Is this acceptable?

[Jimmy2k]

Just had plumber come round to take heating pipes down from upstairs down to new radiator in the living room. Couple of things:

1. He said the conduit would look neat just like on the original work done in the house - I don't think it does.



2. He's taken quite a large chunk out of one of the joists - apparently it shouldn't be more than 1/8th of the height of the joist, this one has gone from total height of 17cm down to 10cm at the deepest part of the cut (the closest pipe to the picture).







Should I be concerned about any of this? If so what is the best way to go about putting it right?

 

[Destroyer2813]

Did he tie his horse up outside while he did it , butchered his way through the coving butchered the joist and certainly wouldn't use ballofix on heating will eventually leak

 

[Howsie]

Conduit is personal choice, they rest of it isn't. Isolation valves are wrong, the notching is as well and the pipe seems to be resting on the joist which will creak.

Horrible job IMHO and no decent plumber worth his salt would would have done it like that.

Where did you get his details?

 

[Jimmy2k]

He said he put the stop valves on there to avoid having to drain the system or something...

Is there a risk the joist isn't structurally stable anymore as he's cut that much through?

Got his details from next door neighbour - come to think of it the other guy he recommended was a cowboy...

I think trading standards says I have to give him opportunity to fix mistakes but I don't want him trying to fix the coving - I will have to do that myself as I want it looking good again. But it's my time and money... Could I try and fix another piece of wood to the joist to make it more stable? But then there's the ballofix joints, I don't want them on there if they'll leak...

What shall I do about this?

 

[Howsie]

The joists can be strengthened. The valves replaced.

 

[Riley]

It's not acceptable but is he a plumber or a builder or a handyman? I would say definitely not the work of a plumber

 

[Jimmy2k]

Plumber. He was talking about the "big jobs" he's got lined up for this week and next.

 

[Howsie]

Plumber. He was talking about the "big jobs" he's got lined up for this week and next.

Big jobs watching other people's houses fall down...

 

[Best]

It is all a mess, except the conduit - which is acceptable and the coving can be very easily repaired with suitable lightweight plaster. Although I would have tried to do no damage to coving in the first place.
The Ballofix valves shouldn't be on any heating pipes and didn't need to be installed in the first place!
The joists look like others have also cut far too much depth in them.
Your guy has done it all wrong and kept the pipes at different levels from the tees and then cutting joist to suit that lower level. Classic DIY lazy "plumber" cowboy methods.
I wouldn't pay for the labour.

 

[Best]

Plumber. He was talking about the "big jobs" he's got lined up for this week and next.

Although a lot of tradespeople like to brag that they have "big" jobs to make themselves seem important, but this talk is very common with guys who are useless idiots and not in any way capable. Definitely not a real plumber.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Whats at the end of those tee's ?

Looks like a soldered cap end on one and a massive kink in other??

 

[REDSAW]

those notches look like they were done before hand at least one of them.
the ballofix wont leak unless the valves are open and closed, i have 2 on my kitchen rad that i have been on for 8 years but dont leak (yeh, i know. but i keep moving the position of the rad 3 times.lol)

would also like to see some one run 2 pipes through that coving without a little damage, especially if you think 2 18mm holes would give perfect access to the run!! polyfill--£1.50 from wilko's!

that also looks like a £250 job, what did you get charged?

 

[mache]

Whats at the end of those tee's ?

Looks like a soldered cap end on one and a massive kink in other??

I don't think anyone has been so lavish as to spend money on an end cap. Looks more like mutilated with a pair of grips and then soldered closed to me.

 

[jonnyswamp]

It's not brilliant, pipes in trunking could do with more nail clips, it would pull all the trunking tight against the wall
Coving could have been cut better and filled after (unless you agreed to decorate where needed after work was done)
Too much cut out of joist, but I've seen deeper cuts that were 30 yrs old under baths and hadn't moved (older timbers were stronger mind you)
I've used ballofixes (isolation valves) dozens of times on heating pipes and find they're fine as long as they're not used like a tap (probly get a call tomorrow about a leak)
All in all, not the best job by a long chalk, but not the worst unfortunately
If your worried about the joist, bolt a 4 x 2 either side of the offending one and you'll be fine

 

[Best]

The joists notches strangely look very freshly cut, yet I assume there have always been pipes there before. Cowboy job though, - there should never have been 2 notches cut as all it needed was one set of 15mm pipes and tees off them between the joists. I really despair how poor jobs are done. It's like a first day apprentice would do if left alone. I give no excuse to that work.
The Ballofix valves can leak without being touched. Heat destroys the seals inside them, - I have seen some leaking.
Also, why would Ballofix valves, or any valves be fitted there? How would that make a job easier when new tees were to be fitted? If you needed to keep the branch pipe sealed, it could have been done with a temporary stopend and then push the pipe into the tee later.