What happens when things to wrong....??

[galwaytt]

I ask this as, having had an issue with a domestic heating system myself, I have now come across several others in similar situations, and I don't seem to see any obvious recourse.

First, given the complexity and costs involved in a lot of current heating/DHW systems, even when you do determine the issue, or cause of it, how to fix ?

For instance, I know one lady who has put in UFH, Geo, Solar, airtight house etc.

But, plumber has now emigrated after first fix - and no one will come in and finish it.

I know anther situation where the system doesn't work right, and an engineer got called in, and on review, found the entire system not only badly done, but incorrectly connected.

Again, no-one else will come in 'over someone else's work'.

So - any ideas ? I think there's a business in this, actually..........

Legal isn't the answer, it's the physical correction of on-site issues I'm talking about.

 

[DavyJones]

There is a big differance in finishing someones work and correcting it. I have corrected many new systems, it takes longer to find problem then to fix nine times out of ten.
The smallest thing can knock a system out of sync.


If a job has only half done then there is a good chance that money was the problem and many installers don't want to take the risk.

I saw one job in particular that stands out, the owner was telling me that he was unhappy with the plumbers work, I looked at the unfinished work and it was immaculate. I can honesty say I probably could not have done any better. I gave a price with strict conditions of payment, I didn't get it.

Whenever I do finish another installers job, which has only been a handfull of times, there is a clear contract outlining our and client responsibility and a bigger than normal deposit.

Many installers don't understand the newer technology and it is hard to keep up, courses are expensive and time consuming so many installers just stick to what they know. This will be a reason why some installers don't do/finish jobs.

The way things are going on the domestic front, plumbers will do the plumbing and mechanical contractors will do the heating and ventilation.

 

[gary71]

Where to start, most boiler installations i come across (i do over a thousand jobs a year) are fitted badly with the basics just not being done, installers/electricians would rather open the Star than the instruction book which has pictures so you don't even have to read it, because of this problems are very, very common from one off builds to large sites, what would normally happen is on the one off jobs the installer will guarantee the boiler for as long as it takes to get to the van and on the bigger sites the builders just don't tell any of the house holders with the hope the boiler warranty runs out before the faults show there ugly head, the sort of things i come across every day would be flow and return to small, gas pipe to small, boiler output to small, rads to small, pumped mains water, break tanks the size of a bucket, incorrect wiring, earths being used to carry 240v, no earth to boilers, no flushing, no inhibitor, no discharge pipe work, plaster in the boiler, boilers not commissioned, no ventilation, gas leaks, water leaks, boilers running with clock in the off position, room stats that turn off the hot water, room stats over rads, i could go on but i am boring myself, every one of these faults just shouldn't occur there covered in the manufactures instruction with pictures. The only job i know of that has ever been put right by the installer was one DGOBs sorted by throwing his weight around as a registered gas installer, by him doing the right thing could have effected his future business in the area, it did help with the decision making that every house on the site passed by Bord Gais risked carbon monoxide poisoning due to the laziness and stupidity of the installers, in saying all of that there are still good installers but i only get called in after the bad ones, people tend to have themselves to blame by always going for the cheap installers, they tend to get Muppet's and chancers, while the installers who stand by there work tend to lose out due to under cutting, if you can come up with a answer i'll put work your way, Gary.

 

[galwaytt]

Thanks lads - yes, you've touched on all the issues, there.

DavyJones - in the two cases I've mentioned, neither were 'budget' jobs -both cost in excess of 30k. Having spent that much, and to have it performing way below par, means it simply has to be fixed. Right now, that is the problem - there's simply no-one to turn to.

As for plumbers doing 'plumbing' and mech contractor's doing mech & vent, that in a domestic install is what is causing the problem - the left hand ain't talking to the right one etc. etc...

BTW, one install in particular, was a plumber off the SEI 'Approved Installer' list. Just goes to show the quality going of vetting there.........