Stubborn builder fit backboxes flush with plaster, can't fit sockets in.

[SimonH2]

Well I did only link to that to show what they are and that they exist - never looked up the price of them.
TBH, I've used them a fair bit, partly because they were just round the corner from where I used to work. Always seemed to get a reasonable price.

 

[phatboy]

The builder did the proper thing, you should have provided deeper boxes for the job or asked him to.

 

[sparkwright]

Having a debate with my builder(I'm the customer). He's fit 25mm backboxes *completely* flush with the plaster so getting any nice sockets to fit is nigh on impossible. He's blames me saying I should have provided the backboxes myself ?

The fact is though, the metal backboxes were already fit on a stud wall(set 35mm deep), he needed to increase the depth of the wall by 25mm and he decided to move the backboxes forward (instead of just relying on longer screws on the sockets) and moved them to be completely flush with the plaster. He said during the build 'you'll be fitting nice brushed sockets yea'.

So now he says "Tell you what, go on a builders forum and tell them you’re complaining about perfectly flush back boxes, then open your Brolley to weather the ****storm .you talk some proper ****e sometimes. Go to fekkin sleep ffs"

So, here we are. He thinks I'm a complete ****, I think he doesn't think ahead. Even 90% of cheap white moulded plastic sockets won't fit

Most sockets will generally fit, with the exception of 'flat edge' sockets.

Are you only after the wafer thin flat edge ones??

There are plenty of attractive non-thin edge ones you can use.

***

I remember leaving a flush 16mm switch box in a wall that was going to be dot and dabbed, so this would be ok for a dimmer switch.

Then an over-helpful builder brought the box flush with the new wall surface. Not pleased.

Generally builders don't interfere with this kind of thing...

 

[RickMoore]

Ideally the back box should be flush with the wall surface so that the face plate is snug to the back box as otherwise it does not provide the containment it should. I would fit a 25mm back box as standard unless the customer said they wanted flat plate. I really think that sometimes customers expect trades to be mind readers. And why was a builder doing electrics? That's an electricians job, who probably would have discussed this beforehand having had that fiasco many times before.

 

[JohnW2]

Ideally the back box should be flush with the wall surface so that the face plate is snug to the back box as otherwise it does not provide the containment it should.

I'm not sure I fully understand that statement. Apart from anything else, other than for the new-fangled 'thin' accessories, the design of faceplates is such that they will not be in contact with the back box even if the box is flush to the wall surface. Flush to the wall surface is probably the easiest for plasterers to deal with, but I personally see no problem with the box being further back than that.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Iggifer]

Depends on the wall construction.

If it’s wet plaster on block/brick I don’t have an issue with the box being a bit deeper as the connections are still enclosed.

If it’s a stud or dot and dab wall and the box isn’t flush to the board you can get all sorts of crap in your boxes - found a couple of field voles in a 16mm KO last year, and technically the connections aren’t fully enclosed - although you’d struggle to access them on a dabbed wall - studs a bit easier.

 

[Lectrician]

I would fit a 25mm back box as standard unless the customer said they wanted flat plate.

My wholesalers stock more 35mm than 25mm these days. They are the most popular size. For stud walls, they work out perfectly. 4" studs, noggin 2" thick. 35mm boxes fit back to back perfectly, setting them a couple mm back past the front of the plasterboard on each side.

 

[jg321]

My wholesalers stock more 35mm than 25mm these days.

As a DIYer with some very very hard sand and cement walls - I was glad I only needed to make a 25mm hole in my wall! Never before or since have I been so pleased to see brick!

 

[Lectrician]

As a DIYer with some very very hard sand and cement walls - I was glad I only needed to make a 25mm hole in my wall! Never before or since have I been so pleased to see brick!

There's a tool and method for every job

 

[jg321]

There's a tool and method for every job

I'm the tool and my method was to stop as soon as I could! I think I'll invest in an SDS drill for some longer chases that I'll need to do in the not too distant future!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Investing in a really good, heavy, powerful corded SDS+ drill (4kg or above) will never be a mistake. I recommend looking on eBay for second-hand blue Bosch, Makita, Hilti...

 

[jg321]

Investing in a really good, heavy, powerful corded SDS+ drill (4kg or above) will never be a mistake. I recommend looking on eBay for second-hand blue Bosch, Makita, Hilti...

Thanks for the recommendation, I certainly will do. I'm very happy with my Makita drill (way better than my old Black and Decker that I bought when I was 18!) so I can understand the above could be a good investment. Incidentally it was the sand and cement walls in this house that made the old Black and Decker much less "hammer" than it originally was.

 

[SimonH2]

As a DIYer with some very very hard sand and cement walls - I was glad I only needed to make a 25mm hole in my wall! Never before or since have I been so pleased to see brick!

At my last house, it was the reverse problem - 'kin 'ard bricks. And as the mortar "wasn't very strong" there was no option of using force unless I wanted to make a brick sized portal into the neighbour's house I had to settle for 25mm boxes as it was just too much work nibbling out the brick with a scutch and light hammer - I'd normally use 35mm for sockets and 47mm for AV/network/aerial/etc.
So far, from the drilling I've done it looks like the bricks in this house are going to be more manageable

 

[OwainDIYer]

I managed to use 16mm boxes for double sockets here ...

 

[Lectrician]

No wholesalers here would stock 16mm doubles.