contractors

[murdock]

A new problem which is apparently corrupting the electrical industry.

in less than 6 months i have come across 2 installation both worth over R100 000 which have been installed by "private contractors" the customers are experiencing difficulties with their power factor correction units and trying to get these contractors to supply COCs for the installtion.

After some enquires i have found that apparently both installation have been done by personel one who works for the durban electricity department and the other by a member emloyed by eskom...the cost to repair in both cases is over R50 000...it turns out both contractors are registered in the wives names but the work was done by personal who work for the companies mentioned...with assitance of personel of one of the companies which supplies power factor correction equipment.

problems which these companies are experiencing:

capacitors blowing within 6 months
cooling systems incorrectly installed causing overheating
cables incorrectly selected and installed
cant get hold the "contractor"

what gets me is that i have to register with the ecb... bargaining council... etc...apparently these so called contractors are working for the council and eskom and doing this moonlighting work at a fraction of the cost because they are benefitting from the discounts offered...and using the equipment supplied by these companies to carry out the work which is being paid for by you and i...surely this is just as bad corrupt goverment officials who benifit from having private interests in companies receiving tenders

[AndyD]

I've come across Eskom moonlighters before, there was an epidemic of it six or seven years ago. The best thing for the customer to do is start proceedings against the people involved. If nothing else it should get them back to perform some kind of remedial work and issue COC's. If they personally are qualified and they personally performed the installation then they personally are responsible for its safety and the certificate. I think in this respect they can't hide behind the company in a civil case.

[Dave A]

Once again the system that is meant to be "protecting" the contracting industry results in us being carved to pieces

Level playing field my ass. How the heck are you supposed to be able to compete with that?

[AndyD]

......How the heck are you supposed to be able to compete with that?

You don't even try, they'll do the whole job often for less that your materials only price. You quote as normal, sit tight then phone the customer three months later with a friendly follow up call and pick up the remedial work because the original installers don't answer their phone any more.

[murdock]

back to my original question why do we bother registering with the ECB...bargaining councils etc...if everyone else can get away with it...because there is no manpower to police the electrical industry or registrations the ecb reply is they are just a board...i mean literally (a wooden one)...etc...so why bother following the rules.

we as legit contractors should all boycott all electrical services offered to us like uif...ecb...bargaining council and payments until such time that they sort it out and police it correctly...i suppose i can dream


training also needs a serious wakeup...the quality of the artisan coming into the market place are half the problem.

[AndyD]

back to my original question why do we bother registering with the ECB...bargaining councils etc...if everyone else can get away with it...

Sorry Murdock, I wasn't ignoring your question and being rude, I thought about it and couldn't come up with an answer. Until the governing bodies have teeth they're just window dressing.

[murdock]

dont worry andy there was nothing directed at you or anyone else on this forum.