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Exterior wall damaged - what should I do

  • 06-06-2024 08:59PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 376 ✭✭


    Long story short, Eircom was installing fibre broadband at my house earlier and needed to drill a hole on my wall to run cables.

    When they drilled the exterior wall, a chunk of the wall fell off.


    IMG_3987.jpeg

    The installer was honest and apologetic, and he put some gel stuff to fill the hole temporarily, but I literally have no clue as to what I need to buy or do to do a proper repair. Any ideas?



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,511 ✭✭✭Gusser09


    Just some exterior filler. But id be questioning why he used no containment or ducting. Thats a bad job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 217 ✭✭Tippbhoy1


    is that the final job? Not really sure what that is supposed to be achieving, that’s not the actual fibre cable it it? If you paid for install I’d be back on to them saying they’ve damaged it and it needs a repair.

    In principle a simple ready mix external filler would do fine but as per earlier comments this doesn’t look like a final job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,511 ✭✭✭Gusser09


    Fibre wont last long like that. Im nearly sure thats the fibre.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 217 ✭✭Tippbhoy1


    If it is that guy should be fired on the spot.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 376 ✭✭Sam W


    Thanks everyone. That is indeed the fibre cable but that’s not the final job. He just showed me straightaway when it happened and I took the picture. He filled the hole with a lot of sealant before he left.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭Citizen  Six


    Looks like most jobs I've seen carried out by Eir or similar. Lash it in, get on to the next job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 217 ✭✭Tippbhoy1


    We are not talking about the hole. I would expect the fibre cable should be attached at the very least to a steel cable that is carrying the tension from two locations, I assume wall to wall with a span in between. That line will break very easily with any sort of impact or maybe even bad weather. Even with traditional coax which is much sturdier this is how it has been done all around my neighbourhood. I dunno, maybe standards have dropped but I’d be having a look to see how that line is run into other houses or between other properties.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,464 ✭✭✭ratracer


    What does the finished job look like?
    Is that external insulation or plaster on block finish?
    Your pic is off a hole before any repair was made, and that looks like a cable pull as opposed to the actual fibre line.
    Hard to give an opinion unless you show the final job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 291 ✭✭baxterooneydoody


    THats not fibre that's fishing rids for pulling cable, just use exterior filler to patch hole when done



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,291 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    A piece breaking off like that isn't a major issue & I wouldn't fault the engineer. There should be a pipe / ducting going through the wall and the cable goes inside the pipe. The outside of the pipe (inside the wall) should be filled with expanding foam. Every hole made by tradesmen in an outside wall should be made airtight. They should be assuming that every home is airtight.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,272 ✭✭✭kirving




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 773 ✭✭✭Mr321


    That looks external insulation? Which in some cases I've seen you could push your finger through it it's that spongy.

    When ever the cable jobs finished and if it is external insulation I'd use some expanding exterior foam to fill and finish it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭Citizen  Six


    Nah, it's some kind of acrylic or monocouche render.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 376 ✭✭Sam W


    It doesn’t look like external insulation.
    This is the state when the installer left:


    IMG_3992.jpeg


    I don’t know what filler that is, but it’s very soft and jelly like texture. Plus it looks too ugly. What can I use to make it look nicer?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,464 ✭✭✭ratracer


    That is a very poor job alright. Try getting a cover like this:

    IMG_8558.jpeg

    They come in different colours, this is just the first pic I’ve googled!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭Citizen  Six


    Abysmal work. The cable isn't even clipped straight. But this is how a lot of these installers do the job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 376 ✭✭Sam W


    That is a nice suggestion! Thanks! (Although I worry that with the hole being that big, a cover alone won’t even be sufficient. Is there any paint or things like that I can purchase?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭jack of all


    Buy nothing, make a compliant about the install to the service provider and ask them to rectify it to your satisfaction and at their cost. It's a very poor job and no one could possibly suggest this is acceptable.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,292 ✭✭✭-=al=-


    Shoddy work like that really grinds my gears, nothing worse than trusting a professional to come in to your home for a job like that and making a balls of it

    I'd personally try some external filler and try to match the wall texture and colour, then put a cover over it and paint everything white to match the colour of the wall down to the grey section.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,275 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Can you post a pic of the fibre coming out of the conduit lower down?

    I'd probably find some half moon trunking to cover it up. I think that stuff can be screwed into the wall in a way that the fixings are covered. Paint over it if necessary.

    As for the splodgy hole, ugh. I'd want that gunk out and replaced with proper masonry filler e.g. Toupret.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,257 ✭✭✭✭ted1




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭Citizen  Six


    He gets paid to do the job, so he is a professional. He's just not very good at his job.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,468 ✭✭✭beachhead


    Or that colour.Most installers receive no quality control training these days.Its get in quick and get out.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,257 ✭✭✭✭ted1




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,095 ✭✭✭Citizen  Six


    2. a person engaged in a specified activity, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,275 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Much as this pedantry is unproductive, "professional" as a adjective implies competence, whereas "professional" as a noun implies only that it's their job.

    So you can have an unprofessional professional and a professional amateur 😀



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,579 ✭✭✭DC999




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