Electrician Damage to Wall Issue

Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 15:29
Last edited 22/06/2021 - 16:00 by 1 other user

Hi all

Looking for some advice on handling an issue with a tradie.

Had some electrical work done including installing new power point fittings. They needed to do some drilling into the masonry wall and ended up drilling right through the wall knocking out large chunks of masonry on the other side.
I have asked that they cover the cost of having the wall repaired by a professional plasterer.

They say it’s a common problem with old walls and their quote excludes patch and repair, in other words I need to pay for repairs. They have offered for one of their electricians to patch it up.

What are my consumer rights here?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Fredfloresjr on 22/06/2021 - 15:38
    +24

    The first available consumer advocate will be with you shortly.

    • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 17:07
      -1

      Do you think I should be on to ACCC already? Wondering what is a fair thing.

      • brendanm on 22/06/2021 - 17:09
        +4

        I'd be onto a lawyer personally. Take them to the high court.

      • SF3 on 22/06/2021 - 17:24
        +1

        ACA maybe you get some cash for an interview. /s

  • apsilon on 22/06/2021 - 15:41
    +1

    Are they licenced? I've never known a sparky that drills through plaster board. Opening for an outlet is just cut with a jab saw. Anyway, of course they're responsible for it but getting to them to agree and pay is another thing.

    • Nugs on 22/06/2021 - 15:42
      +3

      "drilling into the masonry wall"
      .

      • apsilon on 22/06/2021 - 16:10
        +2

        That makes more sense but also raises more questions. I'm still wondering if this is an actual licenced tradie or someone from airtasker as that's an absolute rookie mistake.

        • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 16:57

          Licenced.

  • Presence on 22/06/2021 - 15:42

    Did you get given a written quote with conditions on it?

    • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 17:05
      +3

      Yes. It says 'All patch and repairs are excluded from our quote' but my understanding from the discussion beforehand was that installing the power point fittings would result in there being some imperfections around the fitting eg missing paint, a bit of filler needed… not doing substantial damage to the other side of the wall! you can see why I don't want them to repair… I thought they had insurance for stuff like this?

      • Presence on 22/06/2021 - 17:31

        How substantial are we talking?

        • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 17:42

          There are several chunks of masonry dislodged over an area of around 30x40cm.

      • This Guy on 22/06/2021 - 19:19

        Yeah, huge red flag. They should be carrying plaster for mistakes like this. Also, they shouldn't be making mistakes like this.

      • CheapSticks on 22/06/2021 - 20:01

        yes they wud but they wont unless you push them. If i was you, i will be on to them and ask them to fix it for you whether its their mate or whoever can do the job to your satisfaction.

  • REDRUM on 22/06/2021 - 15:42
    +5

    It's a common issue for inexperienced people using masonry drills, happens by not reducing pressure on the drill before breaches the other side.

  • thatonethere on 22/06/2021 - 15:51
    +1

    Do you have a picture of the damage or ms paint?

  • PensionerXXL on 22/06/2021 - 16:11
    +6

    so basically hire this sparky to replace some power points if you want to start a demolition job on the cheap

  • JimmyF on 22/06/2021 - 17:06
    +2

    They say it’s a common problem with old walls and their quote excludes patch and repair, in other words I need to pay for repairs. They have offered for one of their electricians to patch it up.

    What did the T&C say? But generally extra holes to chase cables etc, are not part of the job to 'fix' as such.

    It would appear they did apply a bit too much pressure drilling into the masonry wall causing the inside to break away more than they hoped.

    What are my consumer rights here?

    They have offered to repair the problem. Take them up on it. Otherwise its a battle to the end to get them to fix it and if the T&C say too bad, you'll be pushing up hill.

    They won't paint though, so remember that.

    All part of the joy of using 'trades'

    • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 17:10

      I would prefer to have it professionally done, given what has happened and they are electricians not plasterers.

      • JimmyF on 22/06/2021 - 17:40
        +2

        Then you need to pay for that.

