Removing electric fireplace / installing new socket?

SecondStar

As correctly guessed - local guy says it’d be £60 to replace with either a single socket or a blanking plate.

Will go and find some YouTube videos first, and then see how capable I’m feeling!

Simonon77

SecondStar said:

As correctly guessed - local guy says it’d be £60 to replace with either a single socket or a blanking plate.

Will go and find some YouTube videos first, and then see how capable I’m feeling!

You'll be fine honest, it really is a very simple job and as long as you connect the wires to the correct terminals you can't go far wrong

SecondStar

Oh, and absolutely thank you all for your input!

I previously owned a house with my ex, and so it’ll be a tricky adaption to managing things on my own, without someone to bounce ideas off of.

I’m excited about it though, but prepare to see a few more basic question posts!

Simonon77

dil1976 said:

Simonon77 said:

dil1976 said:

Should cost too, much, depending on your location I would say in the region of £50 to £70. Will be picked up by them between jobs. How ever be prepared to ask several people before someone does it as its only a small job so you will b eat there mercy when its done.

She was asking if she could do it herself rather than call someone in. £50 for less than 5 minutes work you can do yourself is a lot !

As the OP has already stated they have a limited skill set. The cost isnt for time spent doing the job its for the time spent learning to do the job properly

Yes, I realise that. My point is paying anyone any amount for a very simple DIY job you can yourself is a waste of money

dil1976

housebuyer143 said:

SecondStar said:

First time solo-homeowner (got keys yesterday!), and feeling more than a little overwhelmed. Apologies if this is a stupid question.

I want to remove the big ugly eyesore or an electric fireplace from my living room, but the blooming thing is wired in, and electrics scare the pants off of me.

I turned off all the fuses and had a look under the cover. From these quick and dirty photos, does it look like an amateur could remove the wiring for the fireplace, and possible replace with a functional single socket? Or even a blank plate, as I do have plenty of sockets in that room?

It would be nice to know how to do things myself, and not always be the little woman who has to call a professional in for every tiny job.

Go and turn the fuse board off so there is no power to it and then unscrew the screws holding in the wire. Done! 

YouTube will be your best friend and you will be surprised how many jobs you can do. Wiring a socket and switch are very easy. Just note which wires come out of were and wire them back in the same.

grumbler said:

The safest way to work is to switch off the big separate double swith on the left side of your CU. 
Yes, if the fused switch (not socket) in the room operates the fire it's better to keep it swithched of.

That is terrible advice saying just turn the "fuse board" off, without a tester that is capable of proving it is dead there is no way you will know if the fire will be isolated safely.

dil1976

Simonon77 said:

dil1976 said:

Simonon77 said:

dil1976 said:

Should cost too, much, depending on your location I would say in the region of £50 to £70. Will be picked up by them between jobs. How ever be prepared to ask several people before someone does it as its only a small job so you will b eat there mercy when its done.

She was asking if she could do it herself rather than call someone in. £50 for less than 5 minutes work you can do yourself is a lot !

As the OP has already stated they have a limited skill set. The cost isnt for time spent doing the job its for the time spent learning to do the job properly

Yes, I realise that. My point is paying anyone any amount for a very simple DIY job you can yourself is a waste of money

I would rather save a life than money

dil1976

Simonon77 said:

SecondStar said:

As correctly guessed - local guy says it’d be £60 to replace with either a single socket or a blanking plate.

Will go and find some YouTube videos first, and then see how capable I’m feeling!

You'll be fine honest, it really is a very simple job and as long as you connect the wires to the correct terminals you can't go far wrong

You are correct it is a simple job with the correct knowledge, as the saying goes  a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing

chris_n

What amazes me here is so many people have given advice yet no one has pointed out the bare conductor on the neutral! 

housebuyer143

dil1976 said:

housebuyer143 said:

SecondStar said:

First time solo-homeowner (got keys yesterday!), and feeling more than a little overwhelmed. Apologies if this is a stupid question.

I want to remove the big ugly eyesore or an electric fireplace from my living room, but the blooming thing is wired in, and electrics scare the pants off of me.

I turned off all the fuses and had a look under the cover. From these quick and dirty photos, does it look like an amateur could remove the wiring for the fireplace, and possible replace with a functional single socket? Or even a blank plate, as I do have plenty of sockets in that room?

It would be nice to know how to do things myself, and not always be the little woman who has to call a professional in for every tiny job.

Go and turn the fuse board off so there is no power to it and then unscrew the screws holding in the wire. Done! 

YouTube will be your best friend and you will be surprised how many jobs you can do. Wiring a socket and switch are very easy. Just note which wires come out of were and wire them back in the same.

grumbler said:

The safest way to work is to switch off the big separate double swith on the left side of your CU. 
Yes, if the fused switch (not socket) in the room operates the fire it's better to keep it swithched of.

That is terrible advice saying just turn the "fuse board" off, without a tester that is capable of proving it is dead there is no way you will know if the fire will be isolated safely.

I kind of imagined the OP would check the fire was off before disconnecting after turning the fuse board off? Surely that's an easy way to check it.
Same with sockets and switches. Make sure they don't work before you take them apart. 

housebuyer143

dil1976 said:

Simonon77 said:

SecondStar said:

As correctly guessed - local guy says it’d be £60 to replace with either a single socket or a blanking plate.

Will go and find some YouTube videos first, and then see how capable I’m feeling!

You'll be fine honest, it really is a very simple job and as long as you connect the wires to the correct terminals you can't go far wrong

You are correct it is a simple job with the correct knowledge, as the saying goes  a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing

They teach you to wire sockets in school... It's not hard. The most important thing is to ensure the wires are not live.
Switches if you wire incorrectly just don't work. They don't just burst into flames.