Town House Installation Problem

surferdude · 09-03-2010, 07:39

Hi,

we tried to get cable into our house last week, having cancelled our Sky Contract. It's a large three-storey town house in London with no easy rear access, so we wanted the cable routed up the front outside wall, through the attic, and down the rear outside wall and then through to the required living room.

No problem years ago, when my neighbour had the exact same thing done. Didn't even have to ask. It was the easiest and most obvious thing to do and its what they did. But our installers wouldn't do it, said they were not insured to go through the attic and had to go in through the house. Now I've seen many examples of what these guys do in peoples houses, and this is a Very Nice House only a few years old, so we decided to decline. In the end they realised they couldn't do it anyway, because the internal cable would have to go through a wardrobe and they weren't allowed to drill a hole in the wardrobe.

I thought well I can do it then. Leave me some cable and I'll do it, but various postings on this forum suggest that that might not be allowed either.

So we're stuck. They went away and we have no TV. They can't use my wires, I can't use theres. They're quick to say no to anything and everything we suggest, using those old classics like 'health and safety' or 'insurance'. Short of allowing some guys to spend all of three minutes crudely stapling surface mount cables to a large amount of our woodwork, we're stuck.

Any ideas ? Is there an "Advanced Cabling" team out there that does the challenging jobs, that can go through the loft space for example ?

(No I don't think its challenging personally, I'd do it myself in 30 mins flat - I think its pathetic)

Is there an A-team that you can give more money to so that they do a better and more considerate and more sympathetic job ? Money is not a problem here.

And is there someone who comes along afterwards and hoovers up all the cable-ties and bits of tape and cable and wire from off our front lawn ?

John

Paul · 09-03-2010, 07:59

The reason they don't go up into loft spaces is often down to health and safety now, as they told you they are not insured to be up there and if there is an accident and someone is hurt of your ceiling damaged then there would be a big problem. The reason why they won't be that happy to use cable you put in is because they won't be able to guarantee the installation and it will be them coming backwards and fowards fixing it afterwards. Doesn't mean it hasn't been done on occasion though in the past.

Jonnymeg · 09-03-2010, 18:10

If you put the cabling in place the installers will use it. Trust me. The guys will be well chuffed if the biggest part of the job is already done for them, easy money.

Just put the cable in, rebook the job, say nothing. Just tell the guys on the day.....it will be fine.

Nedkelly · 09-03-2010, 19:16

We in the past have left cable for the customer to route them self .As for the loft space it is now a enclosed space health and saftey gone mad

sollp · 09-03-2010, 22:32

It's already been said, but unfortunately the,"Old Classic" is very real, VM are having a real zero tolerance to H/S and believe me when i say that because of H/S it can't be done. Most people would be more than happy to do it for you but unfortunately if they were to have an accident apart from personal injury then the cost of repairs and then the loss of your job for not following procedures, it's not worth anyones while, honest.

No special team for this, hoovering up and removing there mess, they SHOULD DO.

Maybe try and get the Installations supervisor to recce your property, he might be able to get something done??

Just found the perfect Guy to do your Job:

linky

calmpitbull · 09-03-2010, 23:26

The best thing to do is ask them to leave you the cable and reschedule the job. Then when they come back the cable will be magically in and hey presto. Just leave plenty of slack at each end, don't kink it and run it neatly with the correct size clips (I'm sure you would do all this anyway).

Drill into the room about 15cm above skirting board level to allow for the cable to come in and down into the isolator (they will do all that).

The installers will love this as it will be an easy job for them.