The Home Improvements Thread (2)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Steamy Tom said:
fekkers, crooks are what these kinds of people are. what happened to the days of building a relationship with a little give and take
Click to expand...

They've also blown two LED dimmers by constantly cycling the breaker.... so beyond ****ed off.
 
Is it standard practice to leave all breakers on while cycling the main breaker repeatedly? To me it doesn't make sense as it could/did damage electronics.
 
xrapidx said:
This **** annoys the **** out of me.

Our db board sparked and smoked the last two times I turned on the breaker (after switching it off to do something).

Called the insurance home-assist - first thing the guy does when he called me is to tell me insurance only covers one hour, and not parts - which I knew - and I also know swapping a breaker isn't going to take an hour.

Needless to say, they rock up - confirm something wrong with the breaker, says he can do me a deal R1600 for a new breaker. Told him he's off his head - I'll call the insurance and make other plans... then "I must understand, they have to go buy a new breaker, extra call out, etc." - needless to say, they've left - and I'm on hold for the insurance.
Click to expand...
R1600 for a BREAKER??? F him farkin scamster.

To add - a competent sparkie will have all common breakers on him. No need to go to Builders and come back
 
xrapidx said:
Is it standard practice to leave all breakers on while cycling the main breaker repeatedly? To me it doesn't make sense as it could/did damage electronics.
Click to expand...
It's a way to ensure the main breaker is handling a proper load to see if its working or not. But just constantly flicking it on or off? Unecessary
 
RandomGeek said:
It's a way to ensure the main breaker is handling a proper load to see if its working or not. But just constantly flicking it on or off? Unecessary
Click to expand...
That I get, but surely you do that after fitting a new breaker - or at least start with everything off to confirm where the issue is.

Fortunately I unplugged most of my electronics, so only the lights were affected. (And about 10 Sonoffs reset)
 
Can someone confirm for my sanity this is a standard mains switch for R350 odd?
db7af978ce38ff3a1f2f3a66df8dcff5.jpg
 
Steamy Tom said:
do you have some seperate earth leakage?
Click to expand...
I believe so... As far as I know, the db board is compliant, we've had two seperate companies issue CoCs on it, once when we purchase end 2009, and again in 2017 when they moved the db board (back to back)
f441911ba3597f28236e8e85e4c1a6b8.jpg
 
So even after everything - the new electrician the insurance is sending wants 800 for the breaker
 
xrapidx said:
So even after everything - the new electrician the insurance is sending wants 800 for the breaker
Click to expand...

Can’t you do it yourself? Cos you seem to be very capable. Or does insurance henchmen have to do bcos of claim. And I suppose they don’t allow you to supply give them the R350.00 breaker?
 
InternetLuddite said:
Can’t you do it yourself? Cos you seem to be very capable. Or does insurance henchmen have to do bcos of claim. And I suppose they don’t allow you to supply give them the R350.00 breaker?
Click to expand...
I probably could, but I don't really like working with electrics, and with the damage done yesterday, I want them completing the job because I plan on claiming for the dimmers they damaged.
 
When they're on site tell them to wait, then you go to Builders and get the breaker :p

Or get it beforehand and tell them you had a spare.
 
If you’re with santam Or Alexander Forbes You never have these issues. They don’t even send out assessors for small things in most cases. You also get them a quote and they pay.

the problem with that was people would quote double when they heard insurance. So now other insurers got their preferred service providers who still charge them a lot and at the same time go the cheapest route with the poorest quality of workmanship and materials. It’s sad as it affects guys like me big time.

it’s so bad that a friend once had Alexander Forbes send a guy who quote 11k to replace a sliding gate motor. She told them she had someone cheaper and told me to quote R8500 and replace motor as well as well as her electric lock. They paid without any hassles. I was happy as I scored big time.

then someone else I know claimed from standard bank who sent out their own guy. Plumbing job which included replacing tiles in the shower. When they “completed there was no slope/fall and the water wasn’t running your of the shower, he had leaks all over the bathroom floor. After their 3rd return he requested someone else. They asked him to get someone and the 2 of us just did it ourselves.

Insurance guys will make the good guys jump through hoops to get on their list to a point that they just don’t bother. The guys who catch on crap do the process and end up getting all the work.
 
chickenbeef said:
When they're on site tell them to wait, then you go to Builders and get the breaker :p

Or get it beforehand and tell them you had a spare.
Click to expand...

This guy actually have me the option in the end - either he stands in the queues - or I do :p But - told him to go ahead, turned out to be a decent guy.

Smokey mcpot said:
If you’re with santam Or Alexander Forbes You never have these issues. They don’t even send out assessors for small things in most cases. You also get them a quote and they pay.

the problem with that was people would quote double when they heard insurance. So now other insurers got their preferred service providers who still charge them a lot and at the same time go the cheapest route with the poorest quality of workmanship and materials. It’s sad as it affects guys like me big time.

it’s so bad that a friend once had Alexander Forbes send a guy who quote 11k to replace a sliding gate motor. She told them she had someone cheaper and told me to quote R8500 and replace motor as well as well as her electric lock. They paid without any hassles. I was happy as I scored big time.

then someone else I know claimed from standard bank who sent out their own guy. Plumbing job which included replacing tiles in the shower. When they “completed there was no slope/fall and the water wasn’t running your of the shower, he had leaks all over the bathroom floor. After their 3rd return he requested someone else. They asked him to get someone and the 2 of us just did it ourselves.

Insurance guys will make the good guys jump through hoops to get on their list to a point that they just don’t bother. The guys who catch on crap do the process and end up getting all the work.
Click to expand...

Not with them - but this is just the home-assist service, going to be interesting to see what happens come Monday, because their initial electrican caused claimable damage by flipping the breaker repeatedly. The second guy that came out confirmed he should't have done that.
 
They’ll try and avoid paying it, but the new electrician I all the proof you need. Bonus that he will most likely get the job so he’ll back you.
 
So I ended up ripping off the old flashing today, replacing it and then flashing over the ridge and painting it with the fibre infused flashing paint, man what a back breaking job, but managed to get it all done in less than a day, even with the terrible weather and almost being rained out. Man though what a bad day to be up on the roof :(

tomorrow will be painting the garage roof with bonding liquid and hopefully giving it 2 coats of paint.

this is the start of a loooooooong journey
 
Steamy Tom said:
So I ended up ripping off the old flashing today, replacing it and then flashing over the ridge and painting it with the fibre infused flashing paint, man what a back breaking job, but managed to get it all done in less than a day, even with the terrible weather and almost being rained out. Man though what a bad day to be up on the roof :(

tomorrow will be painting the garage roof with bonding liquid and hopefully giving it 2 coats of paint.

this is the start of a loooooooong journey
Click to expand...
Damn... now I feel bad for not going to my in laws place today. They have a leak from a ridiculous roofing screw up someone did.

There is literally a 50cm piece of gutter INSIDE the cavity of flat roof because the metal roof sheeting has so many angles and joins from where two areas were joined. This 50cm piece of gutter is blocked off on both ends, with a big hole drilled into it - and a pool hose glued into the hole that runs out of the wall.

It gets better - Then underneath the one end of this 50cm gutter is a 5 litre juice bottle which has been cut open to catch the dripping from place where the hole was made for the pool hose.... and the juice bottle has a hosepipe glued into the bottom to run the water out of the juice bottle out the wall.

Sadly I'm not exaggerating. I haven't been up on the roof to see wtf is actually going on, I just died a small death when I took off the wet and damaged ceiling board.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X