What "man jobs" have you done today?

Yep, easy swap, although I see your latest post, so hopefully that sorts it!

We are charging! Albeit incredibly slowly. But I suppose that doesn't matter.

Next electrical job will to be add another double socket in the hallway. The hallway is adjacent to the garage, so I can run the electrics along the garage wall and then drill through into the hallway. Do I need to cut into the plaster and brickwork to sink the back box deep enough? Or is just the plaster sufficient? Assuming it's nominal thickness plaster.
 
We are charging! Albeit incredibly slowly. But I suppose that doesn't matter.

Next electrical job will to be add another double socket in the hallway. The hallway is adjacent to the garage, so I can run the electrics along the garage wall and then drill through into the hallway. Do I need to cut into the plaster and brickwork to sink the back box deep enough? Or is just the plaster sufficient? Assuming it's nominal thickness plaster.
Nice one, glad to hear it!!

As for the socket, yes you’ll likely have to knock out at least some of the masonry, as the back box for sockets is usually 35mm, and there’s no way your plaster is that deep…unless it’s fitted into battens or something, rather than the masonry just plastered over.

That said, if you’re taking the wiring from the garage straight through into the back of the socket, you might get away with the shallower 25mm box…would likely be very tight though.
 
Nice one, glad to hear it!!

As for the socket, yes you’ll likely have to knock out at least some of the masonry, as the back box for sockets is usually 35mm, and there’s no way your plaster is that deep…unless it’s fitted into battens or something, rather than the masonry just plastered over.

That said, if you’re taking the wiring from the garage straight through into the back of the socket, you might get away with the shallower 25mm box…would likely be very tight though.

Can I do a neat job with a drill and a chisel? I've asked Santa for a corded SDS drill for Christmas as my trusty Erbauer battery combi just isn't cutting it for drilling into masonry.
 
Can I do a neat job with a drill and a chisel? I've asked Santa for a corded SDS drill for Christmas as my trusty Erbauer battery combi just isn't cutting it for drilling into masonry.
Absolutely you can! I’ve done that a lot of times before. Mark out the area you need for the box, then drill several holes inside of what you marked. Chip away what’s left with your bolster (assume you meant that rather than chisel) - fairly easy job to be honest. If I were you I’d probably drill a couple of mm inside of the edge of the box if you know what I mean…that allows you to finish it off with a nice sharp edge without going outside it.

Another wee tip I picked up a long time ago is to scribe the line in the plaster at the edge of the area you’re going to be removing - go over it a few times with a sharp Stanley type blade - that tends to stop the plaster edges blowing out on you.
 
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