician for a good few years, but I do remember that at the very least its very bad practice to run horizontally.
Neil.

Horizontal runs are expressly approved of in the permitted zone regs, so that is just nonsensical - you are saying it is poor practice, which is expressly approved by the regs?

Even one of the deemed ones, which doesn't rely on visible wall-plates to define the permitted region, is a run at the top of the wall, all the way around - horizontally. It's not much use for vertical wiring!

Obviously you have to put your wires in the permitted zones, but I think the regs assume that any ******* who drills directly level in between two sockets is a moron (tradesman or amateur) and deserves to fry.

 

[busy builder]

Aren't kitchens a prime example where you would run cables horizontally ?
Surely anyone who is going to put a fixing into a wall checks for sockets/pipes/cables etc before drilling ?

 

[Chippyjoe]

The reason for the regulations are to make sure that the correct glass e.g. Pilkington K or the equivalent is used,toughened glass used in the appropiate places and fire escape hinges on certain windows.

The cynic in me might suggest that the reason for the regulations is that it is an an early step towards making it mandotary that a tradesman gives you an official chitty for any job that you might have done.

Making it a simple task for HMRC to verify the amount of work each tradesman has undertaken.

Leading to the end of the 'foreigner' as we know it.

But maybe I'm just a cynic...

Dan, I think you are spot on with that statement I have been saying exactly the same for some time now.
So perhaps that makes me a cynic as well

Mark.

Dan

 

[ginsters]

Aren't kitchens a prime example where you would run cables horizontally ?
Surely anyone who is going to put a fixing into a wall checks for sockets/pipes/cables etc before drilling ?

yes,but when re fitting i and most people run cables and pipes along the floor especialy pipes as you only have space there when using intergrated apliances with standard depth tops

all in all its tv drama,im affraid most of uk tv programs are now following the us trends of BIG drama's even jeremy vines getting to sensational these days

god im 27 and im getting sinacle,im turrning into my dad :shock:

 

[andycktm]

Seem's like you've a wise old head on them young shoulders :wink:

 

[Cowboy _Builder]

Melinda Messenger a builder ? whatever next !! She can come and inspect my installations anytime

The so called expert builder apparently hasn't heard of padstones either, and what builder turns up at the job in his Beemer ?

This programme really gets my back up, she's off to beg for free kitchens, flooring, lighting etc off poor shop keepers who can hardly say no with a pair of **** and a camera in their face. Whilst the 'expert' condemns everything in sight even when its perfectly okay. Like the wiring running horizontally ? whats wrong with that ? and not giving the electrician chance to use trunking either.

Okay, some of the other stuff was way out of order and I'm no way saying he shouldn't be run out of town for shoddy work. But this programme is journolistic sensationalism in its extreme.

I'm quite concerned about these types of programs ,they might give me a bad name :wink: