Please check a job I've had done

[Willsy]

Hi, I'm not a plumber but I feel like I've had some corners cut in a job I've just had done and I was hoping I could get some feedback so I can go back to the company and ask for things to be put right.
I had to go to one of those boiler finance companies because I didn't have the cash to pay for the work upfront so I was kind of restricted as to my choice of plumber otherwise I would have looked up someone local with good ratings but there you go...anyway...

Firstly, the central heating pipes have been installed on top of temporary flooring in the attic, without insulation. I feel like it could have been installed out the way behind the wooden rafters - and it should be insulated, right?

The second thing is the towel rail in the bathroom. We wanted a large one swapped for a smaller one, so I was aware the old pipes weren't going to line up but I feel like the old pipe could have been cut off further down because what he's done is tried to make the new pipes fit with the angle the old pipes were facing which makes them look a bit weird.

Last thing is he's made 2 holes in the tiles for the towel rail and then not used them. I'm not sure what a reasonable request in this situation is. It's only 2 tiles so the actual cost of that is relatively low but I'm pretty sure it would be impossible to find replacement tiles in that colour. What do you think would be a reasonable request in this situation?

Anything you've got for me would be greatly appreciated as I'm going to go back to the company today.

Cheers!

 

[bacon_sandwich]

I am not a plumber either but that towel rail is hilarious and yes he should have left more space between pipes so substantial insulation can be fitted on both pipes.

 

[Scott_1979]

Maybe you should have specified you where you wanted the pipes in the attic space? Either way, it does need insulated.

In regards of the towel rail, it's pretty shocking but as you say it would of never looked good regardless of how it was done. I don't know why he/she didn't just use a multi cutter and cut it at a vertical point to get rid of the angle, which does look pretty odd!

 

[oz-plumber]

I would say that the piping in the roof space should be insulated.

As for the towel rail connections - as bad as they look - I would say the plumber has done a neat a job as possible in the situation. He had to work with what was existing and what you wanted to have installed.
I don't think there is much more that can be done to make it look any better without lifting the floors

 

[Willsy]

Yeah, fair enough...I have no idea how difficult it is so just wanted to see what people thought. And it looks like the general consensus is that the attic pipes get insulated so I'll get onto that. Thanks for the responses!

 

[Chuck]

I think that carefully painting the bare copper to the towel rail so that it matches the grey tiles would improve the look considerably.

Another possibility would be to box them in, but it would need to be done rather carefully and neatly to look any better than my first, paint-job, suggestion.

 

[Willsy]

I think that carefully painting the bare copper to the towel rail so that it matches the grey tiles would improve the look considerably.

Another possibility would be to box them in, but it would need to be done rather carefully and neatly to look any better than my first, paint-job, suggestion.

Cheers Chuck, I think I'll try the first suggestion. Careful and neat isn't really my forte!

 

[doitmyself]

I had to go to one of those boiler finance companies

Who employed the installer, you or the Finance company? I would guess it was the FC, in which case you should complain to them and insist that the faults are corrected.

As for the towel rad, it's a very amateurish job. Didn't the man have the brains to think of running the pipes as in the pics below? It would be much neater.

 

[JCplumb]

That rad piping is awesome! Ugly as sin but still awesome

 

[SavageW]

Pipes in lift need insulating as been said,an I think with the towel rail either what doitmyself said or I would of hung the rad inline with the left hand side pipe to go straight into rad valve an brought the right pipe along skirting so you could at least paint it to blend in.

 

[Best]

The new pipes to the towel rail should have been kept vertical and then 2 square bends and with a kick out to bring them in line with the valves.
Still would look an add on, though.
The pipes in the attic should have been installed further away behind the roof frames so to keep the floor space free. The runs that go parallel with the joists can normally be run below the floor, between flooring and ceiling, before being bent up behind roof frames.
It all seems a fairly neat, but done by a beginner, looking install.

 

[Old Account]

Who employed the installer, you or the Finance company? I would guess it was the FC, in which case you should complain to them and insist that the faults are corrected.

As for the towel rad, it's a very amateurish job. Didn't the man have the brains to think of running the pipes as in the pics below? It would be much neater.

View attachment 31678 View attachment 31679

How would you cut the pipework ? Secondly, How are you going to solder the pies if they are so close to the skirting boards?
It doesn't look pretty I agree, but what else can you do to make things better? I would rather lift the Floors and change the wole layout

 

[Best]

Really makes you wonder why people get a bathroom floor, etc, all nicely tiled, yet leave an old radiator?
Then later decide to change the radiator to an entirely different sized towel rail.

 

[Old Account]

Not the first and last time you will see that like this. What's the point of keeping old stuff ? Just for the sake of saving £80 ? Now, it's gonna be a pain and a lot more expensive.

 

[Chuck]

It all seems a fairly neat, but done by a beginner, looking install.

Or an old hand who had run out of stand-off pipe-clips and just couldn't be be bothered to go and get some more.

 

[Chuck]

Really makes you wonder why people get a bathroom floor, etc, all nicely tiled, yet leave an old radiator?
Then later decide to change the radiator to an entirely different sized towel rail.

Situations like this are often the result of an elderly/vulnerable homeowner being exploited by an unscrupulous salesman.

 

[gmartine]

It would've been possible to remove those solder ring straight couplings and replace them with elbows even if it meant scorching the skirting.

 

[Best]

Probably a soldering mat, or a thin sheet of metal behind the pipes, (but not touching the skirting) would protect the skirting from the flame.
I sometimes use a builders trowel.
Builder doesn't like it though.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

TBH I like it

Painted in don't think you will notice it

 

[Ric2013]

To be honest, the work is tidy, if weird.
While, ideally, the loft work would not have been on the floor, I have done similar myself when the customer didn't care and wasn't willing to pay the extra for me to lift the floor and put the pipes elsewhere. But I would have lagged: 25mm of foam at the very least, and a few extra clips.
Not sure why the bathroom pipework is how it is. The excecution is skilful, but the planning is odd. I think I would have sweated the existing couplings off rather than connecting to the weird angle, but then I wasn't there.
Can you explain further on these holes made in the tiles for the towel rail and not used...?

 

[dan_the_plumber]

How would you cut the pipework ? Secondly, How are you going to solder the pies if they are so close to the skirting boards?
It doesn't look pretty I agree, but what else can you do to make things better? I would rather lift the Floors and change the wole layout

Cut with multi tool. Use file to take rough edges off. Solder carefully with a solder Matt. I (and anyone who’s half descent) do these all the time

 

[TonyC]

No one likes to run other peoples work down, it just looks like a get the job done as easily and quick as possible.