      • SBOB on 22/06/2021 - 18:13
        +2

        Its patching holes in plaster ..
        Its usually a diy Bunnings job.

        • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 18:36

          The wall has wallpaper. It’s a lovely old Art Deco place in good nick.

          • SBOB on 22/06/2021 - 18:40
            +2

            @Sweet3st: well this is where additional detail (like you've added here) and pics will help people actually respond with useful info

          • WT on 23/06/2021 - 14:15

            @Sweet3st: old places can have some weird stuff going on

            A section of wall wouldnt take paint but took primer ok. Stripped it back and turns out the render under the old plaster has had moisture at some point and could be scraped out. It was the texture of a biscuit lol.

            go take an old screwdriver and poke around the hole. if it crumbles then its not really his fault

  • garetz on 22/06/2021 - 17:08
    +12

    Patch and repair covers damage that is expected in the course of doing their actual job. However when they do damage due to incompetency that's another matter entirely.
    Ask them to claim the damage on their insurance that they are required to have.

    if they disagree take them to vcat.

    • adam on 22/06/2021 - 17:12
      +1

      100% agree. A tradie can't exclude incompetence via a contract. Regardless of what their terms say if they are negligent then they have to pay.

  • SF3 on 22/06/2021 - 17:28

    They say it’s a common problem with old walls

    If they already knew, then they are incompetent!

  • Mr Icarus on 22/06/2021 - 17:46
    +2

    A picture really would help to show the extent and damage caused, at the moment we are all guessing what the "substantial damage" actually is.

    you'll often find that many trades are multi disciplined, and as long as the repair is up to a good standard I don't see why you should have a problem with an electrician offering to repair it.

    Often they will use a colleague or mate with the appropriate skills, for example on jobs I will often call in a favour from another trade and as far as the client is concerned they are still using one trade. but in effect there can be multiple trades / skillsets involved.

  • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 17:46

    Another question. I have been charged 8 hours a day for 2 guys even though they were there (apart from lunch break, toilet breaks, trips to fetch things from the truck) for 6 hours a day. When I queried this I was told I had to pay for their travel time to and from the job. Is this the usual deal?

    • Mr Icarus on 22/06/2021 - 17:50
      +1

      this depends
      if you agreed to pay for a job or agreed to pay an hourly rate.
      within the job hours there is usually an allocation for paperwork, trips for materials etc.
      this is only more apparent when you pay an hourly rate rather than a one off job quote.

      I would guess its easier to put down on an invoice as travel rather than give you a minute by minute labour breakdown.

      • Sweet3st on 22/06/2021 - 18:35
        +1

        I received a written quote with 48 hours of labour @$98/hour. This was for 2 guys over 3 days. They arrived at 8.30am and left at 2.30pm with a 1 hour lunch break. I don’t mind the breaks but 2 x 2 hours a day travel at $98? I guess it’s tradies…

        • This Guy on 22/06/2021 - 19:25

          Law is simple. Job starts at the first job site. If they have to visit a depo or a trade centre they start when they arrive there.

          $98/hr per tradie is close to spot on. Most bigger shops charge more as they have more overhead.

    • iamherenow on 22/06/2021 - 18:17
      -1

      If they scratched their bum, you could ask for a refund on that too. Time taken for multiple bum scratches could add up to more than a few minutes.

  • onetwothreefour on 22/06/2021 - 18:26

    This happened to me once where my neighbour in the unit next door was getting some work done and the contractors drilled through the wall in two different spots leaving two big holes where I could see into the unit next door luckily the unit was empty at the time. They also drilled into a toy box that was right next to the wall. There was an insurance claim put it, can't remember who by but it wasn't my insurance, the wall was patched up and the money to replace the toy box was paid to me. The patches looked shit, luckily I was only renting that place.

  • 82norm on 23/06/2021 - 14:22

    Do you have a photo of the damage? I guess if they’re not willing to meet you 1/2 way, or you fill that their repair job maybe inferior to a plasterers, you could always leave a neutral, honest review somewhere. But how effective that is, is questionable and need of consider possible defamation, if your not succinct about the incident.

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