Electrical Regulation Advice Please

psy

I need to carry out some electrical work in my home, and I'd like to know if I would be able to do any of it myself, or would it now be classified as an electrician's job.

Work involved:
- install 10 downlighter spotlights in bathroom and kitchen
- install smoke alarm (for both of these, the cabling has been installed and just the lights and alarm need to be connected up)
- install sockets & ceiling lights in loft (power ring main and light circuits have been run up to loft and then terminated in junction box)
- move light switches from one side of a door to the other.

I've asked electrician's, all of whom have said it must be done by them, but they're not really independent, are they!

Is there an organisation who I can approach for an unbiased answer. My current building project is awaiting the final approval from Building Control. Are they a place who would advise?

Thanks in advance for any help.

quoia

No electrician needed to do any of that as far as I am concerned.

However others may query the lights in the kitchen and bathroom.
Are the downlighter spot mains 230V ones or low voltage 12V running off a transformer?
If 12V transformer version definitely DO IT YOURSELF !

Also something that many people do not realise about these new regulations is that they do NOT stop you doing the work yourself.
Or at least 95% to 99.9% of it!
In the loft for example you could install (screw to wall/ceiling) all the socket boxes and light fittings where you want/need them, run the cables between these and the junction box (just make sure you use the right size cable - 2.5mm twin & earth for the sockets for example) suitably clipping to joists/rafters or enclosing within plastic trunking etc.
You might even strip the wires back and wire up all the fittings etc.
THEN just get an electrician to come and check your work and wire up the remaining unconnected ends at the junction box, and "certify it".

Job done at a fraction of the cost of letting a sparky do all of it.

JimArnold

it will be interesting to see what charges are levied for checking and certifying!

I believe that all bathroom work now falls under part p - but I must admit I'd just go ahead and do it

I also believe that if building control are passing your work you don't need anything else

robby-01

go to https://www.partp.co.uk .All the info you need about what you can and cant do is on there.For the record building control themselves do not inspect electrical work that must be done a part p registered installer.
hope that helps

psy

Thanks everyone for all of your advice. You've given me confidence to do this work myself. I just need to convince the wife I've got the skills!

Baz-Bee

These Regs have only been in since the new year. If you are going to do the work imminenetly then just do it and if anyone asks say you did it before the Regs came in to force. It would be impossible virtually for anyone to challange the accuracy of what you say.

After all, what is the difference between something that was done on the day before the Regs came in to force and the day after? These Regs are a joke and a cowboy's charter.

plumb1_2

Baz-Bee wrote:

These Regs have only been in since the new year. If you are going to do the work imminenetly then just do it and if anyone asks say you did it before the Regs came in to force. It would be impossible virtually for anyone to challange the accuracy of what you say.

After all, what is the difference between something that was done on the day before the Regs came in to force and the day after? These Regs are a joke and a cowboy's charter.

you might find that some cables/fitting have a code on them ie Date serial number,so it would be possible to check when the cable/fitting was made.
If ever you had a problem.
But i would do it anyway;)

George_Bray

robby-01 wrote:

go to https://www.partp.co.uk .All the info you need about what you can and cant do is on there.For the record building control themselves do not inspect electrical work that must be done a part p registered installer.
hope that helps

This sounds interesting. I thought that the DIY route consisted (1) on doing the electrical work yourself and then (2) getting the Council to sign it off for about £80 - £100. Outrageous! But, if the Council (or their sub-contactors included in the £80-£100 fee - that's their business) don't do the check, who does?

Also, is there any need to inform the Council that you're starting work? I work on some of these projects at a snail's pace! So work-in-progress wiring may be hanging down all over the place for months or years! What happens if I call in the Council at the end - when all the wiring is sealed behind plaster boards, etc? Don't they expect periodic visits, all within the £80-£100? How does it work in practice?

welshblob

quoia wrote:

No electrician needed to do any of that as far as I am concerned.

However others may query the lights in the kitchen and bathroom.
Are the downlighter spot mains 230V ones or low voltage 12V running off a transformer?
If 12V transformer version definitely DO IT YOURSELF !

I'd personally be wary of that advice when it comes to kitchens and bathrooms. It's all to do with problems that might arise when you come to sell your house later on and not having the correct paperwork. Take a look at this thread as I put some good links in there.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=27942

Regards
Rob

gromituk

quoia wrote:

Also something that many people do not realise about these new regulations is that they do NOT stop you doing the work yourself.
Or at least 95% to 99.9% of it!

Job done at a fraction of the cost of letting a sparky do all of it.

But unfortunately that fraction will be a great deal more than 0.1% to 5% of getting the electrician to do the whole lot.

robby-01

George_Bray wrote:

This sounds interesting. I thought that the DIY route consisted (1) on doing the electrical work yourself and then (2) getting the Council to sign it off for about £80 - £100. Outrageous! But, if the Council (or their sub-contactors included in the £80-£100 fee - that's their business) don't do the check, who does?

Also, is there any need to inform the Council that you're starting work? I work on some of these projects at a snail's pace! So work-in-progress wiring may be hanging down all over the place for months or years! What happens if I call in the Council at the end - when all the wiring is sealed behind plaster boards, etc? Don't they expect periodic visits, all within the £80-£100? How does it work in practice?

If the work requires notification under part p and you choose to go down the diy route or choose to use an electrician who is not a registered part p installer then yes building control do need to be informed in advance of the work starting.
If you use an installer who is registered then the work is registered on completion by the installer and you recieve notification through the post a few days later.
I didnt mean to imply that building control dont carry out checks ,just that building inspectors themselves are not physically carrying them out.
If you feel confident enough to do the work then get on with it and say nothing.
For the record I am a spark and I have been registered for part p from the start.It is different for me it is how I make my living .Unlike most sparks I dont have a problem with people doing work themselves .I do have a problem with cowboy electricians who charge people for sub standard work and part p should help stamp that out.
if you need any help pm me.