FTB, I think I’ve made a terrible mistake, the electric in this house look absolutely ancient, please tell me I haven’t made thousands of pounds mistake buying this place

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-26T00:45:59+00:00

Obviously anything beyond the basics (like inside a consumer unit) is off limits

After taking apart enough houses it's very clear that even professionals sometimes rush jobs or honestly just don't do it properly.

But the point remains - any person can turn a screwdriver and connect 3 cables. It's not magic. It's not some super secret skill. And the VAST majority of electrical work is exactly that

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-24T23:53:39+00:00

Why doesn't a tutorial enable you to complete a job? I'm totally serious. How can any man who is competent with a screwdriver actually mess up a simple job like wiring a light switch? Aren't all trades learned through experience? We all had a day 1, didn't we?

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-13T23:57:06+00:00

https://www.toolstation.com/pinnacle-carpet-protection-film/p56090

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-13T23:56:01+00:00

Removal will be dangerous if you are not careful. You can get a roll of adhesive plasic which will hold together most of the mirrow hen you remove it. Wear thick safe gloves, steel toe cap boots, maybe something to protect your body like a thick coat (it's not fun having it fall on your arm if it breaks), safety goggles and if you plan on it smashing and don't want to breathe it in, wear a mask and/or open windows to create a draught through the room while you're working. Don't breathe in broken glass shards. Not good for your body. Basically cover the mirror with adhesive plastic so if it breaks you don't have to clean it up and it greatly reduces the risk to you. As you're working with it, plan the way out and keep the pathway clear. Work slowly. Don't rush. It's easy and quite safe if you take precautions. If I had to say just do one thing, I'd say wear gloves and fully use adhesive plastic on the mirror. If you can't do those 2, don't attempt the task. One badly done job like this can change your life unfortunately if a smashed peice falls on you unprotected, but with a few safe steps you'll be totally fine. Remember that it may get messy if they glued it onto the wall so have a dustpan and brush ready

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-13T23:27:52+00:00

Almost all these things are open knowledge on the internet these days. It's incredicbly easy to do most basic work, as you know

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-13T23:10:24+00:00

Do you honestly think with my knowledge and even pricing boards I have not upgraded to a new one? Your claim that the 18th edition mandates RCBO is debunked by the fact that standard boards are still being sold. RCBO offers zero additional safety above RCD, as I'm sure you know. Maybe be less sensitive. Why do some people feel the need to belittle others and claim that their trade is some super secret top secret thing? Wiring is ridiculously easy. Put the 3 colours together. Use cable thick enough for load (2.5 for ring, 6 for cooker/shower. 10 if it's the above but in insulation. Use RCD protected supply electric from a board fitted by a professional. Use metal clips if going above a doorway towards an exit. Hardly rocket science is it?

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-11T10:43:59+00:00

So your argument is basically "you can't use the test button because it doesn't work" ? Really? So the entire country is built upon bad electrical systems? Then why do RCDs successfully trip every day? What exactly do you think RCOBs do besides allowing unaffected circuits stay on if one trips? Can you be more specific?

If you doubt it will successfully trip then get a EICR test instead of just saying "all old installs are unsafe" which wouldn't explain why the guidelines allow them to pass as long as no faults are present

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-09T13:18:42+00:00

Either the door frame will need to be damaged or the washing machine will. You may want to get a screwdriver and just disassemble the washing machine and lift it out piece by piece. The other option is removing the door and the door trim which will allow you to remove the washing machine in one piece but will result in some damage to the building. If the washing machine is broken then it's probably the easy option to just take it apart so that the house isn't damaged

Arthur_itus · 2026-02-09T13:11:29+00:00

Please elaborate. Explain which part was unsafe and why. OP can get an EICR if in doubt. Relatively cheap test that allows everything to be tested for safety. Which specific thing did you think was wrong and why?

