Beware 'the boy'

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 251, 19 July 1988, Page 13

Beware 'the boy'

The following is an extract from a building inspector's letter recently received by the Building Research Association of NZ. "An owner bought a free standing stove as a complete kitset. It had a double skin ducting to protect the roof space. He hired a plumbing firm to install it. A tradesman arrived accompanied by what the owner later described as "the boy". The tradesman gave "the boy" the job to install the stove while he renewed the spouting. "The boy" cut a hole in the ceiling for the flue and ducting against a ceiling joist directly below a rafter. By forcing the flue to one side and by bringing it out through the roof at an angle he was able to solve the prob-

lem to his own satisfaction. However, h e now had the flue and both liners jammed hard against the ceiling joist on one side and against the rafter on the other. The ceiling caught fire the first time the stove was lit, fortunately just before the owner was about to go out shopping to damage was minimal." Since then the building inspector always makes a point o f unfastening the ceiling plate and making sure that the roof timbers are clear from any newly installed free standing stove "just in case "the boy" is still in the district." "The boy" is not only probably in the district but probably works for a number of other trades as well a s plumbing!