Tiles first or cable first ?

**jandajoy** · 10-10-2010, 06:56 PM

So here's a question for all you experts.

Rewiring versus ceramic tiling.

I want a complete rewire job.

We have fokin acres of tiling to do.

We have fokin acres of wiring to do.

Tile then wire?

Or wire then tile?

I don't want to see cables, yellow pipes or the like.

White clip top conduit might work in some areas, at a push, but generally NO.

What do you reckon?

Really appreciate any constructive comments.

**DrAndy** · 10-10-2010, 07:18 PM

just answered that on your adjacent thread

I would have thought the answer was obvious, unless you are not telling us something

you do all the first fix wiring, hopefully putting it in conduits inside the walls

Then you can tile over, cutting the necessary holes for the electric boxes when tiling

finish tiling, then you fit the boxes and sockets

same for rendering where there is no tiling

**superman** · 10-10-2010, 07:24 PM

Overkill on the conduit as it makes life much easier if you need to add extra electrical switches etc, at a later date. Something I failed to do.

**jandajoy** · 10-10-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

just answered that on your adjacent thread

Appreciated.

Originally Posted by DrAndy

ou do all the first fix wiring,

Whats that mean, exactly?

**DrAndy** · 10-10-2010, 07:34 PM

first fix wiring (and plumbing) is the stuff you fix first!

essentially, it is all the wires but not the final sockets and boxes etc

so the electrician comes along, cuts the channels for the conduit, draws the wires through, leaving the ends of the wires sticking out of the wall (first fix), or can fit the basic boxes

the builder arrives, tiles and plasters etc, cutting holes the right size for the boxes for the electrical fittings (like sockets)

the electrician comes back and fits all the sockets etc (second fix)

here you are

http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/feature/wiring-explained

**oldgit** · 10-10-2010, 07:37 PM

First fix = put in wiring, conduit and boxes
Second fix = fit and wire up sockets
If a Thai is doing it make sure they put in an earth wire

**jandajoy** · 10-10-2010, 07:38 PM

OK, very good.

Many thanks for that.

Totally logical.

Splendid.

Up to me to find the gentlemen capable.

All clear now. Many thanks.

I might have another bottle of wine ............

Hmm. .... all makes sense.

Cheers.

**matchless51** · 10-10-2010, 08:02 PM

Go oversize on the conduit and leave an extra draw wire, in fact leave 2 if the tradesmen here are as bad as everyone seems to consider.

**Bogon** · 10-10-2010, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by oldgit

If a Thai is doing it make sure they put in an earth wire

Good luck with that one!

**superman** · 10-10-2010, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Cheers. I just need to find a top notch electrician and I'll be right. Hope springs eternal.............

Even if it means a delay get the best you can. Aren't there any other farang within your area that may recommend one ? Don't leave it to the builder as he'll employ is brother.

**jandajoy** · 10-10-2010, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by superman

Even if it means a delay get the best you can. Aren't there any other farang within your area that may recommend one ? Don't leave it to the builder as he'll employ is brother.

Well said.

No, there's no one round here.

The family is good on construction but I'm not so sure on electrics.

Methinks we might bite the bullet and get someone up from CM.

We'll see. Slowly slowly and play it all by ear.

**Loy Toy** · 10-10-2010, 09:45 PM

Good to see the mods are on the job!

Firstly JJ, you and Khun Joy work out where you will need your connections, cookers, microwaves, powerpoints and electrical sockets and light switches, mark them out on the wall with a marker pen, then ask someone who knows how to rate the power rate/ connection coming into the property whether or not you have the available power to charge up what you intend to put into your new double footprint house.

Good luck with your house finalisation and I hope you and Joy live a happy life together in it.

And no, I am not pissed but pissed off about your ations in the past and hope that is all behind us.

**Bogon** · 10-10-2010, 10:10 PM

^ good advice there LT about marking with a pen.
I would actually go one more and draw a scaled box on the walls where I would want my points to be fitted, therefore no fuck-ups can be allowed.
If you've already got the height measurements for your cabinets/worktop (take it this is for a new kitchen) I would go for the new points to be about 5+ inches above the worktop. This way the plugs will be easily accessible but can also be hidden behind the appliances (microwave/toaster and all that jazz).
Light switches should be around adult elbow height (sounds daft but it makes sense).
Nothing else to report.
Hope the build goes well.

**oldgit** · 11-10-2010, 12:02 AM

We used to have a rule of thumb, switches tit high work tops cock high

**tsicar** · 11-10-2010, 01:21 AM

tile first.
...then it is easy to chisel off half the tiles later so that the walls can be chased for the conduit to be fitted.

what HAVE you been smoking?!

