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Builder's tools tripping our RCDs

3 replies

MummytoMog · 12/12/2013 10:02

We've been having this ongoing problem the last couple of weeks where the fuses keep tripping every time the builders use their stupid massive tools (circular saw and tile saw at the moment). This did not happen when they did the loft conversion a few months ago, but has been a problem recently to the point where the lazy fuckers just up and leave for the day. My brother, who is an electrician, has wired in their own power supply from the consumer unit. Fine for a couple of days, then started going again. So he came last night and wired in the new consumer unit (we are rewiring the whole house after christmas because some of the downstairs wiring isn't earthed and it's all a haphazard anyway). Again, they have their own dedicated half of the consumer unit, with it's own RCD. It's going the minute they plug their transformer in. I am not at home, but just had a phone call from my idiot husband saying that they've gone to the electrical shop and plugged in their transformer and it's apparently fine and the only thing they can do is hire a generator. WHICH HE HAS AGREED TO.

Leaving aside my opinions as to my husband's sanity, there is nothing in between their tools and the fucking MAINS ELECTRICS other than a brand new consumer unit. So surely either the problem is that their transformer is fucked/damp/unsuitable or that their is a problem with our mains electricity supply.

Please tell me something, because I am on the verge of going home and setting fire to my builder. I have put up with lateness, overruns, stealing my tools, collapsing three of my ceilings, digging enormous and pointless holes in my garden, leaving ALL of the fucking wood from the old loft conversion in my garden and expecting me to deal with it, leaving open radiator valves in my loft, setting fires in the garden and then going home leaving them undattended, screwing up my boiler, leaking pipes in my kitchen, piss all over my toilet seat and stealing every single one of my motherfucking buckets and breaking it and I am about to go fucking postal.

OP posts:
lalalonglegs · 12/12/2013 10:34

What does your brother think the problem might be? Tbh, if the builders can't use their tools, maybe hiring a generator is the best solution in the short term.

MummytoMog · 12/12/2013 11:10

Yes, I think you might be right. DB has a generator he can lend us, and I think I'm going to ask to use it. At least then we will know what our electricity/petrol costs are (I dread to think how much they are costing us in water and electricity). I've calmed down a bit now and at least if they had their own power supply, they wouldn't leave all the doors open.

I still think the problem is their equipment, but it's just not worth the hassle with them at the moment. It is all going on the list though. They may find their completion payment significantly less than they expected. Given that they've already broken the terms of the contract by not renegotiating a finish time to the build in writing, I'm not sure they've got much of a leg to stand on.

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MummytoMog · 12/12/2013 12:15

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

In a piece of spectacular timing, builder-in-charge has just sent me an email detailing about £4k worth of extra costs. Most of which I disagree with. Our contingency is basically gone already. I have replied in as calm a manner as possible, suggesting we meet. With detailed cost breakdowns (he's very fond of just sending a headline figure).

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