What would you do?

[Stephisaur]

Just that, really. What would you do in this situation?

Recently had our electrics redone and, following that, found that we needed to reboard the ceiling in one room. Inconvenient to say the least!

It was reboarded and skimmed about a month ago, but since then we have had issues with one of the ceiling lights tripping all the downstairs lights.

Electrician came back yesterday and discovered that one of the new boards has been screwed directly through one of the lighting cables. Earth wire was severed, live wire had burned and corroded.

He's re run the cable and it's safe again now. He thinks we should have a go at the plasterers and have them out to fix the (very small!) hole that the electricians needed to make to put it right.

DH and I sort of can't be bothered with all that because we didn't really like the plasterer anyway, paid him in cash, and just wouldn't use him again.

Just wondering what you would do? Is it really worth the hassle to let them know?

You should tell them and ask them to fix the hole. Otherwise they will probably do it again to someone else. No need to be confrontational, just state the facts and ask when they can fit you in to repair the hole.

Could it have caused a fire?

@KievLoverTwo I think it probably could have done, had the electricians not insulated the hell out of all the new wiring.

Ughhhh I'm going to have to text him and let him know, aren't I?

He was just such an arsehole, I don't really want to speak to him again!

Yeah, you are, but you don't have to see him again. Send a 'my electrician said I ought to let you know' message.

@Stephisaur Quite honestly- email him! Just say what happened. For me, though, I would leave it there. No doubt the plaster guy didn’t relish the job because the wiring was there. It wasn’t an easy job.

@TizerorFizz Yeah I think I will do. The wiring was visible to them though (no point filling as the new ceiling would hide) and he's gone smack bang through the middle of the cable. The way the joists run, it would have been easy to avoid it!

Yes. I get that but how aggro do you want?

@TizerorFizz I'm definitely not going to argue with him about it. I'll send him the photo though so that he can see what's happened.

Hopefully it was a genuine mistake and not total incompetence.

Nah, if you don’t want him to come back and fix it I wouldn’t bother. You don’t want to speak to him, he’ll probably just read it and ignore, what’s the point in giving yourself the headache.

I wouldn't have that plasterer back in the house. Fill it yourself or get someone else.

@Mazuslongtoenail @MaybeSmaller this is what I was hoping someone would say 😂

I've told the decorator who recommended the plasterer, who was a bit shocked and said that he'd bear that in mind for future recommendations.

That’s about as good as you can expect. Just be pleased it’s all ok now. I’ve had more problems with electricians than plastered down the years. I’m glad we have no halogen bulbs getting hot any more!