**superman** · 11-10-2010, 09:50 AM

^ Give him a break Tsicar. He may have been looking at how the Thais do their cables runs on the finished wall face.

**nedwalk** · 11-10-2010, 10:52 AM

and my little bit of input...when you go to put your light switches in..close your eyes and walk around as if in the dark, and think about where the light switch should be if you entered a darken room..i learnt that one on me last build..and i go with laying cable first and extra size conduit and cableing for future use

good luck mate..i,ll never build again

sabaii sabaii · 11-10-2010, 12:21 PM

Right then, to sum up all this advice-
all you need to do is to walk around with a marker pen with your eyes shut and cock out and markout where you want your sockets.
Easy

**tsicar** · 12-10-2010, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Right then, to sum up all this advice-
all you need to do is to walk around with a marker pen with your eyes shut and cock out and markout where you want your sockets.
Easy

...and then the thai "electrician" will ignore all the markings you penned on the wall and fit the sockets and switches where HE thinks they should go, coz farang are too stoopid to know that a socket must be at least a metre and a half above floor level.
he will then proceed to join short lengths of multicoloured wires together with pigtail joints and insulation tape and plaster the joints into the wall where they exit the conduit and make a bend, instead of using a junction box.
red joined to green and then to white or black is par for the course.making it absolutely impossible to trace where his pigtail joint failed after you switched on the kettle and it didn't work.
earth leakage systems are totally misunderstood, and just a farang fashion for those dummies that don't understand how things are done in thailand.

study up on how it all works (not rocket science), and do it yourself if you want it done right, coz there is no such thing as a real electrician in thailand!

**panthira** · 12-10-2010, 05:42 AM

As mentioned prior, one of the most important things is a load calculation and a circuit diagram. 2nd : A really good ground and well thought out panel. I don't want to offend anyone but for some reason Thai electricians are usually really bad at the residential level. Try and get a farang from your home conutry and fly him in for a "vacation" and some work. Or go to a commercial building site and borrow some electricains for the weekend. 1500 a day is their rate usually. Farangs are much more. yes you can get a thai for 300 a day but you won't be happy.
Watch everything evry step. An accessable ceiling is a real plus as you can get to the j boxes later . Put some thin ply on top of the metal plaster board supports before you close the ceiling..put trap doors as well.
I can give you some free advice if you want.
jack
Their are alot of threads on this subject read them all but don't believe them all.
you can sus out who kowns their stuff quickly.

**SEA Traveler** · 12-10-2010, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by nedwalk

and my little bit of input...when you go to put your light switches in..close your eyes and walk around as if in the dark, and think about where the light switch should be if you entered a darken room..i learnt that one on me last build..and i go with laying cable first and extra size conduit and cableing for future use

good luck mate..i,ll never build again

Thought there was consideration by yourself for a build upcountry here in Thailand. or was that a tracktor purchase.... lol. Carry on Mate!

**superman** · 12-10-2010, 11:55 AM

[quote=tsicar;1577746]

Originally Posted by sabaii sabaii

Right then, to sum up all this advice-
all you need to do is to walk around with a marker pen with your eyes shut and cock out and markout where you want your sockets.
Easy

...and then the thai "electrician" will ignore all the markings you penned on the wall and fit the sockets and switches where HE thinks they should go, coz farang are too stoopid to know that a socket must be at least a metre and a half above floor level.
quote]

Exactly right Tsicar. I marked all mine out with a marker pen. Went out for the day and came back to find not one socket where I wanted it. You're the dumb farang, what do you know that they don't ?

**DrAndy** · 12-10-2010, 01:52 PM

get yourself a decent electrician, there are plenty around

**superman** · 12-10-2010, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

get yourself a decent electrician, there are plenty around

Not in rural Isaan. If they're any good they're working BKK or abroad.

**koman** · 15-10-2010, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by superman

Originally Posted by DrAndy

get yourself a decent electrician, there are plenty around

Not in rural Isaan. If they're any good they're working BKK or abroad.

I had a construction team installing a "western" kitchen in my house. The "electrician" installed an electric convection oven beneath a four burner gas/electric hob. For no particular reason I extracted the oven to have a look at the wiring and discovered that the oven wires were just twisted together with the power supply wire and about 3 centimeters from the gas line. The electrician thought it was very petty of me to insist that the wiring be redone and routed far away from the gas line...

I finally lost faith in my team when I found one of them using the point of a dinner knife to install a wall socket....he had neglected to bring a screwdriver apparently.

PS I did find a good electrician eventually, but you never really know what you are getting until the project is underway. Can you imagine what kind of mentality it takes to leave bare live electric wires right alongside a gas line?????

Thread: Tiles first or cable first ?

Thread Tools

Display

Tiles first or cable first ?

loads

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Posting Permissions