bathroom downlights ,can I use my old ceiling??

[mikell]

people have got downlights and as Im (trying) to do my bathroom they look good. but other people have had a false ceiling fitted which I dont want to do. How do I go about removing the ceiling rose up into the loft to be wired on to do and I need to make or buy a special junction box? can I leave the insulation down after cutting out holes in plasterboard and fitting lights?
All and any info relating to this task is greatly appreicated, all us janet and john readers await your expert help! !
thanks!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

people have got downlights and as Im (trying) to do my bathroom they look good. but other people have had a false ceiling fitted which I dont want to do. How do I go about removing the ceiling rose up into the loft to be wired on to do and I need to make or buy a special junction box?

Replace the rose with a 4-terminal JB.

can I leave the insulation down after cutting out holes in plasterboard and fitting lights?

You should leave clearance around the lights - check the instructions - keep as much of the insulation as you can.

All and any info relating to this task is greatly appreicated, all us janet and john readers await your expert help! !
thanks!

One bit of info that probably won't be appreciated is that this work is notifiable, although how anybody would ever find out that you'd done it beats me.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The Part P police will be round to check your wiring colours. Happens all the time.
Watch out especially if you are a Brazilian electrician.

 

[Tom JE]

I have just done my spotlights in the bathroom. I have a guy coming out to certify my work along with my shower tomorrow. I intend to sell the house soon - do they definately check the wire colours?? I was just going to not bother with getting it certified but thought i'd do it "by the book" so to speak.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Well doing it by the book means that you should have notified Building Control before you started.

Having an electrician certify it after the event will not meet the legal requirements, and if you go to Building Control afterwards with a certificate from this electician, you'll probably not get a completion notice, and even if you did, by the time you add the Building Control fee to what the electrician is going to charge you, it would probably have been cheaper to have it all done by a registered electrician in the first place.

Having your work checked is a good idea, but it will not mean that you have complied with the law, so best not to trouble Building Control.

And I do not believe they check cable colours, for the simple reason that it will tell them nothing - the new colours came in before Part P.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I was just muddying the waters

 

[Tom JE]

Sorry, i should clarify there. I havent actually connected my spotlights. I am still using my old light, the new spotlights and switch etc just need connecting to the lighing circuit - something my electrician will do when he does my fuse box later in the week.
I was under the impression that my electrician would notify building control or have i been misled here?

 

[Taylortwocities]

You will have to persuade your electrician to certify the work you have done. Many will not do this...

However, when he comes he (should) firstly test the whole installation and provide you with a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) that will detail any deficiances with the existing installation. (earthing, bonding, anything dangerous, etc)

Any urgent itmes should be cleared up before he does the next bit and that is changing your consumer unit. Then he should provide you with an Installation Certificate of any new work (the consumer unit change).
He might include the new bathroom lights on this cert.

He should then notify his scheme provider that he has carried out the work and they will tell the LABC.

You've got two avenues:
1. ask him to inspect your work, connect it and include it in his cert
2. connect it up and he should be testing it when he does the PIR. You could always say it was done before you moved in....

TTC

 

[Tom JE]

Yeah, i think that was his plan. He said he will test my work for me (he's a friend of the family and doing me a huge favour) - obviously i am happy with the standard of my work, fingers crossed he is!

Cheers for the help!

 

[mikell]

So I am going ahead with my own downlighters 12v transformern,5 20w bulbs but as far as anyone in the future is concerned it was done when I moved in ,two years ago,is that me covered??

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yup, or you could say that they were already there, and you just replaced them as you wanted chrome instead of white, or whatever.

Replacements are not notifiable.

 

[mikell]

lovely Jubbley
Makes you think though, that if they really were looking out for the safety aspects of householders ,they would`nt charge an arm and a leg to check out the work, and get it certified , all they have made people do is "twist a bit" to get around the regulations! A bit like the dvd companies ,why pay £30 when I know they are only £3 at the booty!! If they didnt charge such silly prices Id buy off them instead!!

 

[mikell]

all done and look nice for now,plantpots add a touch of class!

 

[davelx]

The Part P police will be round to check your wiring colours. Happens all the time.
Watch out especially if you are a Brazilian electrician.

The new colour cables were available in B&Q well before Part P came into force so that proves nothing.