Loosening off socket fronts

dogstail

Member
Hi all,

Been plastering for over 12 year now and have only recently started worry profusely about removing socket fronts in order to plaster, and then replacing after the skim is complete.
Am I legally doing anything wrong in doing this? I Never ever touch electrics (change socket fronts etc.) however recently I’ve been worrying that if ever something went wrong, I.e some sort of fire weeks/months later, would I be held responsible in some way?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Sorry if this sounds crazy in any way!
 
I always ask the customer to pull them off if they want me to do it its at there risk so if owt goes tits its up to them but I always warn em first had it a few times where the wires can spring out which in turn can break up the ring main luckily I'm fine with electrics I did a city an guilds electrical course for 2 years so just be wise
 
I always ask the customer to pull them off if they want me to do it its at there risk so if owt goes tits its up to them but I always warn em first had it a few times where the wires can spring out which in turn can break up the ring main luckily I'm fine with electrics I did a city an guilds electrical course for 2 years so just be wise
I’ve started doing this recently too. However did a job for a contractor the other day with 10 sockets on one wall, was told to just leave them off after and he’d refit them after the weekend, however I just couldn’t feel ok leaving them exposed for that long as there was young kids in the house, so ended up screwing them back on. Have told him to get them checked by the sparky (whether he does or not is a different thing) but just worrying that since I was the one that screwed them back on, I’d be the one to blame if anything happened.
 
I always ask the customer to pull them off if they want me to do it its at there risk so if owt goes tits its up to them but I always warn em first had it a few times where the wires can spring out which in turn can break up the ring main luckily I'm fine with electrics I did a city an guilds electrical course for 2 years so just be wise
are you plastering if you a qualified spark clean clothes no hard graft like plastering? Spark the easy job in the building trade and good money
 
Don’t you have to just be a “competent person” to change a socket ? Don’t need to be qualified spark unless altering the ring or something?
 
are you plastering if you a qualified spark clean clothes no hard graft like plastering? Spark the easy job in the building trade and good money
No I'm a spread mate 35 years in only did a elec course something I wanted to get into when I lived in Australia
 
Don’t you have to just be a “competent person” to change a socket ? Don’t need to be qualified spark unless altering the ring or something?
You don't need to be qualified mate to take the fronts loose its just when summat goes wrong thatscwhen the shhit can happen
 
I’ve started doing this recently too. However did a job for a contractor the other day with 10 sockets on one wall, was told to just leave them off after and he’d refit them after the weekend, however I just couldn’t feel ok leaving them exposed for that long as there was young kids in the house, so ended up screwing them back on. Have told him to get them checked by the sparky (whether he does or not is a different thing) but just worrying that since I was the one that screwed them back on, I’d be the one to blame if anything happened.
Exactly
 
I’ve started doing this recently too. However did a job for a contractor the other day with 10 sockets on one wall, was told to just leave them off after and he’d refit them after the weekend, however I just couldn’t feel ok leaving them exposed for that long as there was young kids in the house, so ended up screwing them back on. Have told him to get them checked by the sparky (whether he does or not is a different thing) but just worrying that since I was the one that screwed them back on, I’d be the one to blame if anything happened.
Always ask if they want them left loose for painting and explain your concerns but if they feel uncomfortable at replacing themselves suggest an electrician , not once have I had a customer say their not happy to do it
 
Nah don't mind spreading mate just get the fcuk on with it me lot worse jobs out there its done me a good living
That good m8 35 years in the trade any planns to be semi retired never retire just take it easy that my plan any way lol once I've cleared mogatge on my buy to let 9 years not wishing my life away I am looking forward in a strange way pick and choose then
 
That good m8 35 years in the trade any planns to be semi retired never retire just take it easy that my plan any way lol once I've cleared mogatge on my buy to let 9 years not wishing my life away I am looking forward in a strange way pick and choose then
Fcuk that lol built 2 extensions on my house going to start a double storey bathroom extension next year must be off my tits
 
Don't know if I'm right or wrong but my take was that changing a socket face/light switch was non notifiable as no change to current ring main/lighting circuit so just needs to be carried out by someone competent (obviously ambiguous)
 
Don't know if I'm right or wrong but my take was that changing a socket face/light switch was non notifiable as no change to current ring main/lighting circuit so just needs to be carried out by someone competent (obviously ambiguous)

That’s exactly what I thought as mentioned above
 
I always ask the customer to pull them off if they want me to do it its at there risk so if owt goes tits its up to them but I always warn em first had it a few times where the wires can spring out which in turn can break up the ring main luckily I'm fine with electrics I did a city an guilds electrical course for 2 years so just be wise
I’ve started doing this recently too. However did a job for a contractor the other day with 10 sockets on one wall, was told to just leave them off after and he’d refit them after the weekend, however I just couldn’t feel ok leaving them exposed for that long as there was young kids in the house, so ended up screwing them back on. Have told him to get them checked by the sparky (whether he does or not is a different thing) but just worrying that since I was the one that screwed the on, I’d be the one to blame if anything happened.
Exactly this is what I'm on about were takin sockets off that are fckin years old bang when the stupid cnuts decide to have a reskim this sort of s**t can happen
What would you generally say would happen if a socket that was screwed back on had a slightly loose wire/connection?
Like I say I know nothing about electrics, so have no idea if it would mean just tripping the electric or possibly worse.
 
Also, with that said. Loosening and re-tightening shouldn’t be an issue and if if a wire came out and you didn’t notice it, it would only trip the system out.
 
Always loosen them off and tell the customer to screw them back in when the plasters dry never had anyone complain. Mind you the amount of times wires have popped out you wonder how competent the spark was who fitted them.
 
Don't know if I'm right or wrong but my take was that changing a socket face/light switch was non notifiable as no change to current ring main/lighting circuit so just needs to be carried out by someone competent (obviously ambiguous)
You can mate but when your making money out of it and somebody else property its a different matter
 
I got a electric shock twice today putting customer light back up,,, switch was a dimmer, so not obvious if it might have been on. Asked him to kill lights at board.
That's it he said, putting cables in, zzzzzzzz. Wtf that's still live I shout,,,, he comes I says sorry, he goes back to board, that's it this time,,,, zzzzzzzz for f### sake that's live thought u turned it all off, he just looks at me. I say is the board marked, lights sockets etc,,, he says no. Wtf, turn main switch off you. Never again, don't trust anyone with power.
 
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