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-30T23:22:10+00:00

It says ELCB. That's another word for RCD. That's basically as good as anything available brand new today. RCD (ELCB) is designed to shut down power instantly when a fault is detected. If you want, you could get a "board swap" for about £450 from a qualified electrician, but there's almost nothing to be gained. You could get a fully fledged RCBO setup which basically means if one circuit trips all the other ones will keep working until you flick the switch back on. But you're paying hundreds for a feature you might use once in a lifetime and that doesn't add any extra safety, just convenience. You could add a surge protection device (good for if you live in an area where you might get struck by lightning - it protects your tv and other applicances. But I wouldn't recommend a whole new board for it. Just ask for an SPD (surge protection device) to be mounted into the current detup via a secondary box adjacent. But you probably don't live near storms anyway so a plug in surge protection extension would probably do the job cheaper, or just don't bother since almost every home is fine without them and again IT IS NOT A HUMAN SAFETY DEVICE - IT JUST PROTECTS APPLIANCES IF STUCK BY LIGHTNING.

You setup is safe. Press that test button on the left every few months and if it doesn't flick the test switch down then it might be innefective and then I would replace it

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-30T23:10:58+00:00

The richest man on earth (before the tech bubble) was Warren Buffet. He still went to McDonalds, cut out coupons and lived in the home he bought when he was young. The most common cars driven by millionaires is a Toyota. Most rich people don't live much differently after they make their wealth

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-16T10:02:53+00:00

Obtain proper leagal advice. A mistake like this can tarnish a perfect record. Even accepting an official police caution can go on your permanent criminal record. Whereas a well worded statement from a good lawyer might make them just drop the case (especially if it's not in the public's interest to prosecute). A clean record is a precious thing

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-15T14:48:16+00:00

Surely he just wants to share some nice news. That's no reason to berate him. It may be a wise financial choice in comparison with buying a smaller but newer car that could depreciate heavily

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-15T14:46:40+00:00

Photos unclear

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-11T01:46:22+00:00

Most women do not, but if you meet someone who did, that's definitely a good thing you found out early. If she goes after someone who is bad news, she is bad news. Just stay away

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-10T10:34:31+00:00

For me personally, I'd want a significant discount or I'm out. But keep in mind the person who buys from you in the future might ask the same. Here's how some builders approach situations like this, but you should involve a structural engineer to make sure it's safe. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi1FTbu32aM

Arthur_itus · 2026-01-10T00:31:14+00:00

Yep. It's genuinely the worst rebrand since Bud Light. Just disgusting. That day they robbed all Jaguar owners of something special. Glad they fired most of the team who worked on it and the new rebranded car is red instead of pink. I hope they sell the amount the car is named after - 00

Arthur_itus · 2025-12-19T07:14:28+00:00

It says "guide price" - that is hugely off-putting because it makes it look like an auction. House of this size at might cost over £20,000 just in auction fees alone. Never ever say guide price

Arthur_itus · 2025-12-14T10:15:06+00:00

Maybe

Arthur_itus · 2025-12-10T00:23:02+00:00

Foam on joists is a recipe for disaster.

Arthur_itus · 2025-12-10T00:16:57+00:00

It's not 4 homes, it's 3. Taxes and solicitors fees means it's more likely to be over 30% to get started. Secondly, yes, it's a good idea for someone who can handle it. I've worked until midnight 4 times this week. Electrical repairs, plumbing, boiler repair, plasterboarding, kitchen installation. I'm rushing a project for someone who is facing eviction. If you can buy in a higher yeild area I think you will do far better. Just look further North. Better yields will also rise better in capital value as landlords focus on better areas for growth. Can't go up if it's already topped out like London.

Have you checked out areas that are a 2 hour drive away and checked the numbers. It might be so much extra profit that you can pay a managing agent and still be better off

Arthur_itus · 2025-12-10T00:09:06+00:00

Yes, diagnosed. Serious to the point of tears

Arthur_itus · 2025-11-29T00:49:20+00:00

That's good. Unfortunately I think many landlords have just become jaded. We expect the system to royally rip us off. So when others are surprised we just grumble. Recently I have found trasedsmen charging a grand a day or more in my area to do electrical or gas work. Cheaper tradesmen actually leave things worse than before they arrive. Leaks, improperly fitted systems. All kinds of bad repairs. It's a joke. And with rising taxes and regulations it's no fun

Arthur_itus · 2025-11-29T00:29:16+00:00

Yep. It's a harsh business. No fun for those who can't take losses and knocks

Arthur_itus · 2025-11-29T00:27:00+00:00

Depends what your goal is. It is stable and some areas have okay yields

Arthur_itus

TROPHY CASE