New Consumer Unit

June 2010

	I've finally got round to having the old fusebox in the kitchen replaced with a modern RCD type consumer unit. It turned out there was an earth-neutral fault on the underground cable feeding the garage so that needed to be replaced - and rewired to modern standards at the same time! Excellent job all round. I don't normally endorse companies on my website but I'll make an exception! I can highly recommend Kenwright Electrical Services for electrical work in Wirral and the surrounding area.

New Central Heating Boiler

October 2009

Early in September, I decided it was time to get a few quotes for replacing my old central heating boiler. Although it was a "combi", it was very old, very inefficient and, I thought, liable to break down at any moment. Although it was covered by a British Gas Home Care agreement, it was a job that would need doing sooner or later and, with savings in the bank earning virtually no interest, it may as well be sooner.

I set up appointments for a few of the local installers to take a look and give me quotes (after checking their credentials on the Gas Safe register (formerly "Corgi").

Although I got an excellent quote from one local, the installation date kept slipping and it became increasingly obvious that he didn't want to do the job. As the British Gas Home Care annual service was due (actually, over-due as I'd put it off pending a new boiler), I made an appointment for the service.

The service engineer arrived on the 5th November (that's how much time I'd wasted waiting for the local "privateer") and his verdict was similar to mine - I really did need a new boiler. He was able to put me through to the relevant department and an appointment for an engineer's survey duly made for exactly a week later on the 12th.

The surveyor (Andy) was very courteous and talked me through the various options and discounts and the deal was done:

• The necessary parts would be delivered on the 17th and installation would begin late morning on the 18th for completion on the 19th. As it turned out, the parts didn't arrive on the 17th and the installer arrived at the crack of dawn on the 18th - well in advance of the parts!

Getting the old boiler out wasn't easy because of the limited access due to the kitchen cupboard. Part of the reason for having the new boiler was to mount it on the adjacent wall alongside the cupboard to make things easier in the future.

Because of a change in the Gas Regulations, it was no longer possible to poke the flue out through the wall so the installer also had roof work to do. After much struggling and several bouts of "choice" language due to some parts not having been delivered and a celing joist being in the way of his pipes, the job was more or less finished by about 3.30pm.

The British Gas electrician arrived quite late in the afternoon and wired in a new thermostat (using the original wiring) and connected the boiler to the existing switched spur. All in all, a good job done in a shorter time than I'd expected.

After a few days to give time for the brickwork and plastering to dry (where the old flue had been), I set off in search of some matching tiles. I eventually gave up looking for 6" grey tiles and fitted 150mm white ones! My woodworking skills aren't brilliant but I managed to cut a piece of thick wood and fit it into the large cutout in the corner of the worktop where all of the original pipework had been. Hopefully, funds will have recovered in 12 months time or so and the next big project will be the kitchen so it wasn't worth trying too hard with the tiling.

The white box at the top left in these photos is the main fuse box. I'm hoping to have that moved to be clear of the boiler fairly soon. Although I'm a fully qualified time-served industrial electrician, I'm not allowed to touch that box in my own kitchen! (Well, strictly speaking, as a defined "competent person", I could do it myself but then I'd have to have it tested and certified by a qualified domestic electrician anyway.)

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A few days after the installation, I went into the loft wih a view to adding some extra loft insulation and there were one or two issues I wasn't too happy about with the boiler installation.

In particular, the two elbows in the flue seemed a bit loose, there seemed to be a bit of missing pipe-lagging and there appeared to be a bit of damage to the roofing felt. As a "customer satisfaction" feedback card had just arrived, I took the opportunity to mention what I thought to be a few problems.

Anyway a British Gas engineering inspector came yesterday (17th December) and agreed it needed to be put right. Ian - A very pleasant and straightforward guy to talk to. He also spotted that, where the flue went through, the installer had used a piece of ordinary plastic sheet instead of roofing felt.

The two 45 degree elbows in the flue seemed loose and the inspector said it could do with a metal bracket as, although it's probably ok at the moment, it can only get worse with time (presumably as the wind rocks the flue from outside).

Shortly before the inspector contacted me, I had received a second letter from British Gas, this time asking why I hadn't taken up the their quote to have a new boiler! I phoned to say that I had! I also mentioned the problems I was having with the job and the very helpful person I spoke with recommended I also write to the Customer Relations department in addition to the Customer "Dis-satisfaction" card that I'd already completed. So, unfortunately, although the job has now been completed (sort of), there's another complaint in the system (oops!).

There was a card to fill in as well, this time asking about the original salesman (Andy) - I'm pleased to say that, in that respect at least, I was more than happy to give full marks. Similarly, the inspector was very courteous and I'd be happy to give him full marks as well - except there hasn't been a card for him!

21st December

A very helpful lady from Customer Relations (Amanda) phoned today in response to my letter. She asked if she could close the "case" as she understood the repairs had been completed.She must have noticed my hesitation (I wasn't too happy about the missing bracket) and after a long and helpful conversation, she arranged for the inspector to visit again.

22nd December

The inspector phoned early this morning and was on the doorstep at 10am. One picture tells it all...

... Flue pipe bracketed and secure. Total time for the visit - 9 minutes (plus 5 minutes for a cup of coffee afterwards!) Thanks, Ian.

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Despite the problems which have taken a few weeks to get resolved, I would still recommend British Gas. I could just as easily have chosen this installer to do it privately (assuming he advertises) and would, no doubt, have still been trying to get the job put right in the middle of next year! At least, by using British Gas, I was able to take advantage of their quality control systems.

