Thread: Reasons to employ a tradesman

It is Bank holiday here in the UK so time to do a bit of DIY. Now I am not to bad at DIY with regards to painting and decorating, woodworking and most general stuff. Did make one big fcuk up with some wallpapering, hung one wall and when I had a proper look I had put the paper on upside down, so had to rip it off and start again. Well it was a complicated pattern and thats my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Usually I will not touch electrical,water or gas work.

So today I decided to change the single light fitting with one of these multi spot type of things, something like this



Half hours job I think - wrong, so wrong

Being safety concious the first thing to do is turn off the leccy. Good but cant see to do a thing, so have to find the light circuit, switch that off so I can have a wander light into the power circuit.

Now to take down the old fitting, please also bear in mind that this place has been up for 25 years, and old fittings. Unscrews the ceiling attachment and find a big mess of wires, but had to do this as I couldnot get at the small electrical scres that attach the flex to the fitting otherwise.. Next problem have only about 2 inches of slack to be able to get at these screws. Manage it eventually and the old fitting disconnected. Gets the new fitting ready to put up.

SHOCK, HORROR the fittings are differant, and I know nuffing about electrics. First few whispy blue clouds appear above my head. So after a little thought decided to replace the old fitting back to the ceiling then attach the new fitting to that, it looked possible . Next problem, had forgotten which wires went into which hole, so unscrewed another fitting in another room to check.

Started refitting and next problem occurs. One of the little screws that hold the wire in place had come out and slipped into a cavity behind the fitting block. Oh bollux, the air is beginning to get more blue, took me half an hour to get the screw out. Put another screw in you say, couldn't as there was no room to get another screw in.

So to attach the fitting again, not easy, with little clearance room and thick electrical wire twisted together and going into this small block. Succeeded after much time and cursing, so check the circuit, light dont go on. Bollux again must have wired it up wrong. Start again, I had wired it wrong, put the loop in the wrong hole, so again tried to wire correctly. More cursing and swearing, and finally connected, try the circuit again -- no light. WTF am I doing wrong, kicks the chair and swears more.

It helps if you turn the light switch on. Success we have light

Now to attach the new fitment. Unscrew original from ceiling so as to attach the new fitment holder to it, and rescrew back in. Attach wires to new fitment and check, bingo we have four lights. Now to attach fitment to fitment holder, can't do, wont go home. Scratch head, more splinters and think why. Tries again but it still won,t fit in. By now I am tearing what hair I have left out.
Take another look. Stupid git that I am, I put the fitment holder in upside down. Takes it all down again, reassembles and at last the job is done. Thank gawd for that.

So this simple job managed to take me nearly 5 hours to do, much exarsperation and swearing, something that a qualified electrician would do in about 15 minutes and charge about £50 quid for.

Thats my story and very true, wish that someone could have videoed or photographed some of it.

Have any of you had real DIY disasters?

Originally Posted by Propagator

Have any of you had real DIY disasters?

Not really but then again I'm a tradesman

Got insurance on the place?

Originally Posted by daveboy

Not really but then again I'm a tradesman

So am I, but not electrical.

Originally Posted by CSFFan

Got insurance on the place?

Whats that

Originally Posted by Propagator

So am I, but not electrical.

boilermaker ? should have used a bigger hammer.

just last sat i thought i would make a start on me fancy gates, i scored the rail we used to stand at to watch the footy at my beloved 'GABBA' after they demolished the old stand to make way for the new, ahah, i,ll make a flash set of gates out of it for the new house! now i,m not a boiler maker, but i had a bit of an idea so away i went, grinding and cutting and all that fun stuff,and just after i,d cut off the old feet, filled the hole and welded the upright, i realised i had the bloody things upside down duh start again..