Should a plumber check the wiring and electrics for installing a Power Shower?
Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 2.45 PM
We had an old power shower in the bathroom which no longer worked. I called a plumber (recommended by a friend) who quoted me for installing a new power shower (along with turning the bath round as it had a lip at one end, the water did to run back in to the bath)
The bath and tiling job is fine, but I still do not have a working shower. The plumber tells me that the old shower was a low power one (it had a box in the airing cupboard which I was never sure what it was for) and that he had only quoted me for replacing the shower and not for the electrics.
Now I know nothing about these things, so am I wrong to think that when I ask for a price to fit a new power shower, I should expect the plumber to check the wiring and do the electrics if necessary, so I get a working shower? He is the tradesman after all who is supposed to know about these things?
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Hi, sorry to hear of your problems. However, first things first,
did you get a written quote from the plumber and did you read through and confirm exactly what he was quoting for? If not, you should have.
I do agree however that as a "reputable tradesman" he should have listened to your instruction and appraised the entire job otherwise should have told you he wasn't responsible for the electrics. This does throw up another question though-has he fitted the correct type of shower?
Unfortunately householders often confuse a "Power Shower" which requires hot and cold connections and is basically a pump on the wall with a shower attached to it, with an "Electric Shower" which only requires mains fed cold water and heats its own water but does need a min 32a supply and a "big red switch"outside the bathroom.
If it is none of these and is a simple bar type connected to hot and cold feeds it may not work at all without sufficient constant pressure i.e. connected to either an un-vented or pressurised system (combi boiler).
If he's done the latter he should have known better and explained what he was doing anyway and once again should have been clear in the quote if you had one.
You will need a suitably qualified Part P registered electrician to carry out any works within the bathroom. I'm sure the electrician will put you right to all of the above.
Good luck-Andy
Answered11 June 2013
0
Anonymous user
Agree with Andy " a min 32a supply and a "big red switch"outside the bathroom."
and dont forget the extractor fan...
I am afraid your plumber should have pointed this out to you before commencing the job.I am sue he must have surveyed the job thats need doing.
He is at fault unless stated on the piece of paper what he is going to do and what he is not...