Whether the problems should have happened in the first place is, perhaps the price British Gas (and their customers) have to pay for the work being sub-contracted instead of being done by their own dedicated in-house engineers.

"Full marks" to the original surveyor (Andy), the inspector - who ended up finishing the job himself (Ian) and the Customer Relations lady (Amanda) - [surnames omitted for privacy].

 

Since I wrote this, apparently the regulations have changed and, for any joints in the flue where it passes through a loft, it is now a legal requirement for the flue to be fitted with a bracket. So my original "engineering instincts" were correct! :-)

 

Freesat Installation

September 2009

I've mangaged to save some money this year by not having any major jobs done so I decided to treat myself to a freesat HD recorder. The choice is quite limited at the moment so I ended up getting a Humax FoxSat HDR from Argos. I thought I'd save a few quid by getting a local aerial installer to do the job instead of using the Argos approved installer.... Big Mistake.

As a retired time-served industrial electrician I can spot a bodge job when I see one!

It was tempting to get them back but, with some really bad weather imminent, I decided to fix it myself. I already had some self-amalgamating tape so I could get the dish connections sealed straight away. I ordered some twin clips from Satcure and a plastic cover for the cable entry point. For the sake of less than £1 and a bit of spare time, it wasn't worth risking water getting in.

As left by installer	Comments from Digital Spy Forum	As 'repaired' by me
	Tape wound too loosely and is not watertight. Unused connectors not protected. Rain shield not pulled down at all. Connections were found to be very loose on inspection.
	Top bend too large and sloppy. Lower bend far too tight.
	Although putting cable behind pipe is acceptable, it should be pulled taught and tied. I took the downpipe off and clipped the cable behind it. (I wouldn't have expected the installer to do that!)
	Spacing between clips is borderline (2.5 bricks is better). Should use horizontal mortar seam for clip nails as mortar is consistently more solid. Noticed that spacing in places was 4 bricks, which made it easier to clip every second brick but was usually every 3!
	I added the sealant due to imminent bad weather. Drilled with hammer drill from inside and blown the brick. (Should stop hammer for last 1/2 inch and drill slowly). Should have protective cover outside and inside. (None fitted at either position)

Cavity Wall Insulation

November 7th 2008

At the start of October, I decided to get the cavity walls insulated. For a 1989-built bungalow, the builder somehow managed to get away without doing it from new.

I chose eaga Home Services (seems to incorporate Mico) - their surveyor arrived towards the end of October and the guys arrived today to do the job.

Hopefully, I'll feel the difference now the winter's here.

Masthead Amplifier

July 5th 2008

I'd used a signal booster fitted behind the TV since I'd moved in. It was never entirely successful so, while I was sorting the TV aerial out, I decided to install a masthead amplifier instead. As the aerial lead actually comes into the loft and the amplifier is best fitted with at least 1 metre of cable from the aerial, I could easily fit the amplifier in the loft.

My Humax Freeview box thoughtfully provides a 5 volt supply which is fed to the amplifier through the coax so I was saved the hassle of organizing a voltage supply for it. Installation instructions for the F-type plugs say to cut away the surplus braid but, as you can see from the larger photo, I didn't bother.

I bought a two-way amplifier from SatCure as I intend to run another cable into the "computer/hobby" room. Very prompt delivery from SatCure.

Soffits and Fascias

June 2008

I've decided to get the Soffits, Fascias, Guttering and Dry Verge renewed. The old stuff hadn't been installed very well and was just nailed on top of the original wood. These photos show the "before" gable end at the back. Not sure what I'll be doing with the TV aerial bracket yet...

June 26 2008

I'd spotted a couple of guys doing identical work to a bungalow on the opposite side of the park so, last week, I took a walk over and had a look at their work. After the usual discussions, they're starting work on my bungalow today. The weather forecast isn't too promising for the next few days, in fact it's starting to rain as I type.

The parts have arrived and the builders have removed the facia and sofit along one side but they've taken refuge in their van as it's started to pour with rain.

Fortified with a bacon butty and cup of tea each, the builders have installed the new facia, sofit and guttering down one side but, as they were reluctant to open the other side to the weather, they've called it a day and gone home. Can't say I blame them, the rain is blowing horizontally at the moment.

June 27 2008 - The weather's a lot better this morning and the builders are progressing well:

At the front, one side of the gable end is almost finished as the builder fits the dry verge stuff.

The old gable end facia is still in place at the back but the side facia and sofit has been removed and is being replaced with the new.

 

June 28 2008 - The builders worked through until about 6:30pm yesterday so, today, I had a bit of tidying up to do. The builders had actually cleared up well after them (especially considering it was late friday!) but, inevitably, there were some old nails and bit of broken wood lying around.

I bought a new TV bracket from Maplins and some 10mm sleeve anchors from a local hardware shop so, this morning, I was able to remount the TV aerial on the gable end.

I've been pestered with pigeons and starlings roosting on my tv aerial and, as it overhangs the patio, their droppings were a daily nuisance. A few weeks ago, I'd bought some Plastic Pidgeon Spikes so this was the opportunity to fit them to the aerial before installing it.

Flagging

February 2008

An smallish "awkward" area of ground behind the garage had been neglected for quite a few years and was in urgent need of levelling off and re-flagging.

I was able to clear a lot of the rubbish myself - mainly an old rainwater butt and a home made wooden composter - towards the end of 2007. The flagger I chose to do the job was booked solid from when I contacted him in October 2007 until February 2008 but it was worth the wait. A superb job and highly recommended! This photo was taken immediately after the job was finished and hadn't fully dried off.