Wiring certificate

randomi15

Hi guys,

When you make a modification to your wiring, does it need to be re certified?

I just had my whole house rewired by someone that can't certify it but was cheap. He is getting someone in to test and certify. What kind of things should i look for on the certificate?

How can you check its validity?


If god forbids, my house is on fire and don't have a certificate, does insurance cover me?

Risteard

Sorry to say this but any certification provided will be invalid. Even a three-signature certificate requires the inspector to be present during erection of the electrical installation to verify that the Requirements of the Regulations have been met.

You should have paid a proper price for someone competent - all Electricians are supposed to verify their work BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO SERVICE. So there is no excuse for any Electrician not certifying new work (or alterations or additions).

randomi15

He is an electrition working full time for another firm but can't certify

It is all proper job ...

What happens if you want someone to certify the work after 10 years, they won't surely dig all of it up again

They will just do a test in the fuse board

Risteard

They will only be reporting on the condition of the installation to their best beliefs within the constraints of and limitations on the inspection. They won't be certifying the work and cannot certify the work.

Also anyone who "can't certify" their work is a wiring monkey and not an Electrician.

And it's not a "proper job" if it hasn't been certified as certification is a requirement of BS7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations).

Ectophile

If it's a major re-wire, then the electrician should issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), and the work should be reported to the local council under Building Regulations (though the rules are different in Scotland).

There are now third-party inspection schemes where a qualified electrician can sign off someone else's work. I would expect both electricians to be signing the EIC.

phill99

Oh Struth.

Risteard

Ectophile wrote: »

There are now third-party inspection schemes where a qualified electrician can sign off someone else's work. I would expect both electricians to be signing the EIC.

NOT if they haven't been involved from the outset. As stated, they still must be able to inspect during erection of the installation. They CANNOT do this third-party sign-off if engaged after completion of the work. And the NICEIC - the largest and best known of the registration bodies - does not allow this third-party certification whatsoever.

Frankly the OP is to blame for not paying a fair price for someone competent to do this. It serves the OP right for looking for a cheap job.

Heedtheadvice

Frankly the OP is to blame for not paying a fair price for someone competent to do this. It serves the OP right for looking for a cheap job.

I am usually reasonably supportive of your statements of fact on this forum, Risteard, but that comment about blame is really uncalled for. The problem seems to stem from a "customer" trying to get a low cost job (we all try to save some cash do we not?) but we cannot assume that a poor job was desired and the blame for the situation lies with the "electrician" who did the work surely, either by giving incorrect information or just by omission?

Maybe the OP was naive or fooled or just thought that what was proposed seemed a great way to get a certified job and save at the same time. Probably learning late but rapidly now to ask first!

It is worth considering that 'cheap' might just be relative to someone who quoted 'expensive' rather than being presumptuous that it means undercutting a reasonable price? Some of the best cowboys quote well over the odds!

Risteard

Heedtheadvice wrote: »

I am usually reasonably supportive of your statements of fact on this forum, Risteard, but that comment about blame is really uncalled for. The problem seems to stem from a "customer" trying to get a low cost job (we all try to save some cash do we not?) but we cannot assume that a poor job was desired and the blame for the situation lies with the "electrician" who did the work surely, either by giving incorrect information or just by omission?

Maybe the OP was naive or fooled or just thought that what was proposed seemed a great way to get a certified job and save at the same time. Probably learning late but rapidly now to ask first!

It is worth considering that 'cheap' might just be relative to someone who quoted 'expensive' rather than being presumptuous that it means undercutting a reasonable price? Some of the best cowboys quote well over the odds!

I take your point but someone suggesting that they can do the work cheaply but not verify, certify and stand over it should ring alarm bells!

baldelectrician

Just to add to the 'love in'.
If the electrician isn't registered and cant certify then the work isn't covered- by that I mean there is no insurance in place if the worst were to happen (say an electrical fire), your insurance would not pay out as there is no cert and your mate will not have liability cover (as they are not self employed) and are working directly for a company.

silvercar

baldelectrician wrote: »

Just to add to the 'love in'.
If the electrician isn't registered and cant certify then the work isn't covered- by that I mean there is no insurance in place if the worst were to happen (say an electrical fire), your insurance would not pay out as there is no cert and your mate will not have liability cover (as they are not self employed) and are working directly for a company.

Can you explain how an insurance loss adjuster would know whether the certificate was signed by someone who had seen the work through all stages or whether they had checked the end result?