Virgin Installation damaged by Bay Window, will I get compensation?

[ChiefOfTheBoat]

Hi,

I had Virgin Media installed in my property late on Saturday afternoon and after the installation I was shocked to find a large drill hole through the wooden arm of my bay window.

http://gallery.me.com/richard.c.frost/100002/IMG_0493/web.jpg?ver=13121853310001

I have contacted virgin media who said they would send someone around in 4-5 days. Will they repair it? Will I get compensated?

Is there anything else I should do?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
COB.

[Chris]

They should do. Keep on top of them though. If you haven't had anyone round by this time next week get on to them again. Let us know how it turns out!

[Welshchris]

Usually they will pay if they do cause damage.

One of the most commonly things they compensate for is cleaning of carpets when engineers cant be bothered to remove muddy shoes or wear overshoes.

[Horizon]

Looks a right mess. No need for the "engineer" to drill through through the wooden bracket like that, they could've just gone straight through the brick wall.

I don't see how VM can fix it, they've messed up the bracket and it needs replacing. As it's a bay window we're talking about here, if it were me, I'd get my own "engineer" to replace the bracket (while protecting the all important bay window at all times) and bill vm for the cost.

[TheDon]

Looks a right mess. No need for the "engineer" to drill through through the wooden bracket like that, they could've just gone straight through the brick wall.
They probably drilled out from the inside and it was just unlucky that they hit the bracket.

[BenMcr]

They really should have owned up though, rather than completing the install with the cable going through the bracket!

[Blackened]

They probably drilled out from the inside and it was just unlucky that they hit the bracket.
Yeah, looks like drilled from inside out, as the wood has splintered off where the cable is coming out. He probably didn't realise he was clear and carried on to the outer arm of the bracket. Messy.
Wonder if there was a hole there in the bracket to begin with, with a retaining screw, and he's either got lucky or is a good shot! Looks easily fixable with some wood filler, some creative sanding and a lick of paint.
Let us know how you get on.

[MovedGoalPosts]

It is not that "fixable" with filler. If it is structural rather than decorative a fair bit of the timber section on the cross member has been broken away. Whilst timber components are often oversized, filler will not usually have a structural strength unless specialist resin bonding based systems are used. Equally whilst the timber was whole it would likely perform, and decay evenly. Where it is now chopped into, if filled especially with standard fillers, there will be a weakness where future decay is most likely to start.

I'd be wanting a completely new bracket to be made up.

Of course to deal with the bracket the cable needs to be moved, which no doubt means the installer returning to the property and some internal making good too.

[TheDon]

Aye I'd definitely have the entire bracket replaced, it's not a simple job either.
They'd have to brace the window, remove the current bracket, fill the hole inside and out, clean up the surfaces and then fit the new bracket.

[jb66]

It's policy to drill out, slightly unlucky but more carelessness as I use my measuring tape to work out if I'm near obstacles.

---------- Post added at 11:25 ---------- Previous post was at 11:24 ----------

Why has White internal cable used on the outside?

[spiderplant]

Why has White internal cable used on the outside?
To match the white bracket, presumably. Wouldn't want it to look a mess.

[Blackened]

It is not that "fixable" with filler. If it is structural rather than decorative a fair bit of the timber section on the cross member has been broken away. Whilst timber components are often oversized, filler will not usually have a structural strength unless specialist resin bonding based systems are used. Equally whilst the timber was whole it would likely perform, and decay evenly. Where it is now chopped into, if filled especially with standard fillers, there will be a weakness where future decay is most likely to start.

I'd be wanting a completely new bracket to be made up.

Of course to deal with the bracket the cable needs to be moved, which no doubt means the installer returning to the property and some internal making good too.

lol. Drama queen!

[TheDon]

lol. Drama queen!

It's not over dramatising it at all. If that's a load bearing bracket then there's no way in hell you'd want to just plug it with standard filler.

[Blackened]

Gimme a break - you're as bad as him! :p:
I was thinking purely cosmetically.
Sorry, I ought to have made that clear, but I'd just finished work and was whacked.

[Buck Rogers]

To match the white bracket, presumably. Wouldn't want it to look a mess.

The white "internal" cable is regularly used outside as its suitable for it

---------- Post added at 22:30 ---------- Previous post was at 22:23 ----------

It is not that "fixable" with filler. If it is structural rather than decorative a fair bit of the timber section on the cross member has been broken away. Whilst timber components are often oversized, filler will not usually have a structural strength unless specialist resin bonding based systems are used. Equally whilst the timber was whole it would likely perform, and decay evenly. Where it is now chopped into, if filled especially with standard fillers, there will be a weakness where future decay is most likely to start.

I'd be wanting a completely new bracket to be made up.

Of course to deal with the bracket the cable needs to be moved, which no doubt means the installer returning to the property and some internal making good too.

any fixing/repair work, including a different external exit for the cable, wouldn't necessarily require any change internally, the same hole can be drilled again at a different angle, to the left/right of the bracket.

[redone]

The black cable used is for internal use aswell just look at the lable on top of the drum it clearley states black internal.

[jb66]

I'll have a look but in training i was told the White stuff is not weatherproofed and goes a horrible yellow over time and the black stuff gives off a toxic fume when burned meaning it's not safe in a fire, it should be used external

[martyh]

It is not that "fixable" with filler. If it is structural rather than decorative a fair bit of the timber section on the cross member has been broken away. Whilst timber components are often oversized, filler will not usually have a structural strength unless specialist resin bonding based systems are used. Equally whilst the timber was whole it would likely perform, and decay evenly. Where it is now chopped into, if filled especially with standard fillers, there will be a weakness where future decay is most likely to start.

I'd be wanting a completely new bracket to be made up.

Of course to deal with the bracket the cable needs to be moved, which no doubt means the installer returning to the property and some internal making good too.

In my experience those Gallows brackets are purely decorative as that type of window is a bow window as opposed to a bay window .One way the OP can be sure is to look for any cut bricks either side of the top of the bracket where the wood goes through the wall to be anchored in the inner leaf of brickwork.
I agree that a new bracket is needed as rot will set in fairly quickly and getting both brackets replaced is the way i would go to ensure a good match

just had a good look at the pic and i would be 99%certain that they are only decorative as the construction of the bracket themselves is wrong for a structural bracket and i see no cut bricks