Barratt Homes

[wheelers]

Hi All,

We have recently been installing systems into newley built Barratt Homes on two seperate sites.

All these homes were supposed to be pre wired for the intruder alarms but when surveying there were a lot of cables missing e.g. 7 where control panel was going but only two showing.

We spoke to the project managers on both sites who assured us no probs they will show us where all the cables are but after a lot of digging they had to admit they could not locate them.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had the same probs with these pre wired houses.

We have done loads for other companys with no probs..

Nick

[Guest]

One word, plasterers.

[Truss and France]

two words-Barratt homes

[Chris Teague]

The Barratt installs for us have probably been some of the best for cables being in the right place, although recently one plasterer thought he'd done us a favour by cutting all the cables at the end station to the same length & he even taped them up for us........ He'd cut off all the ID's & we had to tone them all out

I think a lot of it depends on the site foreman & how he co ordinates the plots. The one down here runs a tight ship & we give him no problems, so he looks after us too.

[whistle]

Did loads of houses like this years ago and spent most of my time banging holes in walls looking for cables i put in so i know they are there.

[Guest]

I've done loads and loads of new builds as a sparky and alarm installer and it's always the plasterers, they're obsessed with cutting cables off, but only if you want them leaving alone.

Chances are, the cables are just above where they're meant to be. I generally used to smash walls to pieces when they did cut cables short and they usually got the message eventually. Some were somewhere near, some were miles away from where they were meant to be.

[Guest RICHL]

Plasterers are a pain but usually because they dont know whats what with the cables.

I alwasy leave a couple of meters coiled up and if need be spray paint a circle in the area where the cable needs to come out.

With window fitters its a similar problem, but I find that if I run my cable to the top of the door then put some tape on the frame and write on the tape where the cable needs to come out, they normally get it right.

[PJF]

I did a favour for a mate when he bought his brand new house, pre-wired ? yes in 3 pair. All the pirs ended up 300 to 1000mm away from the corner of the rooms, I dont know if the sparky was having a bad day or the plasterer had moved them but my mate wouldnt let me dig the corners to see if the cable was there first. Ended up not a very good system, looked **** as well. Oh nearly forgot about the bell, I carry very long ladders but the height of the this was a bit over the top. The house was one of these new town house style 3 stories high with the bell middle of 3rd so I was right at the top of ladders and then some, not happy.

[Guest G.J.M]

New builds in general are a nightmare for cables getting lost or cut.

Plasterers and brickies seem to think nothing of chopping a cable if it is in their way.

Too much every man for themselves attitute in the building trade.But they are too stupid too realise if they chop cables they give themselves more work as i personally don't give a monkeys how big a hole i have to cut to get the cable back.

[breff]

On cable only sites, Berkeley homes make us fit architrave backboxes, 6 inch from the corner and 6 inch down, by the time they have tacked the walls and fitted coving they end up in approx the right place, but at least we can find them.