Fair electrical quotes for 1 bed upgrade?

tylerjaffa

Hi there.

I'm renovating my one bedroom house and am looking to upgrade the electrics. I've been advised that I don't need a complete re-wire but that I would be as well re-wiring the kitchen with the amount of work that is needed.



I've had three quotes for the work below; one at £840, one at £980 and one at £1095 - all including labour and materials. The highest price comes from an electrician who said the kitchen did not need a re-wire but the circuit opened/closed and the wiring altered. The other two quotes include re-wiring the kitchen.

Anyone have any thoughts on the prices quoted?

Vicki

REPLACE FUSE BOARD

LIVINGROOM

REPLACE EXISTING SINGLE SOCKETS WITH DOUBLE SOCKETS (X2)
INSTALL 1 NEW DOUBLE SOCKET NEXT TO NEW ALCOVE
INSTALL 1 NEW DOUBLE SOCKET NEXT TO WINDOW
CHANGE CEILING LIGHT FITTING & INSTALL DIMMER SWITCH

KITCHEN

REMOVE UNNECESSARY SWITCHES
LOWER & REPLACE EXISTING DOUBLE SOCKETS (X2)
INSTALL SINGLE SOCKET FOR FRIDGE
INSTALL 2 NEW DOUBLE SOCKETS
INSTALL SWITCH FOR COOKER EXTRACTOR FAN

BEDROOM

REPLACE EXISTING SINGLE SOCKETS WITH DOUBLE SOCKETS (X2)
INSTALL NEW DOUBLE SOCKET
CHANGE CEILING LIGHT FITTING & INSTALL DIMMER SWITCH
INSTALL LIGHTS IN THE 2 NEW FITTED WARDROBES

HALL

REPLACE SINGLE SOCKET WITH DOUBLE SOCKET
CHANGE CEILING LIGHT FITTING (INCLUDING LIGHT IN OLD CUPBOARD) X3
LIGHT IN BOILER CUPBOARD

baldelectrician

The quotes are all similar, I would ask what make the consumer unit is, I don't see a smoke detector on your list, or main / supplimantary earth bonding.

I would discount any sparks that fail to mention these.

You should use a competent person for the work, links below
In Scotland:
Individuals regitered;
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/ListAC.asp
Companies
http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/register/SearchCo.asp?T=Construction&ID=2
In England and Wales:
http://www.competentperson.co.uk
There is also a new Survey Scheme coming in on 1st December 2008
You should get paperwork for any work you have carried out, and will be required to produce if you sell your house after this date.

www.homereportscotland.gov.uk

tylerjaffa

Thanks for your reply. I already have a smoke detector connected to the mains - should I be doing something with it? One of the guys mentioned he recommended the manufacturer, is it "Hagar" for the fuse board???

What paperwork should I be looking for (I'm in Scotland)? One guy said this in his e-mail: "All work will be carried out to B.S.7671" - should that be followed up in writing after the work is done or something?

baldelectrician

Ask which version of BS7671

BS7671 : 2001 is on the way out - it has been replaced by BS7671:2008
Until July 1st work can be carried ou to EITHER version, but after then only the 2008 version will do.

I would spec 2008 version, and suggest a MK or Hager fuse box - there are others- I would suggest you use these

Also kitchen electrics should have seperate isolators for appliances above the worktop (not in cupboards)

To comply to the 2008 version will cost about £100 or so more (there is a requirement for RCD's almost everywhere)

Ask if certification is included in the price, and find out if they are registered with NICEIC or SELECT.

tylerjaffa

That's really helpful - thanks. I'm a bit unsure about the isolator bit though...can you explain a bit more please?

And what were your thoughts on the smoke alarm?

Vicki

inspect

baldelectrician wrote: »

Also kitchen electrics should have seperate isolators for appliances above the worktop (not in cupboards)

Why not in kitchen cupboards?

baldelectrician

Switches should be acessible (it's not really acessible if you have to move 20 tins of beans to switch off your washing machine when smoke starts to come out the front of it )

It also states this in the Scottish Building Standards (which may not apply down south as they are quite comprehensive)
Building Standards Domestic Handbook 4.8.6:
'Where sockets are concealed, such as to the rear of build-in applaices, or obstructed by built in furniture, seperate switching should be provided in an acssible position, to allow appliances to be isolated.'

I should point out the building standards system in Scotland is a lot more robust (electrical certification was required in England and Wales for domestic electrical work from 1st Jan 2005; Scotland has had electrical work, commercial AND domestic works, under building control overview, to a some extent since the 1959 Building Scotland Act)
It was further tightened up in Scotland on 1st May 2005.

inspect

Hi baldelectrician

Yes things are different in England and Wales. What you say makes perfect sense but we are allowed to install sockets in kitchen cupboards as they are considered “part of the fabric of the building”. It seems that you guys up top have a few more rules on this than we do:D . Sockets in a kitchen unit should be brought in trunking to the front of a unit to make it accessible. Never put a socket on the flimsy backboard of a unit, seen this enough times.:rotfl:

It would be interesting to know what else is different.;)

baldelectrician

Inspect

Another major difference is NO part P up here, we have a 'certifier of construction scheme'

The secheme is pretty tight see Scottish Electrical Certification .

The building regs are a lot better up here- we have our share of foreign workers from eastern europe, but they have to prove competence before they can sign off work.

The HIP isn't happening in Scotland, but we have a HIP REPLACEMENT
The scheme starts on December 1st 2008