Help with an electrical debate...

[Charly]

First let me say I am NOT a licensed electrician... With that said, I'm doing a remodel for a friend and told her to hire a licensed electrician for putting in new switches/recpts. and replacing an utility light. When I returned after the electrician did his work, I was livid and flabbergasted at what he did and the receptacle didn't even work!

Now the friend thinks I'm overreacting and the work was done fine. So I need a bit of help here: (NOTE: this is in a mobile home)

1. In a bathroom which has a 2 x 3 wall, he cut out to put an all in one box in which of course wouldn't fit. So he chucked that idea and spread out 2 switches and 1 receptacle in the now larger hole. Thus leaving 1/8" to 1/4" open gap between the plates. These are located above the side of the sink. I say hazard and they need to be done right. Am I overreacting?

2. When putting up the utility light, he used an old extension cord, wired the light to that and plugged it into a receptacle on the pole. Not sure if that is for outside use or not. Now I cannot see under the electrical tape to know if he used wire nuts or not, but he electrical taped down over the connection and part of the cord. He didn't use any pipe at all and told her that the way it was wired was good per 1980's code here, but he would just electrical tape the other wires and it'd be fine. I've never seen so much electrical tape used on a utility pole before! I say hazard and should be redone. Am I overreacting?

Thanks!

[Billy_Bob]

What was he doing exactly in the bathroom? What was there previously?

I am picturing a switch with its own "single gang" cover plate, then another switch with another single gang cover plate, etc??? Do you have photos you can post?

Then what was he doing with the "utility light"? Was he installing a light up high on a utility pole outside? Pictures?

Also was he told to keep the costs down by any chance? What was said to him before he did this work?

[hj]

If three boxes fit okay, why didn't a single 3 gang box. And what is the utility pole and what was he doing with it? There are sectional snap together plates that you might be able to modify so they cover the gaps.

[Alectrician]

If three boxes fit okay, why didn't a single 3 gang box.

Trailers have really skinny walls and his 3 gang deep box would not fit.

He probaby had 1 and 2 gang shallow boxes on his truck.

[hj]

And he didn't know how to assemble three handy boxes into a three gang one?

[Speedy Petey]

2. When putting up the utility light, he used an old extension cord, wired the light to that and plugged it into a receptacle on the pole. Not sure if that is for outside use or not. Now I cannot see under the electrical tape to know if he used wire nuts or not, but he electrical taped down over the connection and part of the cord. He didn't use any pipe at all and told her that the way it was wired was good per 1980's code here, but he would just electrical tape the other wires and it'd be fine. I've never seen so much electrical tape used on a utility pole before! I say hazard and should be redone. Am I overreacting?

For this he should be fired, lose his license (which I doubt he even has), and then be shot!

[Alectrician]

And he didn't know how to assemble three handy boxes into a three gang one?

What WE call a handy box isn't gangable. The only gangable boxes I have seen would be too deep to fit into a 2" wall.

He obviously made do with what he had on his truck....or in his car

At least the light on the utility pole was ouside and not likely to burn down the pole.

[hj]

The ones I would have used are a normal depth which would fit inside a 3" wall very easily. The sides are removable and the boxes stack together.

[codeone]

? When you say open gap do you mean space between plates with dry wall showing or an open space in the wall you can stick something in?

[jimbo]

For this he should be fired, lose his license (which I doubt he even has), and then be shot!

And THEN he should be...............?

[Speedy Petey]

And THEN he should be...............?

Harshly scolded!

[Dunbar Plumbing]

Was the cost of the mobile home worth more than the electrical work done?



This has relevance...