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jennifer_kwan

Is this normal quality electrical work?

5 years ago

Hi! I’m hoping for some advice - we had some electrical work done this past week (recessed lighting in living room and chandeliers installed in 3 bedrooms). I knew I’d have to patch some holes when It was done and am fine with that but did not think it would be to this extent. Most of the recessed lights and all switch plates have little gaps which I feel
could have been avoided if they had cut more carefully.

I’m wondering if this is normal for this type of electrical work. It my first time having this type of work done so I really appreciate any advice.

Comments (9)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    You might get this hack electrician to buy oversize switch place covers and install them. Tell him to cut the pucker out on the right side of that dimmer while he's patching please.

  • 5 years ago

    For the one in top picture, and oversized light switch cover will take care of the problems there. That one is easy. Whatever that round thing is. You may be able to caulk around it. The bottom one requires a lot more work. No, that is not the way a good electrician does things. Please have whatever he wired looked at by another licensed electrician. If he hacks things up like that, he may not have done wiring right either.

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks so much for the feed back! I will let them know I’m not happy with their work. The middle round picture is of our recessed lights, we had eight of them installed and most of them will need some patching:( I’m surprised because the company has such great reviews online...

    There are also several big holes they made which I was ok with because I assumed it was part of the job, but now I wonder if they could have been more careful with those too. And yes it also makes me question the electrical work behind the walls. I’m really disappointed.

  • 5 years ago

    I could have done better drunk with a hatchet.

  • 5 years ago

    This is a new-ish house, yes? If so see above comments. If your house is older than the 60’s, I’d at least consider the possibility that the electrician was forced to work with rock lath, or some version of super thick drywall + plaster or cement. That stuff can be tough to neatly cut and may crumble unexpectedly. Its also sooooo heavy and is not easily cut by tools typically used for drywall, so your electrician may have hacked at it not realizing he needed something beefier.


    Or, of course, he may just have been sloppy.

  • 5 years ago

    @sparkshooter thanks for that perspective. We just bought it, it is a well maintained older house (1930s) so that’s seems like a valid consideration.

    @johnc777 haha you’re hired!

  • 5 years ago

    Plaster is a real PIA to cut neatly, since it tends to fracture and flake off instead of being cut along a straight line. They did a bad job of patching, but if they are installing electrical in plaster walls that should have been part of the job. However, some of those cuts also appear to be drywall, not plaster.

    If the job was a complete repair I would have bid more time and labor to allow for the repairs needed after the electrical is in. Its very standard patching, but time consuming because it takes multiple steps (with time between for drying) to make a good patch.

    Bruce

  • 5 years ago

    A craftsman does not leave crappy workmanship for the customer to live with.

    No matter the age of the wall system, it needs to be done right. Period!

  • 5 years ago

    Yes the job overall just feels so sloppy and I wish the electricians put more care into this project, even some extra cleaning would have gone a long way. I knew I would have to have some holes patched up but not to this extent. Thanks for the plaster info, I’ve worded my email to them a little more